News from PRNewswire, via EVDL:
TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- The State of California today requested authority from the U.S. Secretary of Transportation to allow hybrid vehicles to drive in High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV), or carpool, lanes with only a single occupant. State officials, Treasurer Phil Angelides, Caltrans Director Jeff Morales and California Environmental Protection Agency Secretary Winston Hickox jointly announced the proposal in a teleconference.
Eligible vehicles would include Fuel Cell vehicles and gas/electric hybrids like the Toyota Prius.
"We've worked very hard on a state and national level to encourage the use of hybrid vehicles like the Prius and we hope many more states follow suit by allowing hybrids with one occupant to drive in the HOV lane," said Jim Press, chief operating officer of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. "For any driver stuck in traffic, this would be the equivalent of a 'get out of jail free' card."
Full Press Release...
