Transportation across SoCal is changing fast. One week, it’s new speed cameras, the next it’s shiny bridge projects, an increase in parking ticket fees, or even subway extensions. Now, a new technology is being implemented to keep traffic moving.
Riverside County has officially activated a new camera system over the 91 Express Lanes that automatically catches solo drivers using the carpool-only lanes. The technology is called an Occupancy Detection System (ODS), and it’s already in motion.
Express lanes are getting smarter
The 91 Express Lanes between the Riverside–Orange County line and the 15 Freeway are reserved for carpooling vehicles (with three or more people). For years, many drivers jumped into the lane to escape traffic, hoping no one would notice.
Now, cameras at the end of the expressway take multiple photos of the inside of each vehicle, even through tinted windows, to check whether you meet the occupancy rules. If the system detects a possible violation, a real RCTC employee reviews the images to confirm it, and if you’re caught, the full toll plus an administrative fee is added to your account. Regarding privacy concerns, officials say faces are blurred, and images are stored under state and federal laws.
The system has been running since August of last year, and officials say it has already recovered more than $1 million in unpaid tolls, as stated by KNX News. On an average day, about 400,000 cars use the 91 Freeway, and more than 100,000 of them break the HOV 3+ rule.
How much can a carpool violation cost you?
According to the 91 Freeway website, each violation starts with a $25 initial penalty plus the toll amount. If you don’t respond to the first Notice of Toll Evasion Violation, an additional $30 delinquent penalty is added. Ignore that notice as well, and the violation can be sent to collections, where the penalty can escalate to $100 per violation, with possible consequences including a hold on your vehicle registration.