HOUSTON – Drivers traveling in the High Occupancy Vehicle lane need to make sure they are following the law, says Houston’s METRO.
The transit authority warns its police officers will increase enforcement this week along the I-45 North HOV lanes to discourage violators and increase travel times.
"We've received complaints from customers on the North Freeway HOV that have noticed a reduction in travel speeds since school started. As traffic increases, commutes get longer. We want to help fix that," said METRO VP Tim Kelly.
So what are the rules? Here’s the info straight from METRO:
“Carpools, vanpools and motorcyclists ride for free. Carpools of two or more people qualify to enter the lanes with the exception of the Northwest Freeway from 6:30-8 a.m. During those hours carpools on U.S. 290 West HOV must have at least three people. Solo drivers have the option of paying a toll to use them during certain times. A complete HOV/ HOT lane schedule can be found at this link.”
While police will primarily watching for HOV violations, METRO says its officers will enforce other laws as well.
“METRO Police patrol HOV lanes during all hours of operation. While they focus primarily on HOV lane safety and occupancy requirements, all state motor vehicle laws are enforced. Violators receive warnings or fines, which can range up to $200.00 per violation.”
