High-Occupancy Vehicle Systems
Express Lanes | Managed Lanes | Park & Ride
High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes, also known as carpool or diamond lanes, promote and encourage ridesharing to alleviate congestion and maximize the people-carrying capacity of California highways. HOV lanes are usually located on the inside (left) lane and are identified by signs along the freeway and white diamond symbols painted on the pavement.
Operational practices for HOV lanes vary differently between Northern and Southern California because of traffic volumes and commuter patterns in the two regions. For example:
- In Northern California, HOV lanes are only operational on Monday through Friday during posted peak congestion hours. For example, between 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. All other vehicles may use the lanes during off-peak hours, which is referred to as part-time operation.
- In Southern California, HOV lanes are generally separated from other lanes by a buffer zone. The HOV lanes are in effect 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, referred to as full-time operation.
For HOV inquiries, contact the HOV Program Coordinator.
According to California state law, the goals of HOV lanes are used "to stimulate and encourage the development of ways and means of relieving traffic congestion on California highways and, at the same time, to encourage individual citizens to pool their vehicular resources and thereby conserve fuel and lessen emission of air pollutants."
HOV lanes are used to respond to growing traffic congestion, declining mobility levels, air quality, and environmental concerns and are a viable alternative in meeting federal air quality conformity standards for capacity-increasing improvement projects.
Motorcycles, mass transit, and vehicles with two or more (2+) occupants are allowed to access HOV lanes during their operational hours. An occupant is defined as any person who occupies a safety restraint device, such as a seat belt.
Certain routes such as I-80 and I-880 in the San Francisco Bay Area, the I-10 Il Monte Busway (during peak hour) in Los Angeles, I-5 San Ysidro in San Diego require three or more (3+) occupants per vehicle to access HOV lanes. Signs along the highway will specify the enforcement policy for each route. In the San Francisco Bay Area, originally factory designed vehicles with a maximum two-seat occupancy may access the HOV (3+) lanes as long as there are two occupants in the vehicles.
Certain plug-in hybrid, alternative fuel and clean-air (ILEV/ULEV/SULEV) vehicles are exempt from the occupancy requirement. These vehicles can be distinguished by a green (plug-in hybrid) or white (clean-air) decal issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles.
As required by subdivision (g)(1) of Section 21655.5 of the California Vehicle Code, Caltrans shared a determination letter with the California Highway Patrol and the Department of Motor Vehicles allowing blood transport vehicles to use HOV lanes without meeting occupancy requirements when transporting blood between collection points and hospitals or storage centers.
Motorcycles, public mass transit, and para-transit vehicles are also exempted from the occupancy requirement under California Vehicle Code Section 21655.5. Other bus services, such as school buses, charters, or sightseeing transports, are not exempt and must carry the minimum number of occupants to be eligible.
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) is responsible for HOV lane enforcement with the goal of keeping HOV violation rates to less than 10%. Once monitor counts detect violation rates above 10%, district personnel will notify local area CHP of the need for heightened enforcement in a particular HOV corridor. An HOV lane violation ticket is a minimum $490 fine, but the fine may be higher for repeat offenders or in the instance where a local county assesses additional administrative fees.