LETTER: If you build HOV lanes, you must promote carpooling

In response to your Sunday editorial criticizing high-occupancy vehicle lanes on local highways: Throughout this whole fiasco, I have not heard any agency promoting carpooling. The approach seems to be that if you build them, people will form carpools and use them.

But most commuters probably have no idea whether their neighbors work at the same location or near where they do. They also probably have no idea how to approach anyone except a close friend to form a carpool. Not many people would ask complete strangers to carpool with them.

I wonder how many people carpool at the Nevada Department of Transportation – or, for that matter, at any state of local government agency. What about liability of one person furnishing a car and charging people to ride?

This is a problem transportation officials should be addressing. They should be furnishing legal advice and promote carpooling within the larger businesses and organizations. They should provide a coordinator to form the carpools, matching similar type employees from same neighborhoods and employment locations and work hours.

The mere existence of the HOV lanes is not going to result in high usage. A method to organize and promote carpooling must be developed.