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FAST Trak lanes and motorcycles

Xenophonii

Xenophonii

RIP Bunny
Joined
Jun 5, 2002
Location
Pet-a-Llama
Moto(s)
SV650S
Ok, so I have now received 2 violations in the mail. Both for using the FAST Trak lanes during commute hours while RIDING A MOTORCYCLE.

WHAT THE FUCK?!?!?

That's $110 I really shouldn't be paying since motorcycles don't pay toll during commute hours.

I call GGB useless phoneline and the guy says it dosen't apply to FAST Trak lanes. Oh, really? Where is that marked on the toll lanes?

This one's gonna be a fight...
 
I've talked to the toll takers on the GGB and they state that motorcycles are not allowed in the fastrack lane-FYI.
 
I didn't see any signs. I saw fine $$ signs. Toll takers also don't volunteer that information. I'm not buying it. It's another bullshit money making scheme..
 
GG Bridge Motorcycles facts

MCs are allowed to use FasTrak passes:

"Can I use FasTrak™ with my motorcycle?"
"Motorcycles can use FasTrak™ to pay tolls by mounting their transponder in a secure location (e.g., placed in front pocket, cycle net, or glove box)."

Source: http://www.511.org/fastrak/faq.asp

I use FasTrak and the HOV lane all the time; I never receive violation notices in the mail. I carry the FasTrak pass either in my jacket or in a bag when I'm crossing a bridge during not-commute hours. It almost always triggers. Otherwise, I leave it at home and go through the HOV lane.

I originally applied for the pass and assigned it to my car. Once I got a bike, I wrote FasTrak/Caltrans a letter stating that I wanted my MC license plate added to the account (yes, I specifically said "motorcycle" in the letter; they never objected).
 
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Yeah the site conflicts a bit - go through with fasttrak when carpooling or mc and you pay a toll..

My problem lays with this information not being clear - website isn't enough. Tough to get to the web when you're riding >(


I hate to say it but SF is not friendly anymore... between nightime venue hassles, ticket fines going though the roof, the $5 entrance fee, etc. it's going to the dogs for non-residents.. I used to make lots of shopping trips to SF in the past years, this year, I've made 3 real trips - i.e. ones where I actually spend over $20 there..

I guess besides my last 2 :mad :laughing
 
Somebody else made this rather simple suggestion in another thread a while ago:

Call up the FasTrack offices and give them you motorcycle's license plate number in association with your account. Now, leave the transponder at home, in your car, whatever. During non-carpool hours, ride through the FasTrack lanes and they'll snap a nice little picture of your plate and bill your account just the same as if you had the transponder with you. During carpool hours, unfortunately, it seems a human being has to acknowledge that you qualify for "carpool" toll ($0), and push a the little carpool button so that we don't get nailed for toll evasion. Actual cars that qualify for carpool still have to drive through the non-FasTrack lanes if they want to get free toll, so why shouldn't we have to as well?

Now, that said, you'd think someone at the GGB with half a brain would look at the picture of you with timestamp and realize, "duh, this guy's on a motorcycle - he doesn't need to pay a toll. Next." I'd write to them to contest the fine. I did this a few months ago because I neglected to give them my license plate # and the toll plaza sensors didn't pick up my transponder. I sent a short letter explaining that I was trying to find a reliable place to carry the transponder, along with my account details. I haven't heard back since, so I'm assuming they just billed the toll to my account.
 
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I had a friend get the same ticket. He wrote back that it wasn't fair to charge him 11x the cost of the toll, so I am only going to pay you the $5. Here is the check.

Later he call them, and his "ticket" was cleared.
 
I borrowed a fast track from a buddy in Marin while house sitting. I went across the brigde with the fast track in my pocket and a couple weeks later got a ticket. They just asked me to pay the $3 bucks (It was awhile ago) as I wasn't on record of blowing hte tolls before. Never inquired if it was because they didn't have the proper vehicle for the transponder or if being in the jacket it didn't pick it up as I went through.

Do they verify the transponder with the plate every time? Or was it just in my jacket and since it didn't register, it photo'd my plate and then sent a ticket?
 
