How does Fastrak know to charge me a lower toll?

It's a simple question. The website says that a person who uses fastrak can get the discounted toll if you have the clean air stickers. Good and well, but there isn't some camera catching the clean air sticker to give you the discounted toll charge. So, how does fastrak know how to charge you for the lower toll?

Do we know definitively that the fastrak is connected to the clean air stickers database?

sphinx said:

It's a simple question. The website says that a person who uses fastrak can get the discounted toll if you have the clean air stickers. Good and well, but there isn't some camera catching the clean air sticker to give you the discounted toll charge. So, how does fastrak know how to charge you for the lower toll?

Do we know definitively that the fastrak is connected to the clean air stickers database?

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I don't think they do this anymore but you can call them and cite the info you say. I'm curious.

I should have qualified that this is for where I've encounted it (Bay Area):

It's determined by proximity of the fast-trak transponder to the receiver. Carpool has a separate lane, which the sticker entitles you to use. Anyone using the carpool lane is charged at the lower rate.

….edited for specificity

I thought it had been discontinued as well, but then I met someone who told me the "trick". They only charge half price if you drive through a Carpool Fastrak lane. Doh! (Carpoolers always pay half price, as Nubo just said.) No cameras involved, and no changes to Fastrak needed. Note of course that you do need to have the stickers -- just being an EV is not enough.

If you are refering to the 110/105/10 lanes in so cal you still need a transponder, you just set it to 3 passengers.

It depends where you are in the state and whose transponder you are using.

As mentioned already, for users of LA Metro's Express Lanes, you must have a Metro FasTrak and have it set to 3+ passengers. If you use one from another FasTrak agency, or the switch of the Metro unit is set to other than 3, you will be billed as a solo driver (or as a 2 person carpool if the Metro switch is set to that).

91 Express Lanes customers get a discount for EVs, but you have to sign up for a Special Access account.

Bay Area bridges give carpoolers and solo EV drivers a discounted toll during peak hours but you must drive in the correct lane at the toll plaza, which is FasTrak-only. I believe you can use any FasTrak for this but I am not sure.

RonDawg said:

It depends where you are in the state and whose transponder you are using.

As mentioned already, for users of LA Metro's Express Lanes, you must have a Metro FasTrak and have it set to 3+ passengers. If you use one from another FasTrak agency, or the switch of the Metro unit is set to other than 3, you will be billed as a solo driver (or as a 2 person carpool if the Metro switch is set to that).

91 Express Lanes customers get a discount for EVs, but you have to sign up for a Special Access account.

Bay Area bridges give carpoolers and solo EV drivers a discounted toll during peak hours but you must drive in the correct lane at the toll plaza, which is FasTrak-only. I believe you can use any FasTrak for this but I am not sure.

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How would they know a discounted user unless it is coded in the account. As far as I know there are no Bay Area discounts.

EVDRIVER said:

RonDawg said:

Bay Area bridges give carpoolers and solo EV drivers a discounted toll during peak hours but you must drive in the correct lane at the toll plaza, which is FasTrak-only. I believe you can use any FasTrak for this but I am not sure.

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How would they know a discounted user unless it is coded in the account. As far as I know there are no Bay Area discounts.

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For the Bay Area bridges you have to drive in the HOV lane at the toll plaza, which at certain times of day charges a discounted rate over the non-HOV lanes. This lane is supposed to be monitored by CHP for compliance.

For Metro Express lanes, you have to set your transponder to 3+ people in the car.

RonDawg said:

EVDRIVER said:

RonDawg said:

Bay Area bridges give carpoolers and solo EV drivers a discounted toll during peak hours but you must drive in the correct lane at the toll plaza, which is FasTrak-only. I believe you can use any FasTrak for this but I am not sure.

Click to expand...

How would they know a discounted user unless it is coded in the account. As far as I know there are no Bay Area discounts.

Click to expand...

For the Bay Area bridges you have to drive in the HOV lane at the toll plaza, which at certain times of day charges a discounted rate over the non-HOV lanes. This lane is supposed to be monitored by CHP for compliance.

For Metro Express lanes, you have to set your transponder to 3+ people in the car.

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Too bad there are no HOV lanes at the GG bridge :roll:

EVDRIVER said:

Too bad there are no HOV lanes at the GG bridge :roll:

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You get the discounted GG toll if you have a fasTrack, white stickers, and drive through the toll lane designated "carpool" during applicable hours.

edatoakrun said:

EVDRIVER said:

Too bad there are no HOV lanes at the GG bridge :roll:

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You get the discounted GG toll if you have a fasTrack, white stickers, and drive through the toll lane designated "carpool" during applicable hours.

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And ONLY white stickers. Unlike the other Bay crossings, the GGB (which is not run by Caltrans, but another agency known as the Golden Gate Bridge District) does not extend carpool discounts to solo-occupied PHEVs.

http://goldengatebridge.org/tolls_traffic/toll_rates.php#carpool" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Complicated to live in California :?

RonDawg said:

edatoakrun said:

EVDRIVER said:

Too bad there are no HOV lanes at the GG bridge :roll:

Click to expand...

You get the discounted GG toll if you have a fasTrack, white stickers, and drive through the toll lane designated "carpool" during applicable hours.

Click to expand...

And ONLY white stickers. Unlike the other Bay crossings, the GGB (which is not run by Caltrans, but another agency known as the Golden Gate Bridge District) does not extend carpool discounts to solo-occupied PHEVs.

http://goldengatebridge.org/tolls_traffic/toll_rates.php#carpool" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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I had an interesting call with DMV. They said that if you have out of state tags that are the white tag equivalent, you can use HOV lanes. My view on that is YMMV.

I did go through Fastrak the other day but went through the non-carpool lane. Was charged standard prices. That was my first time though.

sphinx said:

I had an interesting call with DMV. They said that if you have out of state tags that are the white tag equivalent, you can use HOV lanes. My view on that is YMMV.

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Yeah if you get an unsympathetic CHiPie, you're looking at a $400+ fine. California Vehicle Code section 21655.9 (b) makes it clear that unless you meet the occupancy requirements, you have to have a decal or other identifier on your car to use the HOV lanes:

"A person shall not drive a vehicle described in subdivision (a) of Section 5205.5 with a single occupant upon a high-occupancy vehicle lane pursuant to this section unless the decal, label, or other identifier issued pursuant to Section 5205.5 is properly displayed on the vehicle, and the vehicle registration described in Section 5205.5 is with the vehicle."

Further, section 5205 (e)(1) says that decals that are mentioned in this section are to be designed in collaboration by the CHP, DMV, and Department of Transportation (Caltrans). A CHP officer could use that section to justify issuing a citation to an out-of-state vehicle that does not meet the lane's occupancy requirements, even if that car would be OK in its home state.

I did go through Fastrak the other day but went through the non-carpool lane. Was charged standard prices. That was my first time though.

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If you're talking about the Bay Bridges, the discount only applies at specific times: 5-9 AM and 4-6 PM for the GGB, and 5-10 AM and 3-7 PM for the other bridges, Mon-Fri except certain holidays.

Weirdly, this pricing scheme is actually encouraging EVers and carpoolers to commute during peak hours, rather than the other way around which is what normally happens. For example, on the 91 Express Lanes, 3+ carpoolers normally ride for free, but they only get a 50% discount when driving eastbound Mon-Fri 4-6 PM. In the case of Metro HOT lanes, you need 3+ or a qualifying EV/PHEV to ride free during peak commute hours, otherwise you only need 2+.