[NSW] EV Cars with Solo Driver Can Legally Drive in T2 & T3 Transit Lanes during Peak Period (Blue EV Plate Sticker Required)

vr4indian on 24/09/2024 - 08:57
Last edited 24/09/2024 - 14:10 by 2 other users

Moved to Forum: Original Link

With so many popular EV Deals recently, many drivers may not be aware about using T2 / T3 Lanes during Peak period.

Motorists travelling through New South Wales in an electric vehicle (EV) can continue to use the state’s transit lanes T2 / T3 lanes until mid-2025 while driving solo.

To use the T2 and T3 transit lanes with no occupants other than a driver in the car, EVs must have the blue triangular ‘EV’ sticker on their number plates.

So enjoy your ride while ICE car pays road tax and stuck in traffic while you can zoom past using T2/T3 lanes.

Page 51 of Driving Knowledge Test - https://www.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/2021-08/driver-kn…

LD026 - Traffic Lights / Lanes and LD027 - Traffic Lights / Lanes contracticts this policy or freebies :)

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Comments

      • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 09:48
        +1

        The time limit is the only sensible thing about it. As for number crunching it's like statistics, you can get any outcome you want to justify whatever policy decision you want to push through.

    • andresampras on 24/09/2024 - 12:18

      I’m not sure I agree with EVs using these lanes necessarily, but at least in Sydney when the roads are packed - the empty restricted lane could definitely be put to better use….somehow

  • serpserpserp on 24/09/2024 - 09:31
    +5

    As it should be. EVs owners are the privilege few, and should have everything turned to their favour. When will the government start putting free charging stations everywhere and priority parking right in front of venues etc for EV owners? Perhaps even free drivers licenses and subsidies for insurance?

    • klaw81 on 24/09/2024 - 09:41
      +4

      When you consider that you can buy a brand new EV for $30k, and there are plenty of cheaper options used, it's pretty disingenuous to pretend they're reserved for elites.

      Incentivizing the purchase of EVs for greater energy independence, improved air quality in cities and better environmental outcomes overall is an obvious and sensible play.

      • netjock on 24/09/2024 - 09:56

        pretty disingenuous to pretend

        Politicians are always pretending this and that to set people against each other.

        No brains to look at long term.

        It is like how they have messed with superannuation. If you take the Vanguard chats that $10k invested for 20 years will end up being $200k (S&P 500) imagine how many millions kids working now will have. ALP putting in the $3m super super tax with tax on unrealised capital gains is a genius move.

    • uzz30 on 24/09/2024 - 09:54
      +7

      ++ Irony

      But all excellent points.

      Having a reserved express lane for the privillage of being able to affort an EV just re-enforces the smug entitlement of those many virtue signalling EV drivers that makes EV owners so unpopular.

      The point of the T2/T3 lanes is to encourage car pooling and reduce congestion. Giving the golden ticket to EV drivers does neither.

      (Just for context, I own and drive an EV, because it works for me on a practical, economic and environmentally concious base, I'm not going to use a T2/T3 lane unless I have 3 passengers)

      • ChristmasTree on 24/09/2024 - 10:08

        "The point of the T2/T3 lanes is to encourage car pooling and reduce congestion. Giving the golden ticket to EV drivers does neither."

        Very true, this is bad policy.

    • Nillionaire on 24/09/2024 - 21:02

      I unironically support all this.

  • mr_asstight on 24/09/2024 - 09:33
    -4

    EV scam

  • jasonc on 24/09/2024 - 09:36
    +5

    screwing over the financially disadvantaged again. can't afford a new car, so have to pay for more petrol to get to and from work as they live in the outer burbs with poor public transport.

    • CaptainJack on 24/09/2024 - 12:49
      +1

      Labor in a nutshell

  • AsukaST on 24/09/2024 - 09:36
    +3

    I think it's a great idea to ride my e scooter safely at 20km/h in the middle of the transit lane.
    Technically it's also an EV.😜

  • Ryanek on 24/09/2024 - 09:39
    +6

    This is carcist

  • smartazz104 on 24/09/2024 - 09:39
    +3

    Nothing like an EV-related post to upset all the ICE lovers.

  • beltdrive on 24/09/2024 - 09:39
    +6

    isn't the main purpose of the lanes to alleviate congestion, not reduce emissions?

  • AircraftFreight on 24/09/2024 - 09:40
    +2

    Cant wait to drive my Mercedes Benz AMG GTR 12V in these lanes https://s.catch.com.au/images/product/0037/37128/5f7ea061e40…

  • Seraphin7 on 24/09/2024 - 09:45
    +7

    First I've heard of this. Although I drive an "EV" with the blue triangle sticker, this is just ridiculous. Transit lanes have always been there to encourage multiple passengers per vehicle in order to reduce congestion, not to advantage one demographic over another.

