Call Kurtis: Confusion Over Carpool
For decades, you could take the carpool lane on Bay Area bridges for free during commuter hours, as long as you had three passengers. But that all changed over the summer. Drivers say the signs are confusing.
Millions of people drive across Bay Area bridges every day but for Mike Scott of Sacramento, it only happens a few times a year.
"We took the carpool and flew through and everything was wonderful," says Mike.
Right in the middle of carpool hours, Mike and his family used the carpool lane on the Bay Bridge in July. It's always been free. A week later, he got a ticket in the mail.
"And boy was I surprised," says Mike.
Because Mike got a ticket... $25 for not paying the toll, Mike disputed it, saying he didn't see signs about a toll for carpool lanes.
"I looked for them and all I could find was a little fast pass logo on one of the signs. But I kept on looking for some other indication and I couldn't find anything anywhere," says Mike.
Since July 1st, carpool lanes are no longer free on any of the seven Bay Area bridges overseen by the Bay Area Toll Authority. Now it's a discounted toll of $2.50 and you must have FasTrak.
"I certainly would've paid the toll if I had known," says Mike.
The Toll Authority admitted to me there was confusion after the switch, especially for those living outside the Bay Area. In fact, after the new rule went into effect July, carpool tickets spiked 13.5%... amounting to 79,611 tickets.
The Toll Authority says first time violators can get their penalty waived if they open a FasTrak account online.
Mike got his ticket waived. But he wanted to warn other carpoolers who think they'll get a free ride on the Bay Bridge.
"Thank you very much for bringing it to the people's attention. I think that's great," says Mike.
The Bay Area Toll Authority tells us before the new carpool rule, they informed drivers with a big media campaign on TV, radio and newspapers and posted signs at toll booths and freeways. It's also on the front page of their web site.
But since July, they say they have not added any new signs and feel most drivers already know about the change.
Bay Area Toll Authority Statement
FasTrak account needs a $20 for toll tag deposit. You can get tags at Costco and Safeway and on-line at http://www.bayareafastrak.org/
If you select the credit card option, your account will be charged an initial prepaid balance of $25 per Toll Tag. In addition, you authorize BATA to replenish your account by charging a minimum of $25 or the higher average monthly usage to your credit card each time your toll account balance falls below your replenishment threshold (initially $15).
If you are a first-time toll violator, and you are not currently a FasTrak customer, you can have your violation penalty of $25 is dismissed by opening a new FasTrak account.
As far as public info. We had lots of TV, radio, newspapers as charging carpools was a big deal.
Prior to July 2010, we handed out materials at casual car pool locations, did press releases, toll booth posters, toll collectors handed out materials, we used portable message signs on the side of the freeway, e-mail blasts, notices are the big Caltrans highway over lane signs, huge banners at the toll plazas, etc., etc.
All carpool lane violators got a special mailing insert informing them to sign-up for FasTrak.
Response To Whether Bay Area Toll Authority Added More Signs Since Last Summer:
Since July 2010. No.
In June and July 2010 there were signs everywhere and they stayed there for weeks afterward. That we imposed tolls on the carpool lanes was noticed on roadway signs, Caltrans overhead highways signs, at the toll plaza's, with hand-outs at the cash toll booths, signs on the toll booths, websites, news releases, public hearings, we had our people visiting casual carpool locations with 'take-ones', we did paid advertising, news stories in the papers, TV, radio, etc. for many weeks - often the lead story took place before the change with endless follow up stories in the weeks and months that followed.
We do so much outreach on bridge matters that we get criticized for overdoing it !!
I get people are busy living their lives and cannot see or hear every message we put out there. I get that folks from out to town may have missed it. However, just because tolls on carpool lanes are a new thing to some people does not make it new.
The bridge toll plaza's and approaches leading up the bridges are full of large signs each and everyday. Go take a camera out there. How a person can miss it and still claim to be paying attention is a tough one for me to accept. If the consumer gripe is that our toll bridge signage needs improvement, report on what the shortfall is and we will look into fixing it.
Do us and the public a service by making it clear if you go thru a Carpool lane without a FasTrak device you are a toll violator and you have to pay the toll and a fine.
At some point you're consumer just has to accept that they made a mistake. It happens all the time. We waive the fine if a customer gets Fastrak so we don't have to deal with the high costs of people making mistakes. It is that simple. It is not a bad deal. If you don't want to get FasTrak, that is OK with us. Pay the fine.
By the way, the fine is a pittance of what it costs us to collect for toll violators but hopefully enough to create an incentive for people not to violate as it is expensive for everyone else who plays by the rules.
Most important, we have to enforce the rules for everyone so the system is fair.
Bottom line from where we sit. I get people make mistakes, no doubt we make our fair share dealing with millions of toll crossings each year. But driving through the toll bridge toll plaza without paying is not our fault and not knowing the rules of the road is not accepted anywhere in any court period.
Randy Rentschler, Director
Legislation and Public Affairs
Metropolitan Transportation Commission/
Bay Area Toll Authority
