RELEASE: CONTACT:

IMMEDIATE Joan Morris 703-383-2465 joan.morris@virginiadot.org Captain Tom Martin VSP 757-424-6840

NOVA-0357 Aug. 19, 2003

HOV Task Force Announces Recommendations to Improve Enforcement

Doubling fines, assessing demerit points on a driver’s record and continuing the “No Excuses” crackdown on Highway Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) violators are some of the recommendations included in a report released today by the HOV Task Force which was convened earlier this summer by the Commonwealth’s Secretary of Transportation and Secretary of Public Safety.

“The Task Force’s recommendations, if approved, will benefit the environment and help preserve the time savings benefits for carpoolers, vanpoolers and bus riders,” said Tom Farley, district administrator for VDOT and co-chair of the Task Force. “Virginia’s HOV lanes are a proven congestion management tool but their success is being eroded by HOV violators who knowingly or inadvertently misuse the system.”

In May, Secretary of Transportation Whittington W. Clement and Secretary of Public Safety John W. Marshall convened a task force to find and recommend solutions to improve HOV enforcement in Northern Virginia. The task force included representatives of VDOT, Virginia State Police, Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles, Fairfax County, AAA Mid-Atlantic and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Each day, more than 34,000 commuters rely on properly functioning HOV lanes to get to work or home by bus, vanpool, or carpool. HOV lanes are a critical component in the overall transportation system in Northern Virginia.

Fall 2002 traffic counts indicated that the low vehicle occupancy violator rates on the HOV lanes during the morning peak periods were 35 percent on I-95, 26 percent on I-395, 14 percent on I-66 outside the Beltway, 38 percent on I-66 inside the Beltway and 28 percent on the Dulles Toll Road.

Last month, Virginia State Police announced stepped-up enforcement on HOV violators and have since more than doubled the number of tickets issued daily.

“Before the crackdown, troopers were issuing an average of 40 summons a day; now they average more than 90 a day,” said Sergeant W.L. Bouldin, Virginia State Police. “Between July 13 and Aug. 9, nearly 1,800 summons were issued in Northern Virginia.”

"HOV lanes are a critical tool for managing congestion and encouraging carpools,” said Lon Anderson , director of public and government relations for AAA Mid- Atlantic. “Ensuring that they remain viable is critical. Cheaters are threatening that viability. We strongly support this report's recommendations”.
Increasing fines and assessing demerit points would require approval by the General Assembly. Task force recommendations are:

· Better communication and enforcement of existing HOV rules and regulations to commuters on the I-95/395, I-66 and Dulles Toll Road HOV corridors.

· Double the fines for second and subsequent offenses on Northern Virginia HOV lanes. Currently, fines are $50 for the first offense plus court costs; $100 for the second offense plus court costs; $250 for the third offense within two years on the second offense plus court costs; and $500 for the fourth offense within three years of the second offense plus court costs.

· Assign three demerit points for second and subsequent offenses in Northern Virginia. Currently there are no demerit points. A motorist can have his or her license suspended if 18 points are assigned in a 12-month period.

· Increase HOV enforcement funding for Virginia State Police from $140,000 per year to $300,000 per year, through budget amendments or transfers.

· Develop a consistent and enforceable definition of the HOV exemption for motorists going to and from the Dulles Airport.

· Do not extend the exemption for vehicles with clean special fuel license plates set to expire on July 1, 2006. The Federal Highway Administration has advised Virginia that its exemption for hybrid vehicles is in violation of current Federal statute. (Congress is considering legislation that would permit states to allow hybrid vehicles to use HOV lanes).

· Remind federal, state and local law enforcement agencies that the exemption for law enforcement vehicles does not apply to commuting in personal vehicles on the HOV lanes.

· Reinstate HOV-3 on the I-395 southbound HOV lanes between Duke Street and Route 644 once capacity is increased as part of the Springfield Interchange Improvement Project. Non-HOV traffic has been permitted to use this four-mile stretch during HOV hours since the mid 1980s due to severe congestion in the regular lanes.

“HOV violations threaten the time saving benefits the lanes provide, increase congestion that leads to accidents and erodes air quality,” said Charlene “Gus” Robey, program manager for the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation. “The Task Force’s recommendation will help ensure that the HOV lanes continue to provide a reliable, predictable commute for legitimate users.

The HOV Task Force Report is available on VDOT’s Web site at www.virginiaDOT.org.

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