California has long encouraged its residents (those who have a job anyway), to carpool for their commutes, providing all manner of incentives, public-service announcements/lectures and “benefits” for those that use the carpool/HOV lanes (and also providing shocking sanctions for those using carpool/HOV lanes who are not, in fact, carpooling). California even passed legislation permitting single-occupant drivers of “green vehicles” to use the carpool/HOV lane (though, California inexplicably allowed such privilege for drivers of the Toyota Prius and Honda Civic/Insight to lapse).
In any event, the nearly bankrupt state, presumably through the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the Bay Area Toll Authority, concluded that after decades upon decades of beating its residents over the head as to the “importance” of carpooling, it would be a good idea, with respect to Bay Area bridges, to implement a $2.50 toll on carpool drivers (who previously faced no toll). Yep, sanction those individuals who are complying with the very program California had been lecturing was so critically important. In addition, tolls were increased by $1.00 for non-carpoolers. The result? Just three weeks after the new sanction was implemented, there has been a 30% reduction in the use of the carpool lane and fewer people using the bridges altogether.
In what can only be described as brilliant deductive reasoning, the MTC (Metropolitan Transportation Commission) said they were not sure why bridge traffic was declining, stating “there are a number of possibilities.” Really? Liberalism at work…
