New Technology Allows Virginia To Verify That HOV Drivers Have The Right Number Of Passengers

New technology is coming to Northern Virginia’s interstate highways that can catch HOV-lane violators in the act of carrying fewer passengers than they should.

The cameras monitor how many people are in a car and whether it matches the number indicated by a driver’s E-ZPass.

The first such cameras were installed along I-95 in the spring. They plan to expand, and the technology will also be installed along I-395 and I-495 “soon,” says Mike McGurk, a spokesperson for express lanes operator Transurban. He did not give a specific timeline. NBC Washington first reported the news…

McGurk says they are taking an “education-first approach” with the new system. Drivers who break the rules will be sent an email letting them know that cameras detected a violation. If they do so a second time, the cameras will charge their E-ZPass account for the amount of the toll owed for the trip.
More>>