This report describes a high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane user survey performed in Washington State during the winter of 2005/2006. The survey was a combination of mail-out and phone questionnaires targeting carpoolers, bus riders, and vanpoolers who use the freeway HOV system. HOV lanes have always been surrounded with a certain degree of controversy involving the question of whether they actually encourage people to choose shared-ride options. Would users switch to solo driving without HOV lanes? Why do peoplechoose shared-ride options? Are most carpools members of the same household? Key study findings were: (1) 15 to 18 percent of HOV lane users reported they would switch to solo driving if the HOV lanes were not availableduring peak commuting periods. (2) An additional 26 percent of carpoolerssaid they would continue carpooling, but switch to driving either on a different route or during different hours. (3) Saving money, stress reduction, and convenience were of equal or more importance than time savings for many users. (4) Sixty-two percent of morning peak, 71 percent of mid-day, and 71 percent of evening peak period carpools were composed of members ofthe same household. (5) Multi-household carpools and same-household carpools reported they would behave very similarly without HOV lanes (6) All three modes reported using other ways of traveling, including solo driving, on a regular basis. (7) Upwards of 86 percent of bus riders and vanpoolers, and 24 percent of carpoolers, utilized employer rideshare incentives.
Samenvatting