The original intent of the HOV lanes was to reduce congestion by reducing the number of cars on the road. The idea being that if two (or more) drivers carpooled, there would be a corresponding number of fewer vehicles on the road, and a corresponding lowering of emissions. ...
...I'm not saying anyone here can't use the HOV lanes because that is clearly allowed as a kind of "perk" for driving an EV. I'm just saying that it kind of defeats the intent of the HOV lanes and I personally will use them sparingly, if at all for this reason.
I still think a car on the road for half the time is equal to one car off the road.
Just so I understand your view... let's agree to the existing laws and not debate the rationale of green plates in the HOV.
You and I both leave a location in Markham by ourselves in separate Tesla's. I use highway 404's carpool lanes to the Don Valley Parkway. I then take a PanAm lane downtown. I arrive at our mutual destination in 30-minutes. As a matter of principle, you sit in traffic and double your commute time.
While my vehicle is off the road and parked, you believe your extra 30-minutes of driving has improved congestion and the environment?
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I just don't understand why taxis and limos are allowed in the HOV lanes? How does my taking a taxi, rather than driving myself or taking public transit, reduce congestion or pollution? ...
I don't understood how taxis are better for congestion either.
Let's say two people leave their homes and go to work. If their timeline overlaps (eg. both need to be at work for 9am), there are either two cars or two taxis on the road for the same period of time.
Now lets say two people have different timelines (eg. one arrives to work at 9am and the other at 9:30). One taxi can do the job. However, where two separate cars would only be on the road as required, the single taxi is driving empty between pick ups. So, that is worse for congestion and the environment. Under this scenario, taxis merely reduce the number of required parking spots.
So, without carpool lanes, taxis are less efficient. With carpool lanes, they can drop passengers faster and ferry between pickups quickly. I must assume a statistician proved the net benefit cancels the extra time and distance they drive.