Senate Committee Approves Move To Bar Hybrids From Further Solo HOV Access

Cameron Aubernon
by Cameron Aubernon

Hybrid owners may soon need a co-pilot and a couple of backseat drivers to use HOV lanes, as the U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee approved a six-year highway spending bill w ith an amendment that would redefine for states what vehicles can and cannot use such lanes for solo driving.

The Detroit News reports Senator James Inhofe of Oklahoma sponsored the approved amendment, which would continue to allow EVs, PHEVs, CNG vehicles and hydrogen vehicles to use HOV lanes with a only the driver inside, but would prohibit states from allowing hybrids to use such lanes in new access programs. That said, most states have already ended single-occupant hybrid access.

In the meantime, California — which phased out hybrid access in 2011 — has run out of access permits for PHEVs, hitting its 40,000 cap earlier this year. The state’s legislators have introduced legislation that would boost the total cap to 85,000, with the permits set to expire on New Year’s Day 2019. EV owners will still have solo HOV access, as there is no cap set for those permits.

Speaking of EVs, another amendment in the spending bill would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to “develop a plan and map of a potential national network of electric vehicle corridors and recharging infrastructure” in collaboration with the automotive industry and outside parties according to its sponsor, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont.

Cameron Aubernon
Cameron Aubernon

Seattle-based writer, blogger, and photographer for many a publication. Born in Louisville. Raised in Kansas. Where I lay my head is home.

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  • Turkina Turkina on May 22, 2014

    I hope they get rid of additional benefits for 'Flex Fuel' vehicles. You know, the SUVs driving in the HOV that never drink a drop of E85 even though they have a badge with a leaf on it? Doug DeMuro had a rant about it over at Jalopnik http://dougdemuro.jalopnik.com/georgia-suv-drivers-are-scamming-the-dmv-for-carpool-la-1573517466

  • Lon888 Lon888 on May 22, 2014

    Leave to that dimwit Inhofe to sponsor a bill like this. We haven't got a single HOV lane in the entire state! Typical of our politicians.

  • Geozinger Geozinger on May 22, 2014

    It's always been my belief that Hybrids and other EV variants (PHEV, EREV, etcs) should not have HOV access. It made no sense for these cars to be able to use the lanes with one person in them as even a HD Suburban with more than one occupants has a greater benefit in terms of congestion, which I thought was the aim of the HOV lanes.

  • Shaker Shaker on May 23, 2014

    To assemble the previous thoughts of the B&B (this might be stupid, maybe not). 1. Establish the preferred MPG/person per vehicle type. 2. Require HOV users to apply for/display a windshield sticker with a large-font number that equals the number of passengers that the vehicle should carry to use HOV lane. 3. Enforce. Examples: Suburban should display a "5" sticker, minivan "4", hybrid "2", PEHV/EV "1" I don't know where motorcycles would fit in this, as any over 500cc are not all that efficient, and (unless catalyst-equipped) spew a lot of pollution for one passenger. So, even somewhat inefficient vehicles can use HOV lanes, as long as they're carrying enough people.

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