BILL ANALYSIS
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AB 769
Author: Margett (R), et al
Amended: 5/26/00 in Senate
Vote: 27 - Urgency
SENATE TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE : 8-1, 5/16/00
AYES: Karnette, Dunn, Costa, Figueroa, Kelley, Rainey,
Soto, Speier
NOES: Murray
NOT VOTING: Hayden, Monteith, Morrow
SENATE APPROPRIATIONS COMMITTEE : Senate Rule 28.8
ASSEMBLY FLOOR : Not relevant
SUBJECT : Vehicles: preferential vehicle lanes
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This bill would change the minimum occupancy
level from two to three for high-occupancy vehicles using
the "El Monte Busway" during peak commuting hours and
expand the guidelines of the study required to be made and
submitted to the Legislature by the Department of
Transportation.
ANALYSIS : Existing law authorizes the Department of
Transportation to authorize or permit exclusive or
preferential use of highway lanes for high-occupancy
vehicles. Existing law, which becomes inoperative on July
1, 2001, and of January 1, 2002, is repealed, requires the
CONTINUED
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department to establish those lanes on the San Bernardino
Freeway, and to set the minimum occupancy level on those
lanes at two persons, including the driver. Existing law
also requires the Department of Transportation to submit a
study to the Legislature relative to the changes in
motorist's behavior as a result of the establishment of the
lane.
This bill would instead set the minimum occupancy level on
those lanes at three persons, including the driver, during
the peak commuting hours of 5:00 a.m.-9:00 a.m. inclusive
and 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. inclusive, Monday through Friday,
inclusive, and two persons, including the driver, at all
other times.
This bill would require the Department of Transportation to
include in the report an assessment of the options
available to the department in order to maximize the use of
the lanes including, but not limited to, an analysis of
opening an additional lane, installing entrances and exits
on the lane or lanes, and other feasible proposals to
relieve congestion on the San Bernardino Freeway.
Since 1973, a portion of the San Bernardino Freeway,
stretching approximately 11 miles from the I-605 Freeway to
the I-110 Freeway, has included an exclusive lane for
buses, which is known as the "El Monte Busway." As the
result of a local bus strike in 1976, however, an allowance
was made that permitted carpools with three or more
occupants to use the busway. The authorization for carpool
use of the busway included a vehicle volume standard of
1300 vehicles during peak traffic periods, and department
officials indicate that the traffic volumes approached the
stipulated standard.
Last year, the Legislature approved Senate Bill 63 (Solis)
Chapter 168, which required the Department of
Transportation to "establish exclusive or preferential use
of highway lanes for high-occupancy vehicles on that
portion of State Highway Route 10 known as the San
Bernardino Freeway, and shall set the minimum occupancy
level on those lanes at two persons, including the driver."
This authorization is scheduled to be repealed on January
1, 2002, and the department is required to submit a report
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to the Legislature evaluating the operation of the lanes by
January 1, 2001.
Various accounts indicate that the increased number of
carpools on the busway as a result of the relaxing of the
vehicle occupancy requirement has served to significantly
congest the lanes. These accounts include:
1.The Los Angeles Times reported in an article earlier this
year that "(n)ew state legislation opening the San
Bernardino Freeway carpool lane to vehicles with only two
occupants has so clogged Southern California's most
successful such route that state transportation officials
say the express bus service for which the lane was
originally constructed has collapsed." (January 22,
2000)
2.Foothill Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency, which
provides bus service that uses the El Monte Busway,
contends that the "(c)hanges to the carpool minimum on
the El Monte Busway have had a negative effect on
Foothill Transit's operations. On-time performance has
suffered significantly. There has also been an increase
in safety incidents, customer complaints, and overtime
due to missed trips."
3.The Department of Transportation reports that "(t)he peak
hour volume in the westbound lane (morning) has increased
to approximately 1509 vehicles per hour at breakdown
speeds as low as 10 mph at some locations, a decrease of
55 mph. The speed of the buses during peak periods has
decreased significantly, with buses sometimes coming to a
complete stop. The number of buses carried by the busway
has also decreased to approximately 55 buses per hour
from 80 buses per hour, prior to the change. Some bus
riders claim that their commute is 20 minutes longer in
the morning and 30 minutes longer in the afternoon."
FISCAL EFFECT : Appropriation: No Fiscal Com.: Yes
Local: No
SUPPORT : (Verified 6/6/00)
Foothill Transit, West Covina
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Planning and Conservation League
Individual letters
ARGUMENTS IN SUPPORT : Foothill Transit states that, "the
recent change to the carpool minimum (from three to two
people) has had a significant negative impact on Foothill
Transit's customers during peak commuting times. Before
the change, our 18,000 daily customers could expect to save
up to 20 minutes on their commute time to and from downtown
Los Angeles over driving by themselves. With the change in
state law (SB 63, 1999), this time savings has been reduced
or eliminated and many of our customers report that the
trip can now take from 20-25 minutes longer than it
previously did.
"According to data from the Southern California Association
of Governments (SCAG), the time savings that transit
customers used to enjoy made the El Monte Busway the most
successful HOV facility in Southern California. Before the
change, this one land carried 50 percent of the people on
the entire San Bernardino freeway at peak times. According
to SCAG, the high performance of the El Monte Busway was
directly related to the three-person per vehicle minimum.
Further, in a recent report to the Legislature, the
Legislative Analyst's office also cited the El Monte
Busway's success, stating that 'HOV lanes can be very
efficient from the perspective of person throughout when
combined with bus service.' In other words, the El Monte
Busway moved commuters very efficiently.
"AB 769 is a reasonable solution to the chronic congestion
on the 1-10. It will give motorists more freedom, while
allowing Foothill Transit to continue to offer an
attractive alternative to the automobile for commuters."
RJG:sl 6/6/00 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: SEE ABOVE
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