How to Settle Carpool Violations

As of July 1, carpoolers must pay bridge tolls AND must use a FasTrak toll tag to pay their tolls in a dedicated carpool lane on state-owned bridges (or in a staffed lane on the Golden Gate Bridge). Since the new toll rates were implemented on July 1, many carpool vehicles are using the carpool lanes without a FasTrak toll tag, which has resulted in an increase in toll violations.

If you recently drove through a carpool lane and received a violation notice, it was because you did not pay your bridge toll with a FasTrak toll tag. As a first-time violator, you can open a new FasTrak account and the violation penalties will be waived – only the toll amount will be charged to your new account.

For more information, click here.

Toll Increase and Carpool Tolling

Beginning July 1, 2010, most motorists in autos will pay $5 to cross the region’s seven state-owned toll bridges*, up from the current $4 rate. However, that rate will vary on the busy Bay Bridge according to the day of the week and the time of day – a concept known as congestion pricing. On the Bay Bridge, the tolls for autos will increase to $6 during weekday commute hours (5am - 10am, and 3pm - 7pm), dropping to $4 during off-peak hours on weekdays. On weekends, the auto toll on this bridge will be the same as elsewhere, $5. Also new will be a toll for carpools, set at $2.50, which must be paid in a dedicated carpool lane using a FasTrak toll tag. Therefore, carpools will be required to open a FasTrak account, if they don’t already have one. Hybrid and inherently low-emission vehicles (ILEV) with a DMV decal also qualify for the discounted toll of $2.50. For more information about the toll increase, click here.

Qualifying vanpools with 11 to 15 passengers, and registered with 511 Rideshare, can continue to cross the bridges toll-free. Plus, as an added incentive, registered carpoolers and vanpoolers can also earn rewards such as gift cards from local retailers, grocers and gas cards. For more information and how to qualify, click here or call 511, say "Rideshare".

Effective July 1, 2010 on the Golden Gate Bridge, carpools will be charged a discounted FasTrak toll rate of $3.00 during carpool hours only – which are from 5:00am to 9:00am and 4:00pm to 6:00pm, Monday through Friday (excluding holidays). This carpool rate applies to 2-axle vehicles with 3 or more passengers, motorcycles, and buses. Carpools must stop in a staffed lane (so the toll collector can verify the vehicle as a carpool) and pay the toll with a FasTrak toll tag to qualify for the discounted carpool toll rate. For more information, click here.

*Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Mateo-Hayward, and San Francisco-Oakland Bay bridges.

Alameda County Express Lane Coming to I-680

As part of a long-term plan to improve traffic flow on a 14-mile stretch of southbound I-680 between Highway 84 on the north and Highway 237 on the south I-680, the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency is converting the existing carpool lane to an Express Lane – sometimes called High Occupancy Toll (HOT) Lane. Carpools using the Express Lane will continue to use the lane for free. A variable toll will make any excess capacity available to paying motorists, while guaranteeing a reasonable travel time for all users of the lane. Toll costs will vary based on real-time traffic levels on the Express Lane to ensure that traffic in the lane flows smoothly. Approximately 80% of the Express Lane project is located in Alameda County, with the remainder in Santa Clara County. For more information, go to:
http://www.680expresslane.org/Home.asp.