Californians: What Happens When the HOV Law Expires

[leftistelf]

It's the best car I've owned, it makes me feel Green when I drive it, and it lowers my monthly gas bill...but one of the main reasons I purchased the car was to drive in the California HOV lanes due to my 180 daily round-trip commute. It has saved me hours and hours of drive time!

If I remember correctly, the law that allows stickered, fuel efficient cars in the HOV lanes will expire at the end of 2007. Does anyone have an idea as to what happens after December 31? Will the qualifying standard of fuel efficiency/emissions reduction be increased to 60mpg or zero emission cars? Will the law be extended? Will those with stickers continue to enjoy the HOV lanes although no new stickers will be issued?

I'm asking because I'm going to jump on whatever bandwagon the state requires to get in that lane and reduce my daily commute by 4 hours...

[jrfaris]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(leftistelf @ Mar 9 2007, 06:39 AM) [snapback]402754[/snapback]</div>

I'm asking because I'm going to jump on whatever bandwagon the state requires to get in that lane and reduce my daily commute by 4 hours...
[/b]

Searching provides answers & hours of entertainment
Search for HOV

[leftistelf]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jrfaris @ Mar 9 2007, 06:49 AM) [snapback]402757[/snapback]</div>

Searching provides answers & hours of entertainment
Search for HOV
[/b]

Although I'm a Prius Chat newbie, I'm not a forum newbie and had already completed the prerequisite search, which was as inconclusive as the link you provided suggests.

Is there any real answer?

[hb06]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(leftistelf @ Mar 9 2007, 06:39 AM) [snapback]402754[/snapback]</div>

It's the best car I've owned, it makes me feel Green when I drive it, and it lowers my monthly gas bill...but one of the main reasons I purchased the car was to drive in the California HOV lanes due to my 180 daily round-trip commute. It has saved me hours and hours of drive time!

If I remember correctly, the law that allows stickered, fuel efficient cars in the HOV lanes will expire at the end of 2007. Does anyone have an idea as to what happens after December 31? Will the qualifying standard of fuel efficiency/emissions reduction be increased to 60mpg or zero emission cars? Will the law be extended? Will those with stickers continue to enjoy the HOV lanes although no new stickers will be issued?

I'm asking because I'm going to jump on whatever bandwagon the state requires to get in that lane and reduce my daily commute by 4 hours...
[/b]

"This bill extends the use of Califonia Carpool stickers for hybrids until 2011 and increases by 10,000 the number of sticker issued.
NOTE: The additional 10,000 stickers will NOT be issued until Jan 1, 2007 as that is when the bill becomes active."

http://ocprius.com/hov.html

[luckyboy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(HBO6 @ Mar 9 2007, 01:02 PM) [snapback]402881[/snapback]</div>

"This bill extends the use of Califonia Carpool stickers for hybrids until 2011 and increases by 10,000 the number of sticker issued.
NOTE: The additional 10,000 stickers will NOT be issued until Jan 1, 2007 as that is when the bill becomes active."

http://ocprius.com/hov.html
[/b]

The extra 10K stickers are already gone, but anyone that has one already can use it until jan 1, 2011 with current legislation

[jrfaris]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(leftistelf @ Mar 9 2007, 09:53 AM) [snapback]402874[/snapback]</div>

Although I'm a Prius Chat newbie, I'm not a forum newbie and had already completed the prerequisite search, which was as inconclusive as the link you provided suggests.

Is there any real answer?
[/b]

If you had done any searching, you would not have said the law expires in 2007. The extension is well documented. I can only conclude that if you did search, you didn't read...

[auricchio]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(leftistelf @ Mar 9 2007, 06:39 AM) [snapback]402754[/snapback]</div>

Does anyone have an idea as to what happens after December 31? Will the qualifying standard of fuel efficiency/emissions reduction be increased to 60mpg or zero emission cars? Will the law be extended? Will those with stickers continue to enjoy the HOV lanes although no new stickers will be issued?
[/b]

Well, if they allow the law to expire in 2011, then we'll all peel off the stickers and follow standard HOV lane rules. Was that a trick question?

As for the other questions, let me get my crystal ball. 1. I don't know. 2. I don't know. 3. I don't know.

If you find out, please also email me some winning lottery numbers.

Seriously, why would you think anyone here would know the answers to those questions?

[hb06]

For further speculation, there is the off chance that the vehicles with stickers might be "grandfathered" for continued use in the HOV lanes. That would be a fitting reward for the early adopters and would last the life of the car.

[Godiva]

Hmm. Should have done your homework.

Don't know when you bought your car, but it's too late to apply for the stickers. The allotment has already been allocated. If you don't have them now, you can't get them.

For those of us that did, our use is extended until 2011, as has been reported.

For me, I've decided to keep my car until the stickers expire rather than trade it in on a new 2009. That might change if a LiIon battery and plug in were to become available, but I don't think that's going to happen before 2011. I could be wrong. If I am, my car will have stickers on it when I trade it in. That might be a negotiating point, depending on the demand. Someone looking to use the HOV lanes for the remainder of legal use might be willing to pay extra to use them on the chance use might be extended beyond 2011. Or if use is extended and that LiIon plug in still isn't available, I might keep my car.

It's a 2005 and I'm used to keeping a car at least 10 years. But I think I'll be able to buy a LiIon PlugIn Prius before 2015.