HOV Lanes

MTC’s 2002 High-Occupancy-Vehicle Lane Master Plan Update for the San Francisco Bay Area

Web Survey Results
Carpool lanes arouse strong feelings — both positive and negative — among motorists, as demonstrated by a recent High-Occupancy-Vehicle (HOV) survey conducted by MTC via the Web. While one-third of survey respondents strongly oppose carpool lanes on Bay Area freeways, 57 percent support them, and the figure climbs to 85 percent among those who use the lanes at least two or three times per week.

The on-line poll, part of the 2002 High-Occupancy-Vehicle Lane Master Plan Update for the San Francisco Bay Area, was conducted from December 6, 2002 through January 6, 2003. Of the more than 5,000 people who responded to the survey, nearly 30 percent said they used Bay Area carpool lanes at least two or three times a week. Here are some highlights from the survey results.

Lanes Underutilized
Sixty-one percent of respondents were in agreement that carpool lanes are underutilized. Responding carpoolers and noncarpoolers differed in their perception of underutilization (30 percent of carpoolers versus 74 percent of non-carpoolers said they are not fully used).

Three’s a Crowd
When asked the question “Would you be willing to see the vehicle occupancy requirements raised to three or more people if it meant you could speed up your trip?” fully 64 percent of those polled responded “no.”

Carpoolers Feel Enforcement Is Lax
Regarding enforcement of Bay Area carpool lane restrictions, half of all respondents believed enforcement is lax. Sixty-two percent of those who said they carpool felt that enforcement is too lax, while just 45 percent of the noncarpooler respondents felt that way.

“No” to Bus-only lanes
As to whether carpool lanes should be reserved for buses only, 85 percent of all respondents were in opposition. Carpooling respondents and noncarpoolers weighed in against bus-only lanes at 88 percent and 85 percent, respectively.

Thumbs Down to Tolls for Single-occupant Access
Should people who drive alone be able to buy their way into a carpool lane by paying a toll? Sixty-four percent of survey respondents answered “no,” with 77 percent of carpoolers and 67 percent of non-carpoolers saying “no.”

Don’t Convert Existing Lanes
Concerning the reduction of the number of general-purpose lanes already in existence to expand the carpool-lane network, the overall response was opposition. Among all respondents 70 percent were opposed, while 48 percent of the carpoolers and 78 percent of the non-carpoolers were against the concept.

View complete survey results