Carpool Lanes May Be Getting Crowded

New law allows another 40,000 solo drivers in HOV lanes

Those high-occupancy lanes on the freeway may be getting even more crowded in the months ahead.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a measure this week that opens up the "diamond lanes" to tens of thousands of more California cars with solo drivers.

The cars have to be environmentally friendly to qualify for this privilege under SB 535.

The legislation, backed by General Motors, would provide car-pool lane permits for such fuel-efficient cars as the Chevrolet Volt and the Nissan Leaf.

As it's written, the bill would also allow plug-in hybrids and hydrogen fuel cell cars to cross into the HOV lanes even though some lawmakers complain those lanes are really getting crowded.

The author of SB 535, State Sen. Leland Yee, said his bill was needed because new cars are being built with technology that didn't exist when the state began giving special solo driver permits for efficient cars to move into these lanes.

Under the bill signed by the governor, an additional 40,000 California motorists will be allowed to drive solo in the special lanes.

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The new law also extends the lifespan of existing permits for hybrid and electric vehicles.

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