SF Bay Area: HOV lane sticker/Bay Bridge question

[dichter]

Hi all,

Received the Calif. HOV lane stickers about 1.5 week ago, today is the first time I used the stickers to get into San Francisco (HWY 80 West) from East Bay side around rush 7 am in the morning.

If you are a Bay Area resident, you should know what I am talking about here... the HOV lane/over pass (West bound) is separate from the rest of the toll booths. Since I am using the HOV lane (solo driving with the sticker ) does that mean I don't have to pay for the Bay Bridge toll?! Some how that doesn't seems right to me...

I *think* after the HOV lane over pass, I should merge into the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza and pay for the bridge toll... Is that the case?

[mjw]

Originally posted by dichter@Dec 27 2005, 01:37 PM
Hi all,

Received the Calif. HOV lane stickers about 1.5 week ago, today is the first time I used the stickers to get into San Francisco (HWY 80 West) from East Bay side around rush 7 am in the morning.

If you are a Bay Area resident, you should know what I am talking about here... the HOV lane/over pass (West bound) is separate from the rest of the toll booths. Since I am using the HOV lane (solo driving with the sticker ) does that mean I don't have to pay for the Bay Bridge toll?! Some how that doesn't seems right to me... 

I *think* after the HOV lane over pass, I should merge into the Bay Bridge Toll Plaza and pay for the bridge toll... Is that the case?

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You shouldn't have been able to get the stickers in the Bay Area without first getting a hybrid Fastrak transponder, which charges you for each trip across the bridge. I assume they have sensors in the road for the lanes that bypass all of the tollbooths.

[dichter]

Originally posted by mjw@Dec 27 2005, 05:44 PM
You shouldn't have been able to get the stickers in the Bay Area without first getting a hybrid Fastrak transponder, which charges you for each trip across the bridge.  I assume they have sensors in the road for the lanes that bypass all of the tollbooths.

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Arrr.... I have 2 transponders. 1 for my Prius (with the green sticker which I picked up from the DT San Francisco Fastrak Office) and 1 for my Saab.

The Fastrak sensors work at a very close range, and they are nowhere near the HOV lane. If the sensors are there, I would hear a "beep".

I am pretty sure if I cross the Bay Bridge using the HOV lane I am not being charged. My question is, is it ok to do so?

[pfile]

Originally posted by dichter@Dec 27 2005, 08:14 PM
Arrr.... I have 2 transponders. 1 for my Prius (with the green sticker which I picked up from the DT San Francisco Fastrak Office) and 1 for my Saab.

The Fastrak sensors work at a very close range, and they are nowhere near the HOV lane. If the sensors are there, I would hear a "beep".

I am pretty sure if I cross the Bay Bridge using the HOV lane I am not being charged. My question is, is it ok to do so?

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i hate to be a jerk, but didnt you *read* any of the documentation at 511.org, or any of the stuff fastrak gave you?

FAQ #1: Why does the new law require that hybrid vehicle owners residing in the bay area open a FasTrak account?

Single-occupancy hybrid vehicles using designated carpool-only lanes in the Bay Area must still pay for tolls if crossing one of the eight toll bridges. The FasTrak requirement is written into the law so that single-occupant hybrids approaching a bridge can stay in the designated carpool-only lane and drive non-stop through the toll plaza without having to slow down to merge out of the carpool lane and into a regular toll lane to pay tolls.

why do you think they make you establish a fastrak account if they are not going to charge you? if it is not beeping, then there is probably something wrong with your transponder. they take pictures of your car and your license plates when you go through the carpool lane without the transponder. if you don't have an actual carpool in your car, they will charge your account even if your transponder didnt beep.

[ScubaX]

Originally posted by pfile@Dec 28 2005, 12:07 AM
i hate to be a jerk, but didnt you *read* any of the documentation at 511.org, or any of the stuff fastrak gave you?

FAQ #1: Why does the new law require that hybrid vehicle owners residing in the bay area open a FasTrak account?

