[mgs333]

I'm confused and wanted to clarify per this page: https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/vr/decal

If I read this correctly, the white CAV stickers I have are valid until 1/1/2019, so no need to apply for the red stickers now since they are also only valid until 1/1/19?

Then it seems like we can only apply for the new stickers (that are good until 2022) only in 2019? So for the 2-3 months it takes DMV to send the new stickers, we won't have carpool lane access? (probably even longer since EVERYONE will be applying at the same time)

 

[borkbork]

i think that sums it up.

 

[Bolt Action]

Pretty confusing. I had previously thought that red decals were to be the sole color next year, but the article says the red decals will be valid until January 1, 2019, and that is the date when white decal-holders issued in 2017 or 2018 can reapply for decals. I am wondering:

What will be the color of the decals issued to current eligible white/red decal-holders between January 1, 2019 and January 1, 2022?
And now that the white decals have been affixed to the painted fender, how easy or hard it will be to remove them?

 

[Bolt Action]

I liked this part:

"Carpool lane use may be restricted at any time by the California Department of Transportation and federal law for all CAVs carrying fewer occupants than the posted minimum requirement, if their presence contributes to increased traffic congestion, increased travel times, decreased sustained travel speeds, or other factors affecting any carpool lane or segment of that lane."

Easily half the congestion, increased travel times and decreased sustained travel speeds in the HOV lanes today come from single-occupant ICE cars gambling that the CHP won't be able to ticket them.

 

[Sperling3]

Yeah, I can't figure out why the DMV switched from the white/green decal configuration to the single red configuration (which only became available in March) if the red decals are also only available until 1/1/19. Is there a logic to distributing new decals for only 10 months worth of use???

 

[raitchison]

I bought my car in Feb but the dealer (actually the dealer that originally ordered the car and then ended up trading it to my dealer) had already pre-emptively ordered the CAV decals. I did not know this and was planning on ordering my own CAV decals as soon as I got my license plates. Well the original dealer got the CAV decals and sent them to the dealer I bought from that give them to me (after I paid the $22). I thought I had scored because I got the decals well before I got my plates but of course if I had waited until I got my plates and then ordered the CAV decals I would have got the red ones. instead of the white ones.

I also don't know why they are going with a combined sticker for the BEVs and PHEVs, my best guess is that they were originally planning on discontinuing HOV access for the PHEVs after 2019 and only letting BEVs or other true ZEVs get the red stickers but changed their mind at the last minute.

 

[DaV8or]

Yeah, I can't figure out why the DMV switched from the white/green decal configuration to the single red configuration (which only became available in March) if the red decals are also only available until 1/1/19. Is there a logic to distributing new decals for only 10 months worth of use???

It's the State of California, Department of Motor Vehicles. That explains it all. According to Dante, there are 9 circles of ****. Actually what he is describing is the 9 layers of bureaucracy found at the DMV. It's not about logic.

:laugh:

 

[kls629]

This website is a lot more informative, but unsure if they are talking about the red decal

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/californias-clean-air-decals

 

[Bolt Action]

This website is a lot more informative, but unsure if they are talking about the red decal

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/californias-clean-air-decals

Thanks kls629. It's unclear what this program will mean for those of us who acquired a white decal in 2017. It seems to say that the renewal in 2019 will only be good until Jan. 1, 2022 (plus the partial year it took to acquire the renewed sticker), while newly-purchased cars will be labeled until September 30, 2025.

 

[Richard Neilson]

It appears to be all about the funding...

The federal highway aid law, that allows states to have HOV lanes on a highway that received federal $$, expires in 9/2025. The CA state law on compliance with federal HOV rules was only renewed in 10/17 when the governor signed a bill extending the prior program. So for awhile CalTrans could not make statements about the expiration of the stickers, or even validity of the program past 1/2019. I do not know if CalTrans has HOV lanes in any highways that do not receive federal funding, or even if such highways exist. So a rolling program was devised, and it certainly appears that certain types of vehicles eligible for HOV lanes prior to 1/2019 will not be post 1/2019.

 

[GlenandhisBolt1!]

I am hoping DMV simply adds the sticker renewal cost to my registration renewal. Hopefully they have it figured out by the time my renewal letter arrives, which will likely be some time in October.

