No more free parking for hybrid car owners?

The pious among Prius owners seem to gloat as they drive solo in the carpool lane or park without having to feed the meter in many cities. But are these perks for the owners of fuel-efficient Prius and other hybrid cars coming to an end? 

After initially giving hybrid vehicle owners another three years of free parking at city metered spaces, the Los Angeles City Council decided to study whether to eliminate the benefit as part of an effort to close a possible $500-million budget deficit, reports the Daily News.

The city loses about $116,000 a year in meter money that would have been paid by hybrid car owners. That would do little to close the budget gap but every little bit counts, said Councilman Bill Rosendahl, who proposed scrapping the free-parking perk.

"This was a great incentive when we first did it," Rosendahl said. "But hybrids don't need assistance from us. They already are getting a benefit from the savings they get by not having to buy $4-a-gallon gas."

Solo hybrid drivers might also get pushed out of the the carpool lanes under one of several options state officials were studying last year to cut down on HOV lane congestion.  Like free metered parking, allowing hybrid car owners to drive alone in the carpool lane was viewed as incentive to encourage alternative, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Now, with the rollout of hybrid SUVs getting less gas mileage than some gasoline-powered cars, support seems to be weakening for such perks, even among the vehicles' advocates. Felix Kramer, founder of CalCars.org, said he would rather see tax breaks to encourage fuel efficient, low-emission cars.

"Free parking spots for hybrids doesn't really address any problem directly," Kramer said. "It just provides a freebie for people who have high-mpg cars."

-- Jesus Sanchez

Photo: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Meredith Accardi]

Paying to park is stupid! Street parking should be apart of a city tax.

[MM]

If a Geo Metro was already getting a real 50+mpg why would a prius at 45mpg get a HOV sticker?

[Michael Ballard]

All giving hybrids solo access to HOV lanes is create more traffic, and less carpooling. Mind you, they aren't hybrids if they are driving at 65mph, they burn gasoline all the same. It is only at slow speeds they are hybrids. It creates an elitist "entitlement" mentality that doesn't serve anyone well. They shouldn't be given any more incentives than they already are given, and some should be taken away.

[Aaron]

Meredith: Why should the car-free have to subsidize everybody else's parking? We'll pay for your parking if you raise your taxes enough that I can take the subway to Santa Monica for free. Owning and driving a single-occupancy vehicle for free is not a fundamental right.

Given that I don't see that happening, I'll stop commenting so that I can put my check in the mail for my May pass.

[Savearth]

This is totally not "Fair" to all the Hybrid vehicles owners. How come only the one with the "Clean Air Decal" hybrid car allow to enjoy all kind of benefits. They can drive solo in carpool lanes, get free parking at the city. Also they car sell their hybrid car at higher price just because they have the "Clean Air Decal" sticker.

[Joe]

I think the incentives are fine...if anything they should be expanded to any car that is getting over 45mpg...as one person had commented about the Geo Metro which is getting 50+ but is not a hybrid. As far as the deficit is concerned...instead of penalizing the people who are trying to make a difference in the environment, why don't you INCREASE the cost of parking to the people who are NOT contributing! I ADMIT... I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE NOT CONTRIBUTING RIGHT NOW. The idea is to INCREASE the incentive to help the environment...not do a bait and switch on the people who are doing the right thing!! It is completely contradictory to the idea of "INCENTIVES"!!