Car Pool Lane stickers in CA

We don't have such a thing as hov lanes here, but I would think the best way to get your prius into one would be to give a few other people a ride into town with you... or are they just for buses?

 

Yes, ride sharing (2 or 3 occupants per vehicle) allows access to the HOV lanes. They are not just for busses.

Unpredictable work schedules don't always allow me to find enough additional riders to utilize the HOV lanes, and the single-rider HOV access is a great commute helper when I need it.

Hence my interest in understanding the interplay between California and Federal laws around HOV use.

Mike

 

OK, I got a chance to revisit this and I believe my original conclusion was correct, though there is still some uncertainty.

The exemption for efficient vehicles ends September 30, 2009 as specified at 23 USC 166(b)5(A) and B. Only Congressional action can change this.

Note this only applies to "federally-funded HOV facilities". I would imagine that is all of them, but I don't know for sure and was unable to find an inventory.

US CODE: Title 23,166. HOV facilities

 

Re: Car Pool Lane stickers in CA [Expire on 9/30/09]

From my read, the laws seem to say that Federal approval for hyrbids in HOV lanes ends 9/30/09.

I never realized that the original federal approval that enabled states to allow hybrids into HOV lanes expired on 9/30/09.

Wonder what the chances are that there will be a change/extension at the federal level before 9/30/09? Congress is out for summer recess, right? Hmmm....

Mike

 

It's interesting to me because my mom recently purchased a 2010 and the salesman (fleet manager) mentioned that there might be an extension of the stickers in the future. This isn't the reason my mom bought the car. He mentioned the extension with a fair amount of certainty in his statement. I don't see it happening, but would love it if it does.

 

Possible extension DOES NOT equal issuance of NEW stickers. It only goes for the stickers already out there. The salesman's being, um, disingenuous, to put it nicely.

 

It appears as though maybe the Federal authorization has been extended 18 months, to expire March 31, 2011.

I found the following from
Senate committee approves 18-month SAFETEA-LU extension
"
July 27, 2009
Senate committee approves 18-month SAFETEA-LU extension

The Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works approved an 18-month extension of SAFETEA-LU on July 15 by a vote of 18-1. The bill authorizes only highway and bridge spending and must be joined with extensions from the Senate Commerce committee, which has jurisdiction over safety and freight provisions, and the Banking committee, which controls public transportation legislation.
According to a news release by the National Stone, Sand & Gravel Association, the Surface Transportation Extension Act runs through March 2011 and would authorize about $41 billion in FY 2010 and $20.5 billion for the first half of FY 2011, maintaining the current fiscal year’s spending pace, excluding the stimulus package.
On July 20, Senate Finance committee chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) offered a plan to provide nearly $27 billion to shore up the shortfall in the Highway Trust Fund (HTF) and fund the highway and transit programs through the 18-month extension approved by the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee.
The proposal would reimburse $14.7 billion to the HTF and $4.8 billion to the mass transit program based on interest lost since the trust fund’s ability to earn interest on its balance was eliminated in 1998. Baucus also proposes replenishing another $7.3 billion to the trust fund for emergency spending paid out between 1998 and 2004. The entire amount would be paid from the General Fund into the HTF.
The administration recommended the 18-month extension of the surface transportation law at a cost of $20 billion — $18 billion for highways and $2 billion for transit — to give lawmakers until after the 2010 midterm elections to reach agreement on a comprehensive reauthorization.
"

Similary, I found
Senate Committee Approves 18 Month SAFTEA-LU Extension | Highway Facts Bulletin | AGC - The Associated General Contractors of America


Mike

 

I've heard from the DMV (unofficially of course) that when the program ends in January, 2011, they will extend it for the 90,000 or so of us who drive with the stickers. I assume they will charge a humongous fee because California is broke, and the Gov. needs the money to build some new prisons, but it'll be worth it. Everyone should write to the DMV and ask them if this is true because there is truth to the old adage that there is Strength In Numbers!
As to the Federal law, I think that's irrelevant to California law. It's the state that issues the stickers, not the Feds. I doubt they will ever issue any NEW stickers, but if they don't extend the life of the 90,000 current stickers, they will have an angry mob on their hands.

 

... and my salesman said that the B on the shifter stood for "battery." Also told me it was OK to park in "EV ONLY" spots because the car is "half electric."

 

This is a good first step. It still has to clear two other Senate committees, then the full Senate. Banking and Commerce both had markup sessions in July and a hearings this month, but neither has reported the bill yet.

There is no associated House bill currently pending for an extension of SAFETEA-LU. Things are easier to move in the House, though, so this isn't really a roadblock.

It looks like Oberstar (House Trans. chairman) would rather do a full 6-year reauthorization rather than a stopgap extension. They have some draft legislation for a reauth, but haven't introduced anything yet. There is no counterpart in the Senate for this action.. it appears the two houses are currently working towards different goals.

 

Federal law is critical to California law, actually. The California law states that HOV access will not be granted until the Federal government determines if cars like the Prius qualify for HOV access with single riders. This was the original gate to allowing the California law, and the Federal approval expires at the end of Sept.

Federal law supercedes State law, but of course some states push that envelope, don't they?

Mike

 

Yeah, I kind of found similar evidence to suggest that. The camp that wants to do it right and rewrite the whole things, versus the camp that says if this is not extended, federal funding dies for some areas.

My head started to hurt pretty badly seeing how the government works, so I stopped reading. Interesting, nonetheless.

You seem to have good insights into how the government works, the realities of passing bills, etc. Does that make you a politician, Politburo?

mike

 

I have a brand new set.....make me an offer.

 

Nice idea, but that only works if you are selling the car to which the stickers were issued. They are not transferable.