Starting July 1st, solo drivers of hybrid cars in California will see their special pass to the car pool lane disappear.

85,000 were issued to hybrids. Prius and Honda Civic and others.

Since 2004, hybrid owners with a special permit were allowed entry into California’s High-Occupancy-Vehicle (HOV) lanes even when driving alone. 

The special yellow key-shaped decals that denoted access quickly became a must-have for traffic-weary hybrid owners, and added up to $1,500 to the resale value of the hybrid that sported one against its more mundane siblings.

read the whole story at

http://www.thecarconnection.com/news/1062439_california-hybrid-drivers-lose-car-pool-lane-privileges