The San Bernardino County Transportation Commission announced on Apr. 14 a new pilot program designed to address the improper use of Interstate 10 express lanes.
The issue is significant because studies have found that more than 40 percent of drivers using high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes were not eligible, according to a statement from the commission’s website. This misuse can undermine the efficiency and intended benefits of HOV lanes for carpoolers and other authorized users.
The Automatic Occupancy Detection program will run for four months and uses advanced cameras along with artificial intelligence to count how many people are in each vehicle as it passes through a toll point. The commission said, “The technology produces verifiable result without requiring anything of the driver.” This approach aims to provide accurate monitoring without additional burden on motorists.
The total cost for implementing this pilot project is capped at $150,000. If successful and adopted permanently by the authority’s board of directors, further investments would be needed in new equipment as well as updates to toll operations and policies, according to the statement.
As transportation agencies seek ways to improve traffic flow and enforce rules on managed lanes, programs like this may become more common in other regions.
