Anyone get their CA HOV stickers?

[thepoloman33]

Hi,

I was curious if any California Leaf owners have received their white HOV stickers yet?

Thanks,

-Matt

 

[gudy]

You need to receive your plates before you can apply. Got them last WE. Now I also need to apply for fastrak as it is a requirement in my County to get the stickers. Thanks for reminding me

 

[Ready2plugin]

I tried since I pre-ordered my plates, but unfortunately it takes just as long because you have to wait for your VIN to be on file with the DMV in order to pick-up your custom plates. Hopefully I will be able to apply soon....still commuting in the hybrid until then.

 

[thepoloman33]

Thanks guys.

I haven't had a chance to order yet (reserved in Sept) and I'm trying to figure out how long I'll be out of the carpool lane. It's looking like its going to be a while.

The clock on my yellow stickers is ticking way too fast!

-Matt

 

[awolfe63]

You need to receive your plates before you can apply. Got them last WE. Now I also need to apply for fastrak as it is a requirement in my County to get the stickers. Thanks for reminding me

Are you sure? The application says that hybrids need fastrack.

 

[Spies]

You need to receive your plates before you can apply. Got them last WE. Now I also need to apply for fastrak as it is a requirement in my County to get the stickers. Thanks for reminding me

Are you sure? The application says that hybrids need fastrack.

Hmm, I know the requirement for FasTrak with the hybrid HOV stickers were because even though you are allowed to use the HOV lane with a single passenger you were still required to pay bridge tolls. The hybrid transponders have a green dot so you know that if you have it out when going through a toll in the HOV lane you will still be charged.

On that thought I was wondering how one gets charged properly now when you do have enough occupants and you go through the HOV toll lane. When it was free toll with a car pool you were supposed to simply put the transponder back in the mylar bag. Now that you are supposed to pay half price and yet the transponder is programmed for full price does one simply put it in the mylar bag and hope they are charged correctly or leave it out and hope they are charged correctly?

 

[Spies]

I am beginning to think that FasTrak is not required for the white stickers. Is it possible that electric vehicles are not required to pay tolls during commuter hours? Boy that sounds weird though. I can see that being true when it was free for carpools but now that it is half price it does not make sense. Perhaps they did not go back and update the requirement since the half price car pool change.

 

[thepoloman33]

I am beginning to think that FasTrak is not required for the white stickers. Is it possible that electric vehicles are not required to pay tolls during commuter hours? Boy that sounds weird though. I can see that being true when it was free for carpools but now that it is half price it does not make sense. Perhaps they did not go back and update the requirement since the half price car pool change.

I just downloaded the application form and believe you are correct....only hybrids (yellow stickers) require FasTrak. For Electric, Liquid Petroleum Gas, and Natural Gas cars it's not required.

-Matt

 

[TRONZ]

Never had "Stickers" before so not very fluent in this perk. Are you guys saying that an EV can use the Toll Roads for free during certain hours? I knew about HOV lane access but knowing nothing about use of the Toll Roads.

 

[hill]

Tronz, at a minimum, you get to drive solo in the CA HOV lanes. The other 'free stuff' turns on the county you're in. Here in the south, it's not free on the toll roads, but some get it up north. The other good thing (unlike the yellow hybrid stickers), the white stickers are not set to expire, as the yellow one will be doing shortly.

 

[Spies]

The other good thing (unlike the yellow hybrid stickers), the white stickers are not set to expire, as the yellow one will be doing shortly.

Actually the white stickers now have an expiration date of January 1, 2015 but I don't think there is a limit on how many white stickers are available like there was with the yellow stickers.

As far as the no tolls for electric vehicles with white stickers part is kinda fuzzy. Most language I find is aimed at the yellow hybrid stickers but I do find little bits of information about the white stickers. Reading the bay area fastrak faq does not make it clear when it has the following statements:

I have a hybrid vehicle. Can I drive in the designated HOV/carpool-only lane even if I am driving across the bridge by myself?
Yes. Qualified single-occupancy hybrid vehicles are permitted to use dedicated High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/carpool lanes in the Bay Area during designated carpool hours, if these vehicles are displaying the distinctive sticker issued by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). Effective July 1, 2010, as with all other carpool vehicles, single-occupancy hybrid vehicles must also pay tolls when driving across the Bay Area toll bridges in an HOV/carpool lane. The Golden Gate Bridge does not have HOV/carpool-only lanes.

