Potential Impact of Exempt Vehicles on HOV Lanes - a PDH Online Course for Engineers and Surveyors

Potential Impact of Exempt Vehicles on HOV Lanes

Course Outline

HOV lanes provide for better flow of traffic on our roadways. This course will provide information regarding the impact of several exempt vehicles on HOV lanes. The course materials are based solely on the technical report "Potential Impact of Exempt Vehicles on HOV Lanes" as found on the website of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

This course includes a multiple-choice quiz at the end, which is designed to enhance the understanding of the course materials.

Learning Objective

At the conclusion of this course, the student would have learned the following:

The goal of HOV facilities;
Which are the dominant user group in HOV facilities;
How law enforcement vehicles impact HOV lanes;
How HOV lanes and laws have differences and similarities throughout the United States;
The effectiveness of carpools as compared to other types of transportation;
How laws governing HOV lanes are enforced among off duty law enforcement;
How to define an ILEV;
How many clean special fuel vehicles operate in various states;
When and why the Federal Transit Act was passed;
Number of law enforcement motorcycles operating in various states;
The term Mass Transportation, Mass Transit and Public; Transportation;
Why some cities have gone to Value pricing or HOT lanes; and
How to qualify Hybrid Vehicles to operate in the HOV lanes, an item worth reading.

Intended Audience and Benefit

This course is intended for anyone with an interest in HOV lanes, traffic engineering transportation engineering, air pollution, environmental engineering or anyone wanting to know a brief history of HOV lanes and how they operate. After reading this course the student will know which exempt vehicles can be operated in the HOV lane with only one occupant. This information may be essential to future vehicles purchases by the reader.

Course Introduction

To relive traffic congestion traffic engineers must always rely on sound engineering judgment and methods to make traffic flow more efficiently. The drive in a metropolitan area will almost be exposed to HOV lanes. In most states and unless permission is given, single occupancy vehicles are not permitted to operate in the HOV lanes. There are however exempt vehicles that can freely use the HOV lanes. This course will explore which vehicles are exempt and how they impact the HOV lanes.

Course Content

This course will provide information regarding the impact of several exempt vehicles on HOV lanes. The course materials are based solely on the technical report "Potential Impact of Exempt Vehicles on HOV Lanes" as found on the website of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).

Potential Impact of Exempt Vehicles on HOV Lanes

You need to open or download the above course documents to study the course.

Table of Contents

LIST OF FIGURES
LIST OF TABLES
REPORT OVERVIEW
CHAPTER ONE-INTRODUCTION
OBJECTIVES OF STUDY
BACKGROUND
ACTIVITIES CONDUCTED
ORGANIZATION OF THIS REPORT
CHAPTER TWO-HOV CAPACITY AND ALTERNATIVES FOR USING EXCESS CAPACITY
DEFINING HOV FACILITIES
DEFINING HOV LANE CAPACITY
OPTIONS FOR USING AVAILABLE HOV LANE CAPACITY
ANALYZING HOV EXEMPTION POLICIES ON TRAFFIC FLOW
CHAPTER THREE-HOV EXEMPTIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VEHICLES
HOV FACILITIES AND ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VEHICLES
INFLUENCE OF HOV EXEMPTION ON PURCHASE OF ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VEHICLES
CONSIDERING HOV EXEMPTION FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VEHICLES
ISSUES TO CONSIDER TO ENFORCE HOV EXEMPTIONS FOR ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VEHICLES
CHAPTER FOUR-HOV EXEMPTIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES
HOV EXEMPTIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES
ISSUES TO CONSIDER TO ENFORCE HOV EXEMPTIONS FOR LAW ENFORCEMENT AND EMERGENCY VEHICLES
HOV EXEMPTIONS FOR DESIGNATED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES
ISSUES TO CONSIDER TO ENFORCE HOV EXEMPTIONS FOR DESIGNATED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES
CHAPTER FIVE-CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
AREAS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH
REFERENCES
APPENDIX A - ESTIMATED NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVE FUELED VEHICLES IN USE BY STATE, 2001-2003
APPENDIX B - INTERNET ADDRESSES - STATES ALLOWING ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VEHICLES TO USE HOV LANES
APPENDIX C - STATE LEGISLATION ALLOWING ILEVS AND OTHER ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY VEHICLES TO USE HOV FACILITIES
APPENDIX D - NUMBER OF FULL-TIME FEDERAL OFFICERS AND NUMBER PER 100,000 RESIDENTS EMPLOYED BY STATE, JUNE 2002
APPENDIX E - LIST OF DEFINING TERMS (ACRONYMS)

Course Summary

The information presented in this course could be used to enhance our knowledge about how exempt vehicles impact HOV lanes. Using this knowledge could speed up travel time; minimize the number of vehicles on the highways and most importantly save our environment. As always good judgment and good engineering judgment is always paramount in any situation. Utilizing good judgment and the knowledge gained in this course can provide much more efficient highways.

Related Links

For additional technical information related to this subject, please visit the following websites:

http://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/
http://www.aashto.com
http://www.ite.com

Quiz

Once you finish studying the above course content, you need to take a quiz to obtain the PDH credits.

DISCLAIMER: The materials contained in the online course are not intended as a representation or warranty on the part of PDH Center or any other person/organization named herein. The materials are for general information only. They are not a substitute for competent professional advice. Application of this information to a specific project should be reviewed by a registered architect and/or professional engineer/surveyor. Anyone making use of the information set forth herein does so at their own risk and assumes any and all resulting liability arising therefrom.