(a) The director of transportation by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91, and the counties by ordinance, may designate high occupancy vehicle lanes as to roadways under their respective jurisdictions.

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 291C-222

  • High occupancy vehicle: means a vehicle carrying at least the minimum number of persons designated by the director of transportation as indicated on official signs and other official traffic-control devices, and other vehicles as provided by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91 or by county ordinance. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 291C-221
  • High occupancy vehicle lane: means a designated lane of a laned roadway where the use of the designated lane is restricted to school buses, vehicles carrying at least the minimum number of persons designated by the director of transportation on official signs and other official traffic-control devices, and to other vehicles as provided by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91, or by county ordinance. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 291C-221
  • Motor vehicle: means every vehicle which is self-propelled and every vehicle which is propelled by electric power but not operated upon rails but excludes a moped. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 291C-1
  • Motorcycle: means every motor vehicle having a seat or saddle for the use of the rider and designed to travel on not more than three wheels in contact with the ground but excludes a farm tractor and a moped. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 291C-1
  • Traffic: means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, and other conveyances either singly or together while using any highway for purposes of travel. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 291C-1
  • Vehicle: means every device in, upon, or by which any person or property is or may be transported or drawn upon a roadway or highway, including mopeds and bicycles, but excluding toy bicycles, devices other than bicycles moved by human power, and devices used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 291C-1
(b) Signs and other official traffic-control devices that designate high occupancy vehicle lanes shall be placed and maintained to advise drivers of the high occupancy vehicle requirement and the hours of usage. When the high occupancy vehicle lane also serves as a contraflow lane, the hours of usage as a high occupancy vehicle lane shall be the time when the lane is coned for use as a high occupancy vehicle lane.
(c) No motor vehicle shall be operated upon these lanes except in conformance with the instructions on the signs and other official traffic-control devices.
(d) A motorcycle may use any high occupancy vehicle lane, regardless of the number of occupants.
(e) Any vehicle authorized by rules adopted in accordance with chapter 91 may use any high occupancy vehicle lane, regardless of the number of occupants, when the use is determined to enhance public safety and improves traffic conditions.