    This absolutely reeks of the elitism that pervades so much of the whole "electrification" industry.

    • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 11:47

      Hear hear.

    • klaw81 on 24/09/2024 - 09:49

      The weakest of weak memes

  • netjock on 24/09/2024 - 09:53

    Good for now.

    Another gimmick politicians are pulling on the masses.

  • ipiok on 24/09/2024 - 09:54

    Can someone explain like I'm 5 why if everyone paying car registration equally funds the building of roads, why teslas are any different to any other car with wheels?

    • vr4indian on 24/09/2024 - 09:58
      +1

      Hard to understand buddy. Its like $1 we still pay to UBER trip every single time to compensate Taxi Driver's who impacted into their license valuation.

      If you invest into shares or house and if it gets devalued, you dont get single cent.

      if you invest into Taxi Licence Plate and gets devalued, entire societly needs to compenstate :) funny but true…

      Most probably in couple of years, everytime car gets rego renewal, their KM will be feed into NSW RMS system. Owner has to pay few cents for each KM prior to renew.

      • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 11:50

        If it weren't for the powerful vested interests protecting the values of these licences the industry would have been disrupted long before Uber came on the scene.

    • netjock on 24/09/2024 - 10:01

      why teslas are any different

      It is play pretend.

      Drive a Tesla is like driving a Prius 20 years ago. You're saving the world so you are entitled to something everyone hasn't got. I am pretty sure most people moving from ICE to EVs drive more because perception of cost per kilometre being cheaper and want to show off your new toy. Nobody dare to do that chart where it intersects (EV vs ICE).

      Then there is the ones who cry foul when there is a study of total pollution of ICE vs EV. People keep saying how a $60k Tesla shouldn't be cross shopped with a Kia Piccanto. Tell that to someone on $45k who can't buy a Tesla, they going to walk to work?

      I like the stickers in the US on Teslas that say "we bought this before we found out he was crazy" or something similar.

      It is a kind of a religion.

      Then there is those who are convince they charge for free. I don't know their definition of free but if Apple said pay $1600 for an iphone and you get free charging at Apple stores that is also free except for the entrance fee.

    • klaw81 on 24/09/2024 - 10:12
      +3

      Here's the ELI5 explanation:
      Governments regularly changes the rules to incentivize behaviors they want to happen more often, and disincentivize behaviors they don't want to happen.

      This is why there are extra taxes on cigarettes (to reduce smoking rates) and similarly there are tax incentives on things like donating to charity, or undertaking R&D (because these provide benefits to the broader community).

      In this particular case, state and federal governments wants more people to transition to driving electric cars. EVs have significant benefits for the owner (reduced running costs) and also for the broader community (cleaner air, lower carbon footprint, reduced reliance on foreign oil).

      So various governments have implemented incentives that make EVs more attractive to potential buyers. These can be tax incentives as seen in the US, or lower registration costs as seen in the ACT, or subsidies to help with up-front costs as seen in Queensland etc. In this case, NSW are offering a little perk - driving in the transit lanes.

      I have to say that I agree this particular policy does not appear well-considered, and will probably have unintended side effects in terms of congestion. But it's apparently only a temporary measure, so maybe it's not that big a deal.

      • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 11:53

        In the great scheme of things yes it probably isn't a big deal (except if you live in a suburb with high EV ownership) but the point is that it can be seen as societally divisive.

        • klaw81 on 24/09/2024 - 12:59

          In the same way that increasing taxes on cigarettes and alco-pops is socially divisive?

    • smartazz104 on 26/09/2024 - 12:24

      Can someone explain like I'm 5 why if everyone paying car registration equally funds the building of roads

      The state of Australian roads says otherwise…

  • THL on 24/09/2024 - 09:57
    +1

    Isn't the whole purpose of transit lane is designed to reduce congestion? This is simply discriminating those who can't afford an EV?

    • z28 on 24/09/2024 - 11:23

      Purpose can always be changed. Anyway, congestion used to mean pollution, EV doesn't pollute as much.

      • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 11:56
        +1

        It's always mainly been about productivity, and how much productive time is lost sitting in traffic.

      • THL on 24/09/2024 - 13:04

        Agree EV doesn't pollute as much but allowing EVs in transit lane doesn't really help anything tbh.

    • smartazz104 on 26/09/2024 - 12:24
      -1

      This is simply discriminating those who can't afford an EV?

      But can afford to drive their car solo…

  • CurlCurl on 24/09/2024 - 09:57

    I once drove down the T2 lane from Parramatta to Balmain on the T2 lane with my fathers ashes on the passenger seat. I wasn't pulled over.

