Carpool cheaters and clean-air vehicles are clogging up the diamond lanes, and the Bay Area's transportation leaders are prepared to take action.
The Metropolitan Transportation Commission is considering a proposal that would have the California Highway Patrol crack down on cheaters and even designate funds to create specific carpool patrols.
Under federal standards and California law, carpool lanes are expected to move at 45 mph 90 percent of the time. Currently, they aren't meeting that standard due to the number of cheaters and electric vehicle drivers using the lanes.
In addition to the CHP crackdown on cheaters, the MTC also is considering doubling the price of clean-air decals.
"From the current $22 to $44, with those funds being used to help offset the CHP's cost of providing the enforcement," the MTC's John Goodwin said.
The MTC hopes to get the proposal added to a bill making its way through the state Legislature.
