The Role of Preferential Treatment for Carpools in Managed Lane Facilities

Project Description

As cities continue to wrestle with mobility challenges, high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes become increasingly vital elements of transportation systems. And as HOV facilities have evolved into managed lanes, the operation of these facilities has become more complex, underscoring the need for new research that will help operating agencies strike the proper balance between carpool exemptions and the accomplishment of facility performance goals. To ensure that the lanes operate at their highest possible efficiency, the practice of exempting carpools from the fees typically charged for use of the managed lanes should take into account the expected impact on person movement, operations and emission reduction. TTI researchers examined these important issues through a national state-of-the-practice review of managed and toll lanes and an extensive survey of commuters and their motivations regarding carpooling and managed lane use. The research team also used a computer model to apply 24 different pricing policy scenarios and examine their impacts on mobility, revenue and environmental concerns. Operators responsible for the efficiency of managed lane facilities must consider a wide variety of factors, and those factors vary in weight depending on things such as performance goals and financial constraints. Knowledge gained through this research will help operators make wise and informed decisions as they consider the relative trade-offs between alternative HOV policies for a range of managed lane performance objectives.

Project Publications

The Role of Preferential Treatment for Carpools in Managed Lanes 0-5286-2

How Do Carpools Fit Into Managed Lane Policies? 0-5286-P2

Role of Preferential Treatment of Carpools in Managed Lane Facilities 0-5286-S

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