Georgia Is Nonetheless Charging For Expired EV Carpool Lane Entry

Some Georgia EV drivers are complaining that they are nonetheless being charged for particular entry to carpool lanes regardless of such entry not being allowed, studies 11Alive. Beforehand, drivers who bought an Different Gas Automobile license plate for his or her certified car, sometimes a pure EV or a plug-in hybrid, had been allowed to make use of the carpool lanes even when there was just one particular person within the car. This program ended on the finish of September, but the state continues to be charging the identical value for this plate regardless of not offering the earlier profit.

The extra restrictive carpool lane guidelines come not from the state, however the federal authorities. The top of the EV tax credit score is probably the most well-known incentive that expired in September, however a lesser-known one was that single-occupant low-emission and energy-efficient automobiles had been permitted to make use of HOV lanes since 2005, based on the Division of Vitality. 13 states, together with Georgia, took benefit of this provision. The state allowed qualifying vehicles to obtain, for an additional charge, Different Gas Automobile plates that clearly recognized them as being authorized within the HOV lane, even with just one occupant. Whereas the EV tax credit score was a casualty of the Trump Administration, the newest legislation permitting these automobiles to make use of carpool lanes, the FAST Act of 2015, solely licensed it till September of this yr. Congress wanted to move one other extension to proceed this profit, however didn’t, permitting it to run out.

It isn’t Georgia’s fault that this particular privilege has gone away, as federal legislation takes priority. Nevertheless, the best way Georgia has dealt with its Different Gas Automobile plates since then has been questionable, at greatest. These plates served the identical operate as California’s Clear Air Automobile allow. California stopped issuing these stickers when federal legislation shut it downhowever Georgia has continued to resume and difficulty new Different Gas Automobile plates at a further value of $35 per renewal and $59 per newly issued plate, along with the usual $20 annual charge, simply because it did earlier than. The Georgia Division of Income defends this by claiming that the Different Gas Registration code is now simply one of many many specialty plates the state presents. In a press release to 11Alive:

“The AFV plate will stay accessible as an optionally available specialty license plate for Georgia drivers. We have now issued steerage to the native county tag places of work, and prospects who not want to use the AFV plate might go to their native tag workplace to trade it for the standard plate for free of charge.”
The spokesperson additionally pointed to press releases from GDOT and the State Street and Tollway Authority relating to the expiring advantages.

Certainly, the Georgia Division of Income lists many specialty plates on its web site that cost the identical $35 Annual Particular Tag Price because the Different Gas Registration code. Nevertheless, many individuals paid the premium to realize single-occupant entry to carpool lanes, to not brag to the world that they drive an Different Gas Automobile, which is now the one goal the plate serves. Whereas the state did difficulty press releases about drivers not being allowed to make use of carpool lanes, it didn’t cease charging them for the profit, filling the state treasury with an additional $212,000 because it expired, and counting. It is the identical type of rip-off Texas pulled when it ended automobile inspections, then instantly charged an “inspection program alternative charge” to proceed accumulating cash for no providers provided. Whereas it is good that Georgia will enable present Different Gas Registration code holders to trade them for traditional plates at no cost and keep away from paying further sooner or later, this does not assist anybody who has already paid the additional charge, as refunds will not be accessible.