DRIVERS have been warned about an October 1 deadline that could mean an end to carpooling.
California drivers have been able to drive in the carpool lane without any passengers as long as they are driving electric or hybrid vehicles.
California drivers who own a electric or hybrid vehicle won’t be allowed in the carpool lane starting in October[/caption]
The state’s decal program encouraged drivers to purchase an EV so they could drive in the HOV lane solo[/caption]
As per California’s Clean Air Decal program, those who own environmentally-conscious cars can make it known by placing a “clean air vehicle” decal on their ride.
With the sticker acting as your magic ticket, drivers are allowed to cruise along in the carpool lane even if they aren’t transporting any other passengers.
However, if lawmakers choose not to extend the state’s decal program, the carpool perk would become ineffective on September 30, according to the state’s DMV website.
Drivers who purchased a hybrid or electric vehicle can still get a decal by August 29, but it wouldn’t allow them to drive in the carpool lane past October 2.
“Clean Air Vehicle Decals are a smart, cost-effective incentive that has played an important role driving the adoption of clean and zero-emission vehicles in California,” said Liane Randolph, chair of the California Air Resources Board.
“But thanks to the federal government’s failure to act, this successful program is coming to an end,” they added.
The program is ending, even though California law was changed to extend it to January 2027, as per the state’s DMV.
The website states that while California changed the law in hopes that the federal government would extend the CAVD Program, that federal authority was not extended, so the program ends at midnight on September 30, 2025.
As a result, starting October 1, California drivers will be forced to follow the posted vehicle occupancy requirement to travel in the carpool lane.
Those who don’t follow the carpool lane requirements risk receiving a citation and fine, according to California’s DMV.
Bill Magavern, the policy director for the Coalition for Clean Air, said California’s decal program would only be extended with the approval from Congress and President Trump.
“I certainly would not bet on that,” Magavern said.
“It seems that the only deadline that this Congress responds to are the deadlines that are set by Trump, and I really don’t see him going out of his way to extend this program.”
Although drivers won’t be able to use HOV lane as frequently, Magavern noted that it could reduce congestion in the carpool lane.
Electric vehicles vs gas
Pros and cons of EVs vs gasoline-powered vehicles
EV PROS:
- Convenient (when charging at home)
- Cheaper (depending on state or city)
- Cheaper maintenance, due to lack of mechanical parts
- Great for commuting
- Reduced CO2 emissions
- Federal and state tax incentives
- More performance (speed, handling – depending on the make and model)
EV CONS:
- Higher initial cost
- Higher insurance rates
- More frequent tire and brake replacement intervals
- Higher curb weight (thus causing more rapid wear on crucial parts)
- Low resale value
- High depreciation rates
- Lack of charging infrastructure
- Unreliable public charging (related: slow charging times)
- Poor winter and summer performance
- Lack of clean energy alternatives means more “dirty energy” from coal and nuclear sources
- Range anxiety
GAS PROS:
- Highly developed refueling infrastructure
- Fast refueling
- Cheaper insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Established repair industry
- Lower initial cost
- Higher range before refueling, especially with hybrids
- Many manufacturers produce nearly emission-less engines
- Cheaper refueling, depending on the location
GAS CONS:
- Finite resource (related: heavy dependence on petroleum)
- Carbon emissions/greenhouse gases
- Higher repair costs
- Higher insurance rates, depending on make, model, and configuration
- Varying costs at the pump, depending on state, city, and county
Source: Car & Driver, Perch Energy, AutoWeek
“Now that California has hundreds of thousands of zero-emission vehicles, they can take up a lot of space in the HOV lanes, and those were meant to incentivize people to carpool,” he said.
But without an incentive, California officials wonder whether drivers will still opt for environmentally-conscious vehicles.
Almost 30% of people admitted that without any incentives from their state, they would not have bought an electric vehicle, as per Scott Hardman, assistant director of UC Davis’ Electric Vehicle Research Center.
“We’re still at a very fragile point in the transition to all vehicles being electric,” Hardman said.
“Only eight percent of the vehicles on the road are electric, and that’s not enough for you to reach the point where the vehicles are a social norm.”
The Clean Air Decal program is only part of the state’s push for stricter environmental standards.