Effective July 1, 2010 on the Golden Gate Bridge, carpool vehicles (3+ passengers) and clean air vehicles with white California DMV clean air decals will qualify for a $3 discounted FasTrak carpool toll. A valid FasTrak toll tag is required and you must stop in a staffed lane for toll collector verification to receive the discounted toll.

Note: This is slightly different from the Bay Area Express Lanes, where solo hybrid vehicles are allowed to drive toll-free. Before using these Express Lanes, you MUST place your toll tag in a Mylar bag to prevent your FasTrak account from being charged. No credits will be issued to your FasTrak account if you fail to use the Mylar bag as described.

Anyone want to take a stab at clearing this up?

More info at:
http://www.arb.ca.gov/msprog/carpool/carpool.htm
http://dmv.ca.gov/vr/decal.htm
http://www.bayareafastrak.org/static/info/hybrid_instructions.shtml
http://www.bayareafastrak.org/static/about/faq_hybrid.shtml

 

[dactec]

Never had "Stickers" before so not very fluent in this perk. Are you guys saying that an EV can use the Toll Roads for free during certain hours? I knew about HOV lane access but knowing nothing about use of the Toll Roads.

Click on the ca.dmv.gov link

If you acquire a hybrid vehicle with Clean Air Vehicle Stickers attached, and are a resident of Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano or Sonoma County, you must obtain a Bay Area FasTrak account before you drive as a sole occupant in a high-occupancy vehicle (carpool or diamond) lane.

Doesn't apply to Orange/LA county

want to go really off topic, which cities still give free meter parking to vehicles with clean air stickers?

 

[mwalsh]

Just went over to AAA today....my car isn't even in the DMV system yet. Can't get stickers for a car they don't know about, apparently.

 

[sdbonez]

It's a real mess. The best answer is YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)

In general, public/Caltrans-operated HOV lanes and on-ramp HOV lanes are free for use for vehicles with stickers (Prius' through June, Leafs until 2015, Volts starting in 2012, etc.) So when I say 'stickered' below, I mean 'valid stickers'.

Private policies will vary. Check the toll-authority that operates the private lanes for their policies. Fastrak in San Diego is free for stickered, single-occupant vehicles and no transponder is required. Other fastrak areas have the opposite policy.

-Mike

 

[EVNation]

We applied for both parking and HOV stickers the minute the plates arrived (which came fast BTW). It has now been ~5 weeks since we mailed in sticker application and the DMV haven't even cashed the check. So much for CA needing money...

Wife is going to DMV anyway today and is going to try and get them direct, then cancel the checks.

So at least for me, getting stickers has been SLOW.

 

[wsbca]

We applied for both parking and HOV stickers the minute the plates arrived (which came fast BTW). It has now been ~5 weeks since we mailed in sticker application and the DMV haven't even cashed the check.

Same for us - checks not yet cashed, no stickers.

 

[Ready2plugin]

Great...I'm still waiting on my plates!! Purchased the car on 1/09!! Hopefully they will make up for it with the HOV application, but reading the comments here, I doubt it. Too bad AAA can't issue these. :x .

 

[EVNation]

We applied for both parking and HOV stickers the minute the plates arrived (which came fast BTW). It has now been ~5 weeks since we mailed in sticker application and the DMV haven't even cashed the check. So much for CA needing money...

Wife is going to DMV anyway today and is going to try and get them direct, then cancel the checks.

DMV said you can't get the HOV and Parking at DMV. Must be done in Sacramento.

So looks like we wait.

 

[mwalsh]

Great...I'm still waiting on my plates!! Purchased the car on 1/09!! Hopefully they will make up for it with the HOV application, but reading the comments here, I doubt it. Too bad AAA can't issue these. :x .

Still waiting on my registration too....7 weeks tomorrow since I picked up my car. Starting to get a little pissy.

 

[JPVLeaf]

Still waiting on my registration too....7 weeks tomorrow since I picked up my car. Starting to get a little pissy.

How long before your car showed up in (cash-strapped CA) DMV's system?

Wed Jan 19, 2011 5:18 pm
Just went over to AAA today....my car isn't even in the DMV system yet. Can't get stickers for a car they don't know about, apparently.