Carpools and other eligible vehicles can use carpool lanes at all Bay Area toll plazas and Bay Area Express Lanes to bypass traffic congestion and enjoy a faster, more reliable commute. There are different rules and requirements, depending on whether you are traveling in a bridge carpool lane or an express lane.
Carpooling Across Toll Bridges
Carpools, motorcycles and eligible clean air vehicles (CAVs) using carpool lanes during designated commute hours on Bay Area bridges may receive discounted tolls.
Carpool lanes are identified with white diamonds on the pavement and signage above and alongside the roadway.
STATE-OWNED BRIDGES
(Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland and San Mateo-Hayward)
On state-owned toll bridges, qualified carpools with a FasTrak account in good standing will pay a reduced toll of $3.50 when using a carpool lane from 5:00 am to 10:00 am and 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm, Monday through Friday. If you drive through a carpool toll lane without a FasTrak toll tag, an invoice for the full amount of the toll will be sent to the vehicle's registered owner, even if you meet the occupancy requirements for the carpool lane.
The following vehicles qualify to use the carpool lane:
- 2-axle vehicles, without a trailer, carrying 3 or more people*
- Eligible clean air vehicles (CAVs) with valid clean air decals
- 2-axle, 2-seater vehicles carrying 2 people
- Motorcycles
- Buses/Vanpools
*The Dumbarton and San Mateo-Hayward Bridges only require 2+ passengers to qualify.
Golden Gate Bridge
On the Golden Gate Bridge, qualified vehicles with a FasTrak account in good standing will pay a discounted toll of $7.25 when using the carpool lane from 5:00 am to 9:00 am and 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm, Monday through Friday.
The following vehicles qualify to use the carpool lane on the Golden Gate Bridge:
- 2-axle vehicles carrying 3 or more people
- Motorcycles
- Buses
Outside of designated carpool hours, bridge carpool lanes are open to all traffic and charge a full toll.
Carpooling in Bay Area Express Lanes
Carpools, motorcycles, eligible clean air vehicles, and other qualified vehicles can travel in Bay Area Express Lanes toll free or at a significant discount.
Express lanes are identified with white pavement markings as well as signage above and next to the lanes. Carpools must have a valid FasTrak Flex or FasTrak CAV toll tag to receive the free or discounted toll rates. Drivers must set the switch on the toll tag to match the number of people in the vehicle (1, 2 or 3+). Toll prices vary based on real-time traffic levels.
Current Bay Area Express Lanes include:
- Interstate 580 Express Lanes
- State Route 237 Express Lanes
- Interstate 680 Sunol Express Lanes
- Interstate 680 Contra Costa Express Lanes
- Interstate 880 Express Lanes
- 101 San Mateo Express Lanes
- 101/SR-85 Santa Clara Express Lanes
Qualifying for Free or Discounted Travel in Express Lanes
In the I-580 and I-680 Express Lanes, the following vehicles qualify to travel toll free:
- Carpools with 2+ people
- Motorcycles (set toll tag to 2+)
- Buses/Vanpools
- Solo drivers of CAVs with a valid FasTrak CAV toll tag set to position 1 also receive a 50% discount in these express lanes. Learn more about CAVs.
In the SR-237, I-880, 101 and 101/SR-85 Express Lanes, the following vehicles qualify to travel toll free:
- Carpools with 3+ people
- 2-seater vehicles carrying 2 people (set toll tag to 3+)
- Motorcycles (set toll tag to 3+)
- Buses/Vanpools
Note: Carpools with 2 people receive a 50% discount in these express lanes. Solo drivers of CAVs with a valid FasTrak CAV toll tag set to position 1 also receive a 50% discount in these express lanes.
| Express Lane | FasTrak Flex | FasTrak CAV (Clean Air Vehicle) |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hours: 5 am-8 pm Monday – Friday |
Solo Driver | 2 People | 3+ People | Solo Driver | 2 People | 3+ People |
| I-580 | Full Toll | FREE | FREE | Half-Price Toll | FREE | FREE |
| SR-237 | Full Toll | Half-Price Toll | FREE | Half-Price Toll | Half-Price Toll | FREE |
| I-680 Sunol | Full Toll | FREE | FREE | Half-Price Toll | FREE | FREE |
| I-680 Contra Costa | Full Toll | FREE | FREE | Half-Price Toll | FREE | FREE |
| I-880 | Full Toll | Half-Price Toll | FREE | Half-Price Toll | Half-Price Toll | FREE |
| 101 San Mateo | Full Toll | Half-Price Toll | FREE | Half-Price Toll | Half-Price Toll | FREE |
| 101/SR-85 Santa Clara | Full Toll | Half-Price Toll | FREE | Half-Price Toll | Half-Price Toll | FREE |
All Bay Area Express Lanes operate from 5:00 am to 8:00 pm, Monday through Friday. They are toll free and open to all drivers at night and on weekends.
Find Others to Carpool With
You can find a driver or passenger(s) to carpool with by registering with Merge, a free ride-matching service managed by 511. You will be matched with others along your route, can agree on days to carpool and can keep that same carpool partner as long as you like. There are no built-in charges to register or use the service.
511’s Bay Area Carpool Program resources includes a list of other apps and services that can assist with carpooling in the Bay Area.
Vanpools
Qualifying vanpools with 11-15 passengers that are registered with the Bay Area Vanpool Program can cross bridges toll free at any time using designated carpool lanes and a FasTrak Flex toll tag set to 3+. Vehicles will be charged an axle-based toll unless the driver uses the FasTrak Flex toll tag.
Vanpools can also travel in Bay Area Express Lanes for free using a FasTrak Flex toll tag set to 3+.
For more information on how to qualify, visit the Bay Area Vanpool Program or call 511, and say "Vanpool" to speak with a vanpool consultant. You can also become part of a vanpool through Merge.
Learn more about toll locations and requirements for Bay Area bridges and express lanes.