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No More Carpool Lane for California's Hybrid Drivers
Photo by billaday via Flickr
Attention Prius and other hybrid vehicle drivers who rock the carpool lane solo thanks to that special set of yellow stickers on your car: Those days are numbered.
Governor Schwarzenegger just signed a bill that changes things. As of December 31, hybrid drivers with the yellow HOV stickers will be stripped of their special privileges. Drivers with the extra-special white HOV stickers (which are reserved for Teslas and other super-clean cars; see the picture) will get to keep their carpool lane privileges, though. There's no limit (yet) to how many of the white stickers will be issued.
The stickers were first issued in 2005 from a limited quantity that ran out in 2007, however the stickers remained valid until the Governor said otherwise. The goal of the program was to incentivize purchasing hybrid vehicles as well as lessening congestion on California's freeways. In Los Angeles for a period the stickers also exempted drivers from having to pay at city parking meters.
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