cal bay area hybrids in the HOV lane finally
 

have you seent this article?
http://home.businesswire.com/portal/...07&newsLang=en

the feds finally signed this into law which will allow (most) hybrid vehicles to drive in the carpool lane with only person in the car. :D the dumb thing is that you have to show your fasttrack receipt to get the required stickers. this seems stupid. i live in san jose and don't need to go over any bridges so i don't have a fasttrack....yet. but i'm going to shell out the $40 to get the fast track transponder and then it's $8 for the dmv stickers. i already looked at the list of qualified vehicles and the civic, accord, prius, etc are on there, as you'd expect. i guess GM was complaining about this bill since the car/truck needs to get at least 45mpg to quailify. there were pissy since they have some hybrid trucks that get sub 20mpg.

Re: cal bay area hybrids in the HOV lane finally
 

neither does the Accord Hybrid.Kevin

Re: cal bay area hybrids in the HOV lane finally
 

oops, you're right. :P

Re: cal bay area hybrids in the HOV lane finally
 

I sent in my application today. There are just over 57,000 hybrids currently registered in California and they will be issuing no more than 75,000 stickers. I expect hybrid sales to skyrocket in the coming months (especially after the new year when the tax credits start). The new '06 Civic Hybrid + $2000 tax credit + driving solo in the carpool lane = big bucks for Honda next year.

Re: cal bay area hybrids in the HOV lane finally
 

I sent mine in, too (after a quick visit to Walnut Creek DMV, which was filled with HCH's and Prius's at 8:00 AM- even the Channel 4 newsvan was there for the story- only all to be told we had to mail everything in. . .)
Hope my application is okay. They wanted an "original receipt" from my FasTrak, and I've had it for awhile, and don't even remember getting an original receipt. I sent in the last 3 mo. account tally they sent me, along with a print out from the computer, as well, with the vehicle and account number. . .
and my $8 check. I figure, with the work on the Skyway set for next month, that extra time not sitting at the Bay Bridge start can be used sitting at it's end :(