If your going to post a link supporting your point make sure you read it in its entirety. Please note:

2. Second, do not use FasTrak dedicated lanes during commute hours. If you use a dedicated (FasTrak only) lane during commute hours and do not remove your tag, your account will be charged a toll. If you use a dedicated lane during commute hours and your tag has been removed, the equipment will classify you as a violator. Therefore, you must use STAFFED toll lanes only during commute hours. Stop at the toll booth window so that the toll collector can register you as a motorcycle with free toll passage. Wait for the word "carpool" on the driver feed back screen before proceeding. The Golden Gate Bridge FasTrak system can not recognize you as a motorcycle if you use the "FasTrak Only" toll lanes during the free commute hours and will therefore automatically charge you the appropriate toll. To be classified as motorcycle and receive free toll passage, you must stop in a staffed lane so the collector can classify your vehicle as a motorcycle.

Don't use the FasTrak lanes. However, I would fight the 110$ in fines. I bet you can manage to get them pardoned.
 
I very much doubt that they check every transponder/plate combo, as that would be a monumental waste of time, but I do know that you can take one transponder from car to car to bike, etc., without a problem. I've done it many times.
 
Good work Johnny :thumbup

I was riding pillion one time and we came up to a fastrak lane, it was on the far right and we had thought it was the carpool lane. I think this was the Richmond bridge. We stop, and the toll taker makes us GO AROUND to the *center* lane, which was the carpool lane!!! If it was me I woulda just paid the toll bc I wouldn't have been able to back up.

But still that sucks!! Fight those fines!!
 
You either go through the fast pass lane with the fast pass, or you go through the toll lane to get the carpool exemption.
 
iamic said:
Now, leave the transponder at home, in your car, whatever. During non-carpool hours, ride through the FasTrack lanes and they'll snap a nice little picture of your plate and bill your account just the same as if you had the transponder with you...
Click to expand...

Mike, I just read an official communication from them... Apparently, the policy is changing. If you do it enough times, meaning to rely on the picture process for your billing, they will start charging "administrative fees" to pay for the photo and some guy looking at these pics all day.
 
What about when I use my GGB FasTrack on other bridges, such as the Richmond Bridge and the Bay Bridge? They say I can use it for any toll in California, but I know for a fact that when I drive through the Richmond Bridge FasTrack lane, it does not actually register my transponder - it does detect that I have one, but does not bill it directly. Instead, they use the picture. I know this from looking at my FasTrack bills, which categorizes by bridge and shows how the toll was billed (transponder # or photo). Obviously I'm just doing what they told me I can do - if they start charging me BS administrative fees, I'm gonna be pissed.
 
Mike, I have the non-GG fastrak, so the admin. thing maybe different... There were quite a few non-registering entries (billed via pics) for last month on San Rafael bridge. The letter I received said something to the effect of either properly position the transponder, exchange the non-functioning transponder, or start paying for "admin. fees".
 
ecruz said:
I had a friend get the same ticket. He wrote back that it wasn't fair to charge him 11x the cost of the toll, so I am only going to pay you the $5. Here is the check.

Later he call them, and his "ticket" was cleared.
Click to expand...

That's what I was looking for! :cool

Thanks!
 
NoGall said:
start paying for "admin. fees".
Click to expand...

See, that's BS. Now a non-city service admin fee is tacked onto a ticket? BS. Oh and what is bridge toll for? Are you responsible for their shitty admin plan, upper management salaries, etc.? No, you're not. It's like getting billed for emergency services or "registration" fees, plate fees, doc fees, fee fees, etc. All BS. Why the fuck are you paying taxes if not for that crap?

That's my rant. You know, after all of the extra fees, taxes and licensing crap tacked on, we end up paying quite a hefty sum. Not much less or more than those "high" tax countries where everything is payed up front.
 
tanstaafl26 said:
I borrowed a fast track from a buddy in Marin while house sitting. I went across the brigde with the fast track in my pocket and a couple weeks later got a ticket. They just asked me to pay the $3 bucks (It was awhile ago) as I wasn't on record of blowing hte tolls before. Never inquired if it was because they didn't have the proper vehicle for the transponder or if being in the jacket it didn't pick it up as I went through.

Do they verify the transponder with the plate every time? Or was it just in my jacket and since it didn't register, it photo'd my plate and then sent a ticket?
Click to expand...

You probably got the ticket because the transponder wasn't detected and they couldn't find your plate in the database.
 
yameersixer said:
I've talked to the toll takers on the GGB and they state that motorcycles are not allowed in the fastrack lane-FYI.
Click to expand...

Unless you have fasttrac..........uh doh....guess I should have read the wqhole thread before I posted.......:barf
 
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