Single-occupancy hybrid vehicles using designated carpool-only lanes in the Bay Area must still pay for tolls if crossing one of the eight toll bridges. The FasTrak requirement is written into the law so that single-occupant hybrids approaching a bridge can stay in the designated carpool-only lane and drive non-stop through the toll plaza without having to slow down to merge out of the carpool lane and into a regular toll lane to pay tolls.

why do you think they make you establish a fastrak account if they are not going to charge you? if it is not beeping, then there is probably something wrong with your transponder. they take pictures of your car and your license plates when you go through the carpool lane without the transponder. if you don't have an actual carpool in your car, they will charge your account even if your transponder didnt beep.

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And what if your not from one of the Bay Area Counties that made you get the fastrack? I am from Monterey and Commute to Palo Alto. I only occasionally use the bridge and even then it is usually not during the diamond commute hours. So what about those coming into the Bay and using the bridge during commute hours?

[pfile]

Originally posted by ScubaX@Dec 28 2005, 12:50 AM
And what if your not from one of the Bay Area Counties that made you get the fastrack? I am from Monterey and Commute to Palo Alto. I only occasionally use the bridge and even then it is usually not during the diamond commute hours. So what about those coming into the Bay and using the bridge during commute hours?

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i cant find anything about that in the FAQ they gave me. i can only assume that if you dont have the transponder, then you must act like a normal car. i.e. if you have 2/3 people in the car, go ahead and use the carpool lane, otherwise pay toll at a manual lane like everyone else... as their own FAQ says, this is a serious hassle if you are approaching the toll plaza in a dedicated carpool flyover/lane.

i dont think there's anything stopping you from just getting a hybrid fastrak transponder, but it will cost you $40. supposedly they refund you $10 after the account is established but i havent checked this yet.

[ceric]

http://www.bayareafastrak.org/static/facil...F-Oak-final.pdf

dichter,
I think you should have taken the lower (left hand side if going toward SF) HOV lanes, not the upper (righ hand-side ones). See the map above. The lower ones go thru toll plaza. I am just guessing here because I rarely take BayBridge. All the 8 bay area bridges are very confusing to me. I try to avoid it at all cost (taking BART, etc.)

[dichter]

Originally posted by ceric@Dec 28 2005, 01:50 AM
http://www.bayareafastrak.org/static/facil...F-Oak-final.pdf

dichter,
I think you should have taken the lower (left hand side if going toward SF) HOV lanes, not the upper (righ hand-side ones). See the map above. The lower ones go thru toll plaza. I am just guessing here because I rarely take BayBridge. All the 8 bay area bridges are very confusing to me. I try to avoid it at all cost (taking BART, etc.)

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@ceric: Hummm seems like I have to cross 8 lanes to to the lower right hand side? But thanks for the pdf link.

@pfile: no you are not being a jerk.

[pfile]

Originally posted by dichter@Dec 28 2005, 07:17 PM
@ceric: Hummm seems like I have to cross 8 lanes to to the lower right hand side? But thanks for the pdf link.

@pfile: no you are not being a jerk.

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thanks

anyway i picked up my 2006 black HK today, so maybe i'll try going to SF tomorrow to see what happens. who knows, maybe they havent actually started charging hybrids, but i'd be very surprised if that were the case.

[wjlee]

Originally posted by pfile@Dec 28 2005, 09:12 PM
thanks

anyway i picked up my 2006 black HK today, so maybe i'll try going to SF tomorrow to see what happens. who knows, maybe they havent actually started charging hybrids, but i'd be very surprised if that were the case.

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If you do not have enough occupants to qualify as a carpool vehicle and you are using the carpool lanes during carpool hours, you will still need to pay a toll. Having the clean air sticker allows you to use the carpool lanes during carpool hours but does not eliminate the need to pay toll. The transponder for the hybrids is a special transponder that will deduct toll when you pass through the toll both in the carpool lane during carpool hours (a regular transponder will still beep when you pass through the carpool lane but you are not charged toll). If you have enough occupants to qualify as a carpool vehicle, you will need to put your transponder into the Mylar bag that was provided when you received your transponder. Otherwise you be charged toll.