Definition

• Sometimes called a carpool lane, an HOV lane is reserved for vehicles with a minimum of two or three passengers. It is typically located next to the regular lanes and is marked with a sign and diamond patterns painted on the road.
  
  

Purpose

• HOV lanes encourage more passengers to ride in fewer vehicles, resulting in less congestion on the roads. Less traffic on the highways may mean a reduction in expensive expansion projects, as well as cleaner air due to fewer exhaust emissions.
  
  

Benefits

• Carpoolers benefit the most from HOV lanes, allowing them to avoid any congested traffic in the neighboring regular-use lanes during rush hours. The result is usually a substantial savings in travel time.