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.
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.
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.
