[inventor00]

The Orange County Prius Club urges every Prius owner to email Governor Schwarzenegger to sign the Assembly Bill 2600 authored by Assembly Member Ted Lieu (D,53rd district, Torrance). It will extend the HOV use for Hybrid models which achieve 45 MPG or better, until January 1, 2011 and will raise the limit on the number of stickers from 75,000 to 85,000.

This bill will continue what the original bill achieved, by encouraging the sales of ultra low pollution, high-miles-per-gallon vehicles that reduce our imported oil dependency and help reduce California's automobile caused pollution index.

Governor’s Email:
http://www.govmail.ca.gov/


Below is the current text of AB 2600:
AB 2600 by Assembly Member Ted Lieu (D,53rd district, Torrance)

Existing law provides for the Department of Transportation to
designate certain lanes for the exclusive use of high-occupancy
vehicles (HOVs), which lanes may also be used by certain low-emission
and hybrid vehicles not carrying the requisite number of passengers
otherwise required for use of an HOV lane if the vehicles display a
valid identifier issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles until
January 1, 2008. Existing law requires the department to make
available for issuance, no more than 75,000 distinctive decals,
labels, and other identifiers for certain hybrid or alternative fuel
vehicles meeting specified mileage and emission standards. Existing
law authorizes, but does not require, the Bay Area Toll Authority to
grant toll-free or reduced-rate passage on the state-owned Bay Area
toll bridges to any vehicle. Existing law requires that if such
authority is exercised the same toll-free or reduced rate passage be
extended to certain low-emission vehicles and hybrid vehicles
displaying the identifier issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles,
until January 1, 2008, subject to various conditions.
This bill would extend these provisions until January 1, 2011, or
until the Director of Transportation determines that federal law does
not authorize the state to allow these low-emission and hybrid
vehicles to so operate in HOV lanes, whichever occurs first.

This bill would increase the number of described distinctive
decals, labels, and other identifiers that are required to be issued
by the department to no more than 85,000, rather than no more than
75,000.


Cathy
Orange County Prius Club
OCPrius.com

 

[Roger V]

Can you advise as to the status of AB 2600? Has it been sent to the governor for signature? All I have been able to find on it so far is that it doesn't apply to hybrids, but rather to all electric or natural gas powered vehicles. I will keep searching.
Thanks.

Edited:
OK, found where the original AB 2600 was amended in the Senate on August 7 and 28, I believe, to included hybrids as now allowed in the HOV lanes. This is good news, but I think it is a long way from being ready for the governor's signature. It looks like it comes back up for consideration in March 2007.
I certainly don't claim to be an expert on legislature. This is just what I have been able to discern from what I have read.

 

[inventor00]

California Assembly Adjourns After Midnight, Governor Gets

California Assembly Adjourns After Midnight, Governor Gets a Blizzard of Bills
http://www.californiaprogressreport.com/2006/09/california_asse_4.html

 

[Roger V]

I see where it is listed as going to the governor. Let's hope he signs it! Thank you.

 

[redwein]

Of course this will only help as long as we hold onto our current cars. They will run out of the stickers before I am ready to trade mine in. I might have to keep the car longer than I planned rather than give up the carpool priveleges. I'll have between 150,000 and 175,000 miles in 2011. I would consider trading it in earlier but the 10,000 extra stickers provided for in the legislation will run out quickly. That would mean that I would probably need to do that in the next 6 months or so.

 

[Phish Phood]

Of course this will only help as long as we hold onto our current cars. They will run out of the stickers before I am ready to trade mine in. I might have to keep the car longer than I planned rather than give up the carpool priveleges. I'll have between 150,000 and 175,000 miles in 2011. I would consider trading it in earlier but the 10,000 extra stickers provided for in the legislation will run out quickly. That would mean that I would probably need to do that in the next 6 months or so.

If they extend the carpool stickers to 2011.. demand will only rise (well, until the numbers are reached)!! At my current rate would be at like 250k miles at the end of 2011.. yikes!!

 

[redwein]

So do you plan to get a new one now, before the extra 10,000 stickers run out? I am considering it. I really don't need a new one now because I'm approaching 45,000 miles on a 2004 but it would maximize things from the carpool perspective.

 

[inventor00]

I understand. I was considering waiting until 2009 and the next generation but.....then no carpool sticker...

 

[Phish Phood]

So do you plan to get a new one now, before the extra 10,000 stickers run out? I am considering it. I really don't need a new one now because I'm approaching 45,000 miles on a 2004 but it would maximize things from the carpool perspective.

Redwein.. I just bought my car in February :X (22k miles.. soon to be 23k).

 

[KTPhil]

Link doesn't work as of Thursday morning.
Mail does not get sent.

 

[dgstan]

Link doesn't work as of Thursday morning.
Mail does not get sent.

I just tried it and it looks like it works fine now.

 

[redwein]

There is an article today in the San Jose Mercury News (the front page headline actually) that says that Caltrans recommends against issuing any new stickers. They found that a number of the bay area freeways have gone from having free flowing carpool lanes to stop and go in the carpool lane. They aren't saying that it is conclusively due to the hybrids but they are concerned that the incentive to carpool is disappearing.

My guess is that the governor will not be politically able to sign the law and I would have to agree that he shouldn't. I do hope that they can keep the current number but extend the date. I know that is selfish but I have grown so accustomed to the privelege that it will be very hard to adjust back.