Police are now doing targeted enforcement on one of Houston’s busiest commuter routes

Solo drivers are allowed to use Houston's HOV lanes, but they can only get on during non-peak hours. They also need a toll tag.

Metro Vice-President Tim Kelly said once school goes back into session, that's when they really see a jump in violations. And when the lanes get too crowded that slows down the buses and carpools that are there legally.

"We want to make sure that we can continue to maintain average speeds and we track that every month," said Kelly. "We have a commitment to maintain an average speed of 45 miles per hour."

Kelly said they want to encourage commuters to use park-and-ride buses and van pools and the HOV's reliable trip time is what attracts people. He explained they've gotten lots of complaints about violators in the I-45 North HOV and that's where they're now targeting enforcement.

"One of the things about that enforcement location is there's a gate to turn people back out onto the main lanes of the freeway," said Kelly. "So, in addition to getting the ticket, they're also going to be put back into the traffic of the main lanes of the freeway."

And Kelly warns drivers they'll also be targeting other HOV lanes in the future.

Subscribe to Today in Houston Fill out the form below to subscribe our new daily editorial newsletter from the HPM Newsroom. Email* First Name Last Name * required