News Room: SB 1245: Free Carpool Lanes

This week the California State Senate voted to approve State Senator Joe Simitian’s (D-Palo Alto) Senate Bill 1245. The bill would prohibit transit agencies from charging carpoolers for the use of high-occupancy traffic lanes. read more ...

To ensure that drivers’ rights are respected as traffic control and enforcement technologies evolve, State Senator Joe Simitian (D-Palo Alto) announced today that he has introduced a trio of transportation bills that protect motorists. read more ...

A state bill to give car pool patrons a free ride even after the lanes are tolled faces a fight from transportation officials across California. But the bill’s author said he’s willing to work with those concerned provided his bill meets its simple goal.

“If you are a car pooler in a car pool lane, you should not have to pay,” said Joe Simitian, D-Palo Alto.

After watching Bay Area transportation officials and some agencies in Southern California proceed with plans to turn car pool lanes into toll roads, Simitian said he worried tolling agencies would soon start charging vehicles with only two people inside.

“If the goal is to get people out of their cars into a car pool, then why should we make that harder? ...,” Simitian said.

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