I have to agree about the car pool lane cheaters in The San Francisco Bay Area: at least one-third of the drivers are clearly violating the law, especially on the expressways. Of course, police enforcing the HOV lane laws are rarely seen on the expressways. Too bad, as the fine is massive (around $500) and it doesn't count as a point on the driver's record, so the cops shouldn't have any hesitation in issuing a ticket.

 

[borkbork]

i actually did get a ticket on an expressway, about 15 years ago. it wasn't even intentional, i wasn't paying attention to the time and the HOV lane was on the right instead of the left like freeways... anyway, $400 later and i never made that mistake again.

 

[Bolt Action]

"Carpool lane use may be restricted at any time by the California Department of Transportation and federal law for all CAVs carrying fewer occupants than the posted minimum requirement, if their presence contributes to increased traffic congestion, increased travel times, decreased sustained travel speeds, or other factors affecting any carpool lane or segment of that lane."

Ah, now we know why the Prius is no longer allowed as a single-occupant in the HOV lanes! ;-)

 

[GlenandhisBolt1!]

Some Prius models (PHEVs with green CAV decals) are still allowed in the car pool lanes here in California. Oh, how I hate those hypermilers (aka 'road boulders'), cruising along at 10 mph or more below the posted speed limit with a line of cars behind them, trying to squeeze one or two more mpg out of their tinny little gutless hybrids.

 

[Bikenanigans]

This website is a lot more informative, but unsure if they are talking about the red decal

https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/resources/fact-sheets/californias-clean-air-decals

Thanks for this link! We picked up our Bolt last week and have been looking into applying. Sounds like if we wait till 1/2019 we'd gain an extra 6 months till 1/2024 versus applying now and then again in January for an 1/2023 expiration.

Definitely seems like they added a lot more work for themselves with this single year red sticker business.

 

[Bikenanigans]

Just to follow up on this. We decided not to wait and sent the application in on 6/20. The stickers surprisingly arrived yesterday 7/12! Much quicker turn around than expected. It confirms they’re good till 1/1/2019 so we’ll see what the plan is when the time arrives.

 

[SparkE]

I have already seen red HOV stickers on cars here in the SF Bay Area.

If you bought your car in 2017 or 2018 and got a white sticker, you can re-apply for a new sticker. If you bought your car before 2017, you are S.O.L.

"Vehicles issued a green or white decal in 2017 or 2018 will be eligible to reapply for a decal in 2019 granting them access to high–occupancy toll lanes until January 1, 2022."

https://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/vr/decal

 

[raitchison]

I have already seen red HOV stickers on cars here in the SF Bay Area.

We won't be able to apply for the new stickers until 2019 so after the white stickers already expired. That means we'll need to wait some period of time (I'm guessing several months) without access to the HOV lanes.

I bought my car in February but my dealer (or rather the dealer that my dealer traded with to get the car) had already applied for the sticker. I got the white sticker, at the time I thought this was great because I didn't have to wait for my sticker but if I had ordered the stickers myself I would have got the red sticker to begin with.

 

[GregBrew]

We won't be able to apply for the new stickers until 2019 so after the white stickers already expired. That means we'll need to wait some period of time (I'm guessing several months) without access to the HOV lanes.

I bought my car in February but my dealer (or rather the dealer that my dealer traded with to get the car) had already applied for the sticker. I got the white sticker, at the time I thought this was great because I didn't have to wait for my sticker but if I had ordered the stickers myself I would have got the red sticker to begin with.

I'd be willing to bet that the CHP will have a discretionary period for white stickers, beginning in Jan. of next year. It will be interesting to see who will be the first here to get pulled over, and when. I don't want to "win" this contest.

Does this mean that the white sticker on my 2011 Leaf becomes worthless in January, and I can't get a new one?

 

[SparkE]

Does this mean that the white sticker on my 2011 Leaf becomes worthless in January, and I can't get a new one?

Yes, that is exactly what it means.

The purpose of the new law is to (1) get more non- (or very, very, low) polluting vehicles on the road, AND (2) get the older cars out of the HOV lanes to make room for the new cars, while not penalizing the most recent purchasers. For cars that already have a green or white HOV sticker, those that were purchased in 2017 or later may apply for a new sticker in 2019 that will be valid until the end of 2021. (the CA DMV website specifically states that the new 'red' stickers are only valid until January 1, 2019 !!)