As used in this chapter, “department” means the Department of Transportation.
Chapter 5.8Energy Conservation in Transportation
Section § 25480
Whenever you see the term “department” in this chapter, it specifically refers to the Department of Transportation.
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Section § 25481
The law recognizes that there's a big and growing demand for energy, but supplying it is getting harder, which creates a continuous energy shortage that's a threat to public health and safety. A major part of this energy use comes from cars.
With heavy traffic in cities leading to serious air pollution and congestion problems, the law aims to encourage more people to carpool, which can help reduce pollution, save energy, and ease traffic.
The goal is to create incentives for people to share rides in metropolitan areas.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares that:
(a)CA Public Resources Code § 25481(a) Due to the projected rapid growth in demand for energy, coupled with the mounting difficulties in providing energy supplies, a continuing energy shortage exists, posing a significant danger to public health and welfare.
(b)CA Public Resources Code § 25481(b) The use of the automobile represents the single largest use of energy in this state and, therefore, the growing use of energy by automobiles is a major factor contributing to such shortage.
(c)CA Public Resources Code § 25481(c) Heavy automobile traffic in our major cities has resulted in serious problems of air pollution and traffic congestion.
(d)CA Public Resources Code § 25481(d) Increased ridesharing by commuters would aid in lowering air pollution levels, conserving energy, and reducing urban traffic congestion.
It is, therefore, the purpose of this chapter to provide incentives for the wider use of ridesharing by commuters in metropolitan areas.
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Section § 25482
This law requires all state agencies to help their employees who live in metropolitan areas find and set up carpools. The department is in charge of organizing and coordinating these carpool efforts.
All state agencies shall provide assistance to their employees living in metropolitan areas in establishing carpools and locating potential carpool participants. The department shall be responsible for coordinating these efforts.
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Section § 25483
This law gives a department the authority to create ridesharing programs for both public and private employees in city areas. It can use funds from any source to do so. These programs can be managed either solely by the department or in partnership with public or private groups through contracts.
In order to perform its new function of promoting and assisting ridesharing, the department is authorized to establish ridesharing programs in metropolitan areas for public and private employees with funds made available for such purpose from any source. The ridesharing programs may be established and maintained entirely by the department or by the department in cooperation with public or private parties pursuant to contract.
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Section § 25484
This law section talks about ridesharing programs run by a department. These programs can use methods like computer or manual systems to match people, promote carpooling and similar travel options, and encourage flexible work hours. They may also include giving special benefits on highways to encourage participation.
The ridesharing programs established by the department may include, but are not limited to, computer or manual matching systems, promotional efforts to encourage carpooling, vanpooling, buspooling, and flexible work hours, and preferential treatment on highways.
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Section § 25485
This law requires the department to create programs and build infrastructure that allows carpool vehicles with at least three people to use special lanes on major freeways in big city areas. These lanes should be beneficial to carpools without causing too much trouble for other drivers, determined by an engineering study. The law also allows these carpool vehicles to use bus lanes on major freeways unless it would cause too much congestion for buses or create serious safety issues.
The department shall develop programs and undertake any necessary construction to establish, for the use of carpool vehicles carrying at least three persons, preferential lanes on major freeways in metropolitan areas where the total benefits to the carpool vehicles will bear a reasonable relationship to the total adverse effects on the remaining vehicles, as established on the basis of an engineering study. The department shall also permit such carpool vehicles to have access to preferential bus lanes established on major freeways, unless congestion seriously impeding the travel of buses will result or will present a serious traffic hazard.
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