Prius in AZ HOV Lanes ?

anyone hearing anything from the MVD about issuing stickers / plates to allow us to use HOV lane as single drivers? they were waiting for the EPA to issue the ruling... just not sure if that's happened yet (?)

 

despite the law quoted in your post, our mvd does NOT currently issue any special AF or hybrid plates to prius owners. there's lots of history here, but bottom line - they are waiting for the EPA - i just wasn't sure if that had happened yet or not...

we are still in a holding pattern for at least another month or two...

but the governor's statements at the state-of-the-state yesterday bodes well for us - something about lower vehicle license tax for vehicles that conserve...

 

i got a letter back from adot/mvd executives - saying they were waiting for the epa designation on what qualifies as low-emission, fuel-efficient vehicle. this is consistent w/ the language in the transportation bill that president (newkuler) bush signed - he gave the epa 180 days from bill signing to issue a ruling... i have an email into the epa on that one as well.

... waiting ever so patiently ...

... thinking about trading for an acura tl or tsx if this doesn't come thru ...

 

chose email instead of a letter... sent just now... will post when i get a response.

B)
----------------------------------

February 25, 2006

Ms. Stacey K Stanton, Director
Motor Vehicle Division
Arizona Department of Transportation

Dear Ms. Stanton:

Thank you for your letter dated August 26, 2005 responding to my earlier correspondence to you and Victor Mendez regarding hybrid vehicles in Arizona HOV lanes. I have pasted the text of my prior letter to Director Mendez below for your reference.

In your letter, you indicated that ADOT was waiting for the EPA to develop and publish rules determining which hybrid vehicles qualify as low-emission and energy-efficient, in order for ADOT to move forward and implement the existing Arizona law allowing issuance of special plates / stickers to hybrid vehicles for use of Arizona HOV lanes regardless of occupancy.

SAFETEA required the EPA to publish these rules within 180 days, and it has been well over 180 days since the President signed this bill on August 10, 2005.

Has ADOT secured this information from the EPA? Are you moving ahead to implement the State law?

I would appreciate your response from your office by Monday, March 6. Thank you.

Sincerely,

(me)

c: Gail Lewis, Governor's Transportation Policy Advisor
Victor Mendez, ADOT Director

----------------------------------------------

August 25, 2005

Mr. Victor Mendez, Director
Arizona Department of Transportation

Dear Mr. Mendez:

I am writing regarding gas-electric hybrid vehicles and the use of our state’s HOV lanes. I have written your MVD Director Stacey Stanton two letters on this issue, called her office several times, written several emails to the MVD general mailbox, and spoken with several MVD employees, yet I have received no response whatsoever from your MVD.

Here’s my issue: Arizona has a state law in place allowing hybrid vehicles to use the HOV lanes regardless of occupancy by displaying the required plates / stickers, as long as the federal government approves. The federal government has approved – by adopting the $286 billion federal transportation bill, which congress approved and the President signed on August 10. The bill contains provisions allowing states to set policy for use of the HOV lanes, specifically encouraging states to allow single-occupant hybrid vehicles into carpool lanes:

“It is the sense of Congress that the Secretary and the States should provide additional incentives (including the use of high occupancy vehicle lanes on State and Interstate highways) for the purchase and use of hybrid and other fuel efficient vehicles, which have been proven to minimize air emissions and decrease consumption of fossil fuels.†The only missing piece between Arizona hybrid owners and their AF plates / stickers is a formal MVD policy in the hands of your employees in the MVD offices. When I spoke with MVD employees, they indicated that they clearly understand what has happened, but they said they have not yet been provided with a policy reflecting current law that allows them to issue these plates or stickers to owners of qualifying hybrid vehicles. They suggested that I write to Director Stacey Stanton on this issue, which I have done… yet I have received no response after a month of attempts.

Our neighbors in California have implemented their process to issue stickers to owners of hybrid vehicles and hybrid owners have even begun receiving their stickers, yet California’s state law is much more restrictive than ours (the California law contains mileage and emissions thresholds that hybrids must meet to qualify, whereas Arizona law has no such provisions).

Meanwhile, workers at Arizona’s MVD are still unable to issue plates or stickers – as allowed by both federal and Arizona state law – only because they have no administrative policy in place.

I hope to hear from you or your staff within one week. I have no interest in escalating this issue further, but don’t really have a choice absent a response of some kind. For your reference, I am attaching my prior letters to MVD Director Stanton, along with copies of Arizona State Statutes § 28-737 and § 28-2416.

Sincerely,

(me)

c: David Jankofsky, ADOT Deputy Dir. – [email protected]
John Bogert, ADOT Chief of Staff – [email protected]
Stacey Stanton, MVD Director – [email protected]

 

got a call back from ADOT today. ADOT is still waiting on the EPA to issue the ruling, and are following up with them on a regular basis. after they get the EPA ruling, they will likely need to modify the state legislation to allow hybrids into the hov lanes, which will likely be next legislative session, which starts in january... so it will likely be 2007 before we get plates or stickers.

not good news. :angry: