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Carpooling Can Help Save Money

July 25, 2008 - Soaring gas prices and a souring economy have many Las Vegas valley motorists hitting the breaks on driving. But a fun, affordable option for still getting around is carpooling. Carpooling is when two or more people travel together in the same car. Southern Nevada now offers incentives for carpoolers, with High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes. Its dedicated roadway reserved specifically carpoolers, motorcycles and buses. HOV lanes typically allow for faster travel times, thereby reducing roadway congestion.

“Drivers can save at the pump by carpooling with a neighbor or friend when driving around the valley,” said Valorie Staley, manager of Valley Automall. “It can be a fun way to meet people while also saving money.”

Nevada’s first HOV lane debuted last year along U.S. Highway 95 between Rainbow and Martin Luther King boulevards in Las Vegas. Its early success has prompted officials to pursue additional HOV lanes in such high use areas as U.S. Highway 95, the Las Vegas Beltway and Interstate-15.

The rules for carpooling are simple: follow the road lanes marked by diamonds and signs. They are designated with a solid white line, indicating where it stops and starts. In Nevada, however, it’s okay to cross over the line in order to enter and exit the lane. Single passenger Hybrid vehicles and tractor trailers aren’t allowed in HOV lanes.

But HOV lanes aren’t available fulltime. The carpool designation is only available during weekday rush hours and on the weekdays. Posted signs indicate that HOV lanes can be used Monday through Friday, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.

HOV lanes play a key role in addressing Las Vegas valley gridlock. Carpoolers place fewer vehicles on the road, thereby reducing traffic. It’s an important part of addressing Southern Nevada’s growth. The Las Vegas Valley saw 6,000 new residents a month last year and over 35 million visitors. Vehicle traffic, not surprisingly, is expected to increase 76 percent by 2020.

“Carpooling is a great way to stretch family budgets during these difficult economic times,” said Staley. “Valley Automall is a longtime Southern Nevada resident and proud community member committed to helping residents save money.”