A woman in Northern Virginia says she keeps getting HOV violations for using the Express Lanes — even though she has her 6-month-old twins in the backseat. If you have three people in the car, those trips are supposed to be free.
But on an almost-weekly basis, commuter Tara McCabe says she's had to deal with receiving HOV violations that she hasn't committed.
"It's just been an ongoing hassle. Constantly trying to have to call, fight each charge, wait for my money to be refunded. It's a waste of my time," she said.
McCabe drives every day from Haymarket to Reston with her two babies in the backseat. She says she purposely picked a daycare along the route so she could take advantage of the free HOV-3 requirement on the new Interstate 66 Express Lanes. But the violation letters keep coming.
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"That's the most frustrating part about it. It's just I'm fighting for myself when I'm doing nothing wrong," she said.
If you've got three people in your car, you're supposed to be able to use the I-66 Express Lanes for free. But McCabe is questioning whether the cameras can actually see into the vehicles and make an accurate assessment about passengers.
She says it's also been happening to other people she knows.
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The I-66 Express Mobility Partners, which operates the I-66 Express Lanes, told us: "Occasionally environmental issues such as glare, rain, snow, or fog can prevent the technology from being fully effective. However, and most importantly, the technology does not work alone; every HOV-declared trip that could be questioned is visually reviewed by three trained agents in a triple-blind process."
The operator says it will give any customer the benefit of the doubt.
However, it's gotten so bad for McCabe that's she's resorted to other tactics to prove she's following the rules.
"Usually at the Monument Drive exit [in Fairfax County], I'll roll the back windows down and say 'I have babies in the car — three of us.' Like whatever I have to do, I've got the sun roof open if you are taking camera shots from above — whatever it takes."
The operator of the I-66 Express Lanes tells us they're happy to work with McCabe to see if it can permanently resolve her problem.
They also said more state police will also be used to enforce HOV-3 requirements.
