• Carpool lanes can ease congestion on bust highways.major traffic jam 2 image by Aaron Kohr from Fotolia.com
  
  Car pooling is used as a way to cut down on fuel costs and emissions. It also helps reduce the number of vehicles on the road at one time, especially during peak traffic hours. The state of Wisconsin encourages carpooling by offering incentives to commuters willing to share rides by providing them access to special HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) lanes.
  
  

Requirements

• A carpool is defined as two or more licensed drivers sharing a vehicle in order to reach a common destination. Lanes of traffic that are designated as "HOV" are marked with a diamond on Wisconsin traffic signs and may not be used by vehicles driven by a single occupant. Most people use carpools as a method to reach their place of employment, but carpools may also be used to share rides to any event.
  
  

Advantages

• The primary advantage of carpooling is access to less-congested lanes of traffic. HOV lanes in Wisconsin are found mainly in the larger cities with greater populations --- Green Bay, Madison and the Greater Milwaukee area. While vehicles occupied by a solitary driver are stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, carpooling commuters are given special access to carpool-only lanes, which are usually free-flowing. Another advantage is decreased fuel costs. Most carpools split the cost of fuel, reducing gasoline expenses when they are split amongst two or more people.
  
  

Carpooling Ethics

• When joining a carpool, there are several codes of conduct one should follow. The most important is to always be on time. As a member of a carpool, you can cause everyone else to be late if you are late, so you need to be prompt. It is also important that you are always considerate of others in the carpool. Smoking, eating, drinking and selecting a radio station are all factors that need to be discussed before entering into a carpool.
  
  

Who can use the HOV lanes

• Wisconsin traffic signs direct vehicles as to who is eligible to drive in HOV lanes. The minimum number of passengers will be posted on the sign. At certain times, the HOV lanes are open to any vehicle. These times will be posted directly on the overhead signs. Penalties for using the HOV lanes illegally can result in fines of up to $300.