Report: Over 50 percent of Bay Area carpool lanes under federal standards

Drivers who use the carpool lane to shave a few minutes off their commute are getting some distressing news. Federal highway officials say the lanes aren't helping enough.

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, more than half of the region's nearly 400 miles of carpool lanes flow so slowly they fail to meet federal performance standards. Regulators say traffic in carpool lanes is supposed to move at speeds of more than 45 miles-per-hour at least 90 percent of the time they're in operation.

The problem is congestion and the possible fix, according to a transportation official, includes heavier enforcement, kicking out clean-fuel vehicles and instituting longer hours of operation.