Management of HOV facility operations may be accomplished by a range of technological and personnel means. Minimum control may consist of passive signing and delineation. Maximum control may involve sophisticated surveillance, vehicle detection with computer integration, and dynamic, real-time signing or delineation.
A determination of the level of vehicle restriction must be made on the basis of traffic characteristics and how much the HOV lane is used. Restricting use of the HOV lane to vehicles with three or more passengers (3 + ) may give the appearance that the lane is underused. On the other hand, restricting the lane to vehicles with only two or more passengers (2 + ) sometimes results in lane utilization approaching capacity. The best rule of thumb is to start with the 2+ restriction, and go to the 3+ restriction when the level of service of the HOV lane is approaching capacity.
A proper level of enforcement is necessary to ensure that the HOV lane will operate efficiently. Absence of enforcement defeats the purpose of the lane, since singlepassenger vehicles will see no need to stay out of the lane. Detection and apprehension of violators, issuance of citations to violators, and effective prosecution of violators are essential.
The hours of operation that an HOV lane is in effect are also an important consideration. Twenty-four-hour operation is preferred over peak-hour operation, simply because there is less chance for driver confusion and violations tend to be lower.
