This week, Switzerland’s federal government opened the door to faster car sharing lanes from 1 February 2023, reported RTS.
Federal government amendments to Switzerland’s road sign ordinance to include car sharing signs mean cantons and cities will soon be able to introduce car sharing lanes. Car sharing, or pooling, encourages car sharing by allowing vehicles containing a specified number of passengers to use fast lanes reserved for buses or routes not normally available to vehicles.
Special parking spaces could also be introduced for vehicles arriving full of passengers.
In 2019, before the pandemic, an average car in Switzerland transported 1.62 passengers, according to the Federal Statistical Office.
In other countries mannequins are sometimes used to fill passenger seats to “qualify” for priority lanes when travelling companions are not available. The practice is of course illegal and fines are typically steep. Paying people to fill seats is another tactic. It is possible that with the introduction of car sharing Swiss police will need new skills.
More on this:
RTS article (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
For more stories like this on Switzerland follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
