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HOV Green plate access (ON)

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Hi all,
I noticed on MTO website that the HOV Green plate access will expire on July 1st, 2015. I admit is pretty handy ( though i did get pulled over once mistakenly).
Do you guys know of any updates on whether there will be any extension? Also, any ideas on what we can do to push for an extension?
 
I agree they are convenient and there aren't very many plates out there so I can't see it mattering much to traffic to let us keep the privilege a bit longer.

Curious us about your experience being pulled over. What did the officer say to you and did he realize he made a mistake right away?
 
Curious us about your experience being pulled over. What did the officer say to you and did he realize he made a mistake right away?
I am about to get my Model S and I also was wondering about whether it is worth getting Green plates since the HOV benefit is set to expire in 6 months and there isn't any other benefit that I can determine. When googling I came across several threads where EV drivers were pulled over by ignorant police officers so it isn't that unusual, or at least it wasn't a few years ago.
 
He realized right away after he pulled me over at the 404/401 HOV underpass. He said is the first EV he has seen :(. Another time, I heard one cop was talking to another one :"is this an electric car?". I didn't get pulled over that time. The police probably only check number of occupants and determines to pull over or not.
I admit the HOV access is great for me going to downtown TO during rush hours. Saved me at least 20 mins each way. I talked to quite a few folks and they definitely gave more considerations to EV once I mentioned there is HOV access. It definitely helps EV adoption.
 
I don't think it matters whether it is an EV or not, technically all you need is the Green plate. If you look at the web site you will seem that some (all?) Plug-in hybrids qualify. I don't see how the police can make this type of error - surely they see a green plate and can recognize the difference between that and a blue plate?

If they can't tell the difference then they shouldn't be allowed to drive and if they don't know the difference it doesn't say much about their knowledge of the Highway Act.
 
I have a green plate on my Roadster. I only kept it because it's a "cool" number... the first EV plate in the series (GVAA 001). I've driven the HOV lanes a few times, just because I could... didn't need to. There's only one highway with HOV lanes in Ottawa and my commute is nowhere near it.

I think it's nice to have the green plate, just from the point of view of showing that it's a green vehicle.

That said I have a blue vanity plate on my Model S.
 
A bureaucrat in the MTO has said the HOV electric vehicle privilege will die next summer. Someone in the industry has said it won't. I suspect that a campaign needs to be mounted, and it should be, but it's essential to check first with an authoritative source. No use wasting time etc. if you don't have to. Any campaign needs to be well co-ordinated.

The HOV privilege is important for promoting electric vehicles, which is supposedly part of the government's interest and mandate.
 
I suspect that a campaign needs to be mounted, and it should be, but it's essential to check first with an authoritative source. No use wasting time etc. if you don't have to. Any campaign needs to be well co-ordinated.
It is probably better if the campaign is led by owners of Chevy Volts and Nissan Leaf's as the optics are not great that a handful of folks paid $100k+ for a Tesla Model S and want to be able to circumvent traffic on the 400 series of highways. Kind of reeks of elitist privilege.
 
On the other hand, politicians listen to people who they think have money. But once again (if I wasn't clear), this needs to be checked with an authoritative source. Perhaps the lanes aren't scheduled to close to electric vehicles.
 
According to the MTO page:
Green licence plates
It is supposed to be closed to EV with single occupant in another 6 months or so unless there is already an extension plan in place.
I agree if there is any campaign, it needs to be coordinated with other EV owners. Perhaps, with Greater Horseshoe Electric Vehicle Association (GHEVA)?
 
I think all of the signs on the 400 series of highways say Green Permitted but the HOV lanes in the CofT do not. I believe the definition of H differs as well as it is 2 on the highway and three in the city. And the HOV lane is on the left on the highway whereas on the right in the city. Therefore you can use the highway lanes in a Tesla but not the city ones.
 
Found out the Ont govt wanted comments on extending the HOV use past this June. Comments closed Jan. 8. I found out Jan. 7. So good luck to us. I'm sure the decision has already been made, although we have to wait for it. (The govt was proposing to extend the use rather than cancel it. An unrelated measure was also in the proposal.)