    Would have been an interesting conversation with the plod.

    • Crow K on 24/09/2024 - 10:26
      +4

      Yeah, right up until you get a ticket for your father not wearing his seatbelt.

      • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 11:57
        +1

        Best comment I've read here so far.

        • Crow K on 24/09/2024 - 11:59
          +1

          Thanks, though to be fair, here it's a bit of dumpster fire because a "good news for EV owners" post turns into a Two Minutes Hate by ICE lovers.

          It doesn't really happen with other things, if there's a T2 Tea Sale offer on here the thread isn't shat up by coffee drinkers saying coffee tastes better and has more caffeine etc.

          • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 12:47
            +2

            @Crow K: I drink both.

            To be fair I don't hate EVs. I love the instant power and torque which is what I would buy one for, but at the same time there are still a lot of issues to solve before it can be widespread (grid capacity among others). I just don't drink the kool aid that many so called evangelists have gulped down.

      • CurlCurl on 24/09/2024 - 12:06
        +1

        Nope. I had the seat belt around the canister.

  • SahitDagani on 24/09/2024 - 10:01
    -1

    This is discrimination and punishing cause you don't think abd live a certain way.

  • prodnus on 24/09/2024 - 10:05
    +2

    Do hybrid cars count? Their licence plates also have the EV symbol on them

    • cerealsmok3r on 11/10/2024 - 09:12

      yes I think thats the only requirement for it

  • hopper on 24/09/2024 - 10:06
    +2

    with no occupants other than a driver in the car

    wouldn't it be more beneficial to have multiple people in a car?

  • LazyLaz on 24/09/2024 - 10:16
    +2

    This is not a deal, more like 'discrimination' (loosely using the word here) against ICEV owners. Echoing others concerns, whether you're in an ICEV or an EV, a single driver utilising these transit lanes doesn't help peak hour traffic.

    • z28 on 29/09/2024 - 12:06
      -1

      Yes it does. If all the single-occupant ev are not on T2/T3, the traffic will be worse for those single cars. So this a great incentive sharing the traffic load.

  • Yoo05 on 24/09/2024 - 10:29

    T2 and T3 transit lanes should be designated as carpool lanes, allowing cars with 4 or more people, regardless of whether they are EVs or ICE vehicles.

  • hcl on 24/09/2024 - 10:32
    +5

    This kinda defeats the purpose of having transit lanes - to ease congestion, not to encourage more solo drivers regardless of ICE or EV.

    If they are genuine about the EV transition they could have waived toll on EVs. But oh no NSW will never give up the precious toll revenue.

    • jv on 24/09/2024 - 10:45
      -2

      could have waived toll on EVs.

      Why? Don't EVs contribute to wear and tear on the roads?

      • hcl on 24/09/2024 - 11:35

        Oh hi jv here you are :-)

      • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 11:59

        Don't worry, I'm sure our governments have plans in place to eventually recover all that lost fuel excide revenues.

        • jv on 24/09/2024 - 12:06

          Dan tried, but the High Court said it was illegal.

          https://www.vicroads.vic.gov.au/registration/registration-fe…

          • Protractor on 24/09/2024 - 12:19

            @jv: Them sneaky judges got EVs. Seriously, the tax,levy,charge or other payback is coming.Even if they call it a safety levy on regos, they'll find a way.As they probably should. I'd rather see us build more rail in Australia,period. Especially regionally.They could use the same routes for the proposed mods to the electricity grid.

            • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 12:50

              @Protractor: Yep - better public transport infrastructure for sure.

  • jv on 24/09/2024 - 10:44
    +2

    EV Cars with Solo Driver Can Legally Drive in T2 & T3 Transit Lanes during Peak Period

    Why?

    • rifter on 24/09/2024 - 11:36
      +1

      Tis the Age of Entitlement.

  • jv on 24/09/2024 - 10:47
    +1

    Interesting that a Labor government chooses to penalise lower income families that can't afford EVs….

    • askbargain on 24/09/2024 - 11:20

      this would make EVs cheaper in the long run

      • jv on 24/09/2024 - 11:21

        Doesn't help people now…

        • askbargain on 24/09/2024 - 11:40
          +1

          it must suck to have a life expectancy of 4 months jv.

          • jv on 24/09/2024 - 12:07

            @askbargain: Tell that to the families struggling to pay their bills.

    • Crow K on 24/09/2024 - 13:15
      +2

      It's a pity mental gymnastics wasn't an Olympic event jv, you could have got us the gold

  • DingoBilly on 24/09/2024 - 11:39
    +3

    Wow there's a lot of boomers who don't like EVs in this thread. Kinda sad how people don't like change and are easily manipulated by media.

    • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 12:07

      What's that got to do with commenting about a dumb policy? It would be the same if the government allowed tradies to use the transit lanes.

    • jv on 24/09/2024 - 12:08
      -2

      Wow there's a lot of boomers who don't like EVs in this thread.

      You mean entitled people who expect to be treated differently because they own an EV.

      • klaw81 on 25/09/2024 - 09:35

        Do you have a good example of people who "expect" to be treated differently because they drive an EV? Because this policy is clearly not that - it's an incentive that costs the NSW government nothing to offer, as a temporary perk. Given the limited number of vehicles it applies to, it is unlikely to have any major impact on anyone else.

        EVs themselves need to be treated slightly differently because they are different in a few ways, and that's totally reasonable. EVs are also treated a little differently by state and federal government policy, because they help to meet the government's policy aims.

        But I don't see any evidence that EV drivers themselves expect or feel entitled to be treated any differently.

        • jv on 25/09/2024 - 09:55
          +1

          it is unlikely to have any major impact on anyone else.

          You completed missed the point…

          • klaw81 on 25/09/2024 - 12:02

            @jv: What's the point then? Explain it to me

        • rifter on 25/09/2024 - 09:58
          +1

          To klaw81, the evidence is in your views expressed above. Maybe that is why you do not understand the explanation.

          • klaw81 on 25/09/2024 - 12:42

            @rifter: I'm sure your wisdom could enlighten me.

    • CurlCurl on 24/09/2024 - 12:28

      That's right. Blame the boomers.

      • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 12:51

        I thought Gen Z'ers were the cause of all our societal issues?

    • CaptainJack on 24/09/2024 - 12:53
      +1

      When you don't have a coherent argument, just blame the boomers. Easy.

  • Cluster on 24/09/2024 - 11:45
    +1

    In SA even plain hybrids get an EV sticker. Is that the same for NSW?

    • klaw81 on 24/09/2024 - 12:30
      +1

      Yes, it's the same everywhere. I don't know how they hope to enforce this, apart from cops having a good knowledge of cars.

      • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 12:52

        I'm sure they'd pick up on my 20 yr old car if it had a blue sticker.

  • altomic on 24/09/2024 - 15:11
    +5

    EVs using the T2/T3 lanes means it easier for the fire trucks to get to them when they catch on fire, cos batteries go boom every 17 seconds, and why only a 10 year warranty on evs? because manufacturers don't expect them to last 10 years - and the resale value is terrible- my 10 year old euro car with 200,000kms and on its third gearbox is worth nearly what I paid for it new , and EVs should pay a separate road tax as they don't have to buy fuel which attracts fuel levies that go to road - so they are driving on our roads but not paying for it. and EVs are 6 times heavier than an ICE car so they cause more damage. and I'm going to park my ford ranger in a EV charging bay because my small-pener mobile identifies as an EV, To make EVs requires so many resources but they say they are environmentally friendly. my ICE car caused no environmental harm to be made, and EVs are a fad they will never catch on. Hydrogen is the next big thing. /end of cookers delusional anti-EV rant.

    • gadget on 24/09/2024 - 16:47
      +1

      Just out of curiosity, what Euro with that kind of mileage is worth that kind of money?

      • cerealsmok3r on 11/10/2024 - 09:30

        yeah im questioning this too. I don't think the person understands that they are all a depreciating asset and at the 10 year, its closer to a piece of junk than anything else.

        asking for a separate road tax seems like a terrible idea. you may as well just build better roads at that point as a cheaper alternative. you talk about evs causing more damage due to weight but what about trucks and semi trailers?

        he is right on hydrogen being the next big thing except thats due until another 10 years. so far we've got some infrastructure goin on and like what? two cars from toyota? They've got a lot of problem solving to overcome a lot of technical challenges before it becomes commercially viable.

    • klaw81 on 24/09/2024 - 18:56

      I think you hit all the major points there - well done on the concise summary!

    • z28 on 29/09/2024 - 21:08

      why only a 10 year warranty on evs?

      How many years do ICE is warranted for ? 10 years ? No they won't last that long so maybe 7 years max - I am using your logic btw.

      • klaw81 on 29/09/2024 - 21:42

        In case you missed it, his post was highly sarcastic, and was intended to mock the common arguments of the wilfully ignorant.

  • Nillionaire on 24/09/2024 - 21:05
    +1

    Good. If you can't an EV, no judgement. If you can afford an EV but choose to buy more expensive non-EV, you get less perks and privileges than EVs. We're moving in the right direction.

  • cerealsmok3r on 11/10/2024 - 09:11

    ooooh this is news to me

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