Is true if you have a prius, you can ride in the carpool lane even if there only one person in the car?

Question

i just heard it today. i wonder if it's true.

Answer 1

Depends on the state.

In VA, AZ, and UT, you need the special license plates issued from that state.  In CA, FL, and NY, you need the state issued stickers on your car.  In CA and NJ, it is also linked to your EZ-Pass.

CA:

http://arbis.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/c...

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/vr/decal.htm

In CA, the single-occupant HOV lane stickers was limited to hybrids that not only met ULEV emission standards, but also had EPA highway ratings of over 45MPG.  (So, only the 2001-2004 Honda Insight, the  2003-2007 Honda Civic Hybrid, and the 2001-2007 Toyota Prius qualified as hybrids for the single-occupant HOV lane sticker.)

Since the 85,000 maximum amount of CA stickers were issued, and that number was reached, used hybrids with the HOV stickers are running at about a $4,000 premium over those without the stickers.  http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2007...

NJ:  http://www.state.nj.us/turnpike/index-hy...

http://www.nj.gov/transportation/about/p...

AZ:  order the Energy-Efficient plates and hybrid sticker at http://www.servicearizona.com/ under a pilot program

FL decals:  http://www.hsmv.state.fl.us//dmv/HOV.htm...

NY decals:  https://www.nysdot.gov/portal/page/porta...

UT plates:  http://dmv.utah.gov/licensespecialplates...

VA plates:  https://www.dmv.state.va.us/webdoc/citiz...

https://www.dmv.state.va.us/exec/vehicle...

http://www.virginiadot.org/travel/hov-ru...

Answer 2

I don't think that they make any allowences for hybrid vehicles just because they run cleaner. The HOV Lane was build  and laws created for high occupancy vehicles only and they enforce that strictly in most places.

Answer 3

Yes, some states have this.  In California, for example, you need a sticker for your bumper that gives you permission to drive in the carpool lane alone.

Answer 4

In CA if the vehicle was sold with a sticker authorizing the HOV lane. I think there was a limit on the number that the state did this for around 50k. I see Hybrids with and without the sticker. I know a guy that has one. He told me that the resale value for the cars with the stickers is significantly higher than for one without.

That is the long version for maybe.

Each state is likely different.