This analysis provides a definitive determination of your legal eligibility to use High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes in Riverside County, California on August 25, 2025, as an approximately 60-year-old woman driving a 2025 Ford Escape with an active FastPass (FasTrak). The assessment addresses all three possible emissions configurations of your vehicle (PZEV, ZEV, or standard hybrid) under current California regulations, with specific focus on the Corona area. Findings are based exclusively on official sources from the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), California Air Resources Board (CARB), Caltrans, and Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) as of August 25, 2025. Critical regulatory changes effective in 2025 are emphasized throughout.
The ZEV variant (battery-electric or hydrogen f