Who can drive now in the High Occupancy Vehicle lanes?

On Carmageddon weekend it is worth remembering that a major benefit will be the addition of a northbound carpool (High Occupancy Vehicle or HOV) lane. However, Prius and Civic hybrids with the yellow stickers are no longer welcome to drive in those HOV lanes. The yellow permits expired on July 1, 2011.

So, who will be able to drive in the HOV lanes, besides carpoolers? Only drivers who have the new white stickers, which will be available until January 1, 2015. Here is a list of eligible cars. Those who are not eligible include Toyota Prius hybrids, Honda Civic hybrids and the Chevy Volt (the current model is not clean burning enough, although future models will be). Those who are eligible include 100% battery electric cars like the Nissan Leaf, CNG (compressed natural gas) powered vehicles such as the Honda Civic GX, and hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles, as well as older electric- or CNG-powered vehicles. If you are thinking of obtaining a white sticker, apply here. There are unlimited quantities.

Coming up we also will see green stickers for even more advanced vehicles that meet California’s stricter emission standards. For example, Toyota’s future plug-in Prius hybrid (now in limited distribution) is the first car to qualify for it. These stickers will only be available as of January 1, 2012, valid through January 1, 2015. Qualifying vehicles purchased before the program begins WILL be eligible. Because quantities may be limited to 40,000, and early adopters will want it, many prospective buyers have already signed up so they won’t miss out.

By the way, motorcycles, even those carrying just one person, are allowed to use the HOV lanes.

2012 update: some HOV lanes will become toll lanes - on the 110 and the 10 for sure. Solo drivers of low- and zero-emission cars will get to drive in those toll lanes for free. But there are some temporary exceptions: on the 110 from October 2012-October 2013 and on the 10 from February 2013-February 2014, those solo drivers will have to pay the toll like everybody else.