Editorial: Carpooling hybrids will not solve pollution

Driving alone in the carpool lane in a traditional gas-fueled
car will get you a ticket, but driving alone in a hybrid can be
your ticket to the fast lane under a transportation bill recently
approved by Congress.

The bill grants carpool access in California to hybrids that
meet a 45 mile-per-gallon fuel efficiency standard. It is waiting
for the Environmental Protection Agency’s opinion on
requiring “partial zero emissions” standards.

Sponsors of the bill hope to spur hybrid sales with this
incentive in order to reduce both pollution and dependence on
foreign oil.

On face value, this piece of legislation seems like a good idea.
But a similar incentive in Virginia has many Virgina-to-Washington,
D.C., commuters annoyed with the extra toll solo hybrid drivers
have put on the carpool lanes.

With California’s already-defunct public transportation
system and heavy traffic on the freeways, such unintended
consequences as a congested carpool system ““ leaving the rest
of the gas-guzzlers stuck in the parking lot of traffic ““
could outweigh the benefits of the bill.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who owns a fleet of Hummers, called
the transportation bill “a great victory for
California.” While both the bill and the statement are nice
gestures, there is still a lot of room for growth.

The bill is at least a step in the right direction, but the
challenge now is making sure to continue working toward the goals
that the bill hopes to help accomplish.

One of the first things that can be done is to offer incentives
to car manufacturers who are trying to improve hybrids or find
alternatives to the traditional gas-only motor vehicle. Pressure
should be put on Detroit-based car manufacturers to strive for
cleaner vehicles with higher gas mileage.

Businesses should also be encouraged to invest in hybrid fleets.
Imagine ordering a pizza and knowing you helped to save the
environment.

Another step should be the tightening of legal loopholes that
reward people for buying gas-guzzling machines. One such loophole
gives deductions for businesses buying motor vehicles with a gross
vehicle weight rating of 6,000 pounds or more.

Originally the loophole referred to heavy duty pick-up trucks
and farm equipment, but with recent super-sizing of SUVs, choices
like the Cadillac Escalade and the H2 have qualified under the
loophole. Changing such legalities would be a relatively easy way
of decreasing pollution and oil dependency.

Critics of the bill also argue that it was weak for not
establishing a nationwide policy. However, this doesn’t take
into consideration that some cities ““ Los Angeles being one
of them ““ have more problems with traffic than others. A
nation-wide policy is simply not logical.

Instead, local governments should make working toward gas
efficiency and clean emissions a priority. They should spearhead
efforts and find alternatives that are closer to home.

For now, this federal bill at least signals a new drive in the
right direction toward fuel efficiency and eco-friendly
policies.