Ever wonder why semi trucks don’t typically use the far left or HOV lanes? The rules regarding HOV lanes can sometimes be confusing to someone who doesn’t do a lot of traveling, especially during rush hours.
Are semi trucks allowed in the HOV lane? The simplest answer is no, a semi truck is not allowed in an HOV lane. Though that isn’t a complete answer because a semi is part of a classification of vehicles called CMV or Commercial Motor Vehicles, some of which are allowed in the HOV lanes.
Let’s look at a few definitions, such as what HOV stands for and the difference between a CMV and a semi truck. What kinds of vehicles are allowed to use the HOV and why other vehicles, like semi trucks are not.
What is an HOV lane?
HOV stands for High Occupancy Vehicle, though it is known by other names as well, such as:
- Carpool lane
- Transit lane
- Diamond lane
- 2+ lane
This is a lane designated usually for a specific number of people, typically the driver plus one additional person, in a vehicle to be able to avoid some of the traffic in high congestion areas. In most places, the HOV lanes are only used during certain times of high traffic volume. When there is not a high volume of traffic, these may act like normal lanes or be shut down partially or entirely. HOV lanes are typically the far left lane.
These are lanes designed to help people avoid the worst of the traffic congestion in high traffic areas, usually around major cities. For example, when you consider the morning rush hour, the traffic can slow to less than 10 miles per hour in areas of high congestion, especially around the entrance and exit ramps. HOV lanes allow qualifying commuter vehicles to bypass the worst of the traffic by using a separate lane or, in some areas, a separate route entirely.
What is a CMV?
CMV stands for Commercial Motor Vehicle and can encompass a large variety of vehicles. The short definition would be any vehicle used for commercial purposes, but legally it means specific types of vehicles. Examples of commercial motor vehicles would be:
- Buses, like school buses, mass transit or charter buses used for long distance travel
- Big Rigs, or semi trucks, also called 18 wheelers
- Road maintenance vehicles such as snow plows or salt trucks
- Industrial vehicles like tow trucks or garbage trucks
Commercial motor vehicles can get broken down further into the combination and non-combination vehicles and by weight, which can also make a difference in classification as well. This difference in classification can also determine if a CMV is allowed in an HOV lane.
What CMVs are allowed in HOV lanes?
Since most commercial motor vehicles only have an extra seat, normally they are not allowed in the HOV lanes. Weight and number of axles, however, can also make a difference in whether a CMV is allowed in an HOV lane.
There is an exception, however, which would be buses of any kind. Whether it is a local mass transit or a long distance bus, these are high occupancy vehicles, which is the very definition of what an HOV lane is and used for.
What are HOV lanes used for?
HOV lanes are used primarily by commuters who take advantage of carpools. This may be coworkers who have chosen to share the expense of traveling to and from work or a number of families that decide it makes more sense to drive their children to school together. Buses, such as mass transit buses, are also able to take advantage of the HOV lanes due to the large number of passengers.
What Are Some Unexpected Vehicles that can use HOV lanes?
Some vehicles that are authorized to use HOV lanes, though they may not quite qualify under the driver plus one rule would be:
- Motorcycles
- Ambulances
- Police
- Fire Department
- Other emergency vehicles
- Hybrid or green vehicles (depends on state)
Motorcycles are allowed, even if they don’t have any passengers, because, in short, it’s safer for them. When you take into account that many drivers do not notice motorcycles, when a motorcycle is in stop-and-go traffic it can be very dangerous for the rider. For this reason, due to safety concerns, in the US, it is legal for motorcycles to travel in the HOV lane.
Emergency vehicles are authorized to use the HOV lanes for a number of reasons. The main reasons an emergency vehicle would use the HOV lane would be if there was an accident or another emergency further down the expressway that the traffic is preventing quick access to. Sometimes in emergencies minutes or even seconds count, so having access to an HOV lane can mean the difference between life and death.
One of the other main reasons that emergency vehicles can use the HOV lanes is to get to another part of the city without having to either get stuck in traffic or having to take a different but slower route.
The reason that some states in the US allow hybrid or electric vehicles in the HOV lane, without extra passengers, is because the whole purpose of the HOV lanes is to encourage the reduction of pollution. This objective is usually accomplished through the use of carpools, but it is not the only way that pollution can be reduced.
Why are Semis not allowed in HOV lanes?
Even if a semi truck did have one or two passengers, it still would not be allowed into the HOV lanes due to weight issues. An HOV lane is usually restricted to vehicles that weigh five tons, or 10,000 lbs, or less. Since even an empty semi truck would weigh well over 10 tons or 20,000 lbs, it would be restricted from the HOV lanes regardless of the number of passengers it is carrying.
Another reason that semi trucks are restricted from the HOV lanes is that they are combination vehicles. Any commercial combination vehicle is restricted from an HOV lane, not just semi trucks. This would include RVs being used for commercial purposes, such as a tour bus.
Part of the issue with semi trucks and tractor trailers is the number of axles involved. Since the tractor alone has three axles, this would disqualify it from being able to make use of HOV lanes, regardless of the number of passengers.
What is a Combination Vehicle?
A combination vehicle is any vehicle pulling a trailer. In the commercial sense, this would mean a semi truck since it is a combination of a tractor and a trailer. A semi truck can change out the trailer is it pulling, it is not a permanent part of the tractor.
This also includes vehicles such as RVs or recreational vehicles, also referred to as a pull behind camper trailer or travel trailer, or a pick-up pulling a car. Motorhomes, however, are not the same as a recreational vehicle since motorhomes, as the name suggests, have a motor.
This would include any number of different tow trucks as well, since they are not a single vehicle.
Are There Exceptions to the Laws Regarding What Can Use the HOV lanes?
As with many things in life, yes, there are exceptions. Some of these exceptions include:
- Recreational vehicles
- Tow trucks
- Pick-ups with trailers
Since recreational vehicles are typically, though not exclusively, considered personal vehicles for private use, they are usually allowed in HOV lanes.
Tow trucks are also an exception because they can fall into the category of an emergency vehicle, though they are not exclusively emergency vehicles.
Pick-ups, with trailers, are usually privately owned being used for personal use, such as transporting livestock, a personal vehicle or a storage trailer.
