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Hybrids vehicles could get another year in I-95 HOV lanes at rush hour Date published: 1/19/2010
By KELLY HANNON Veteran hybrid vehicle owners could have another year to drive solo or in pairs in Interstate 95 and 395's carpool lanes. For drivers who bought and registered their clean special fuel vehicle in Virginia before July 1, 2006, several bills have been submitted in the Virginia General Assembly to extend a passenger exemption. Under the proposed legislation, these drivers would have through July 1, 2011, to drive in High Occupancy Vehicle lanes at rush hour on I-95/395, regardless of the number of passengers. The current exemption expires on July 1. The rule has allowed hundreds of Fredericksburg area drivers to commute alone or with one passenger in HOV lanes on the I-95/395 corridor. All other vehicles in those lanes must have three occupants between the hours of 6 and 9 a.m. and 3:30 and 6 p.m. on weekdays. The exemption began when hybrids were relatively new to encourage Virginia drivers to buy the fuel-efficient cars with fewer emissions. The assembly has extended the passenger exemption in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009, always with wide margins of support. The July 1, 2006, cutoff was chosen by state legislators as a compromise that year. It kept a promise to early hybrid owners that they could use the fuel-efficient vehicles in HOV lanes with fewer occupants. But it capped a growing percentage of single- or two-passenger hybrids in HOV lanes. The debate over the rule will be raised again in 2010. Several bills with one-year extensions have been submitted in the House of Delegates. Del. Thomas Greason, R-Potomac Falls, submitted one of the bills extending the exemption, H.B. 214. Greason said he thought it would help constituents who have lengthy commutes. He received inquiries about extending it from hybrid-owning constituents in his district who drive long dist- ances. The number of qualifying hybrid vehicles is small enough that it's not a significant percentage of traffic in the HOV lanes, he said. If it takes one car out of the heavily congested general lanes and moves it to HOV lanes, "Then I think that's a benefit," Greason said. Greason's bill would also give all clean special fuel vehicle owners another year to use HOV lanes at rush hour with one occupant on the Dulles Toll Road and Interstate 66.
Date published: 1/19/2010
But if sworn LEOs are in a government car, on their way to work, or commuting in any form, they are considered "in the line of duty." That is defined by the dept of labor. They are usually armed and in cars with full police packages. If you are a LEO that is not in an enforcement position and not in a Government car, then the HOV courtesy is not given. If the government wants to allow LEOs to be off duty during their drive in, then I would agree with you.
I have no problem with law enforcement using the HOV lanes for REAL business use. My issue is with regular commuting! And maybe I should say, I work for a major law enforcement organization so I certainly don't have any issue with LEO's. For the commute, they should be subject to the same rules as the rest of us are!
If you dohn't want plainwrap police/fed vehicles to use the HOV, how do you think they are going to get anywhere? Law enforcement needs to get to their destination if we want any kind of enforcment. Trying to get to a meth lab? Forget it, they're stuck in traffic. Need to interview an informant, nope, stuck in traffic. Not a good plan I think. There are very few law enforcment vehicles on the road, letting them use the HOV is good public policy.
I still say no hybrids unless three or more in a vehicle...Anyone can buy a HYBRID badge/emblem for their vehicle. Let's say you own a vehicle that comes in a HYBRID model, camry, escape, escalade, you can buy that badge online and stick it to your vehicle......
ethel own a pious?
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