Express Lanes 101: Everything You Need to Know
Video Library
- Bay Area Express Lanes Explained here
- Learn why you need a FasTrak Flex Toll Tag
- Watch this video to learn how much the Bay Area Express Lanes Cost
- NBC Bay Area News explains how Express Lanes work
Get FasTrak to use the Bay Area Express Lanes!
ALL drivers must have FasTrak. Carpools must have FasTrak Flex and eligible Clean Air Vehicles need FasTrak CAV toll tags.
Before you start driving set your toll tag to the number of people in the car. Carpools and eligible Clean Air Vehicles get free or discounted tolls.
What You Need To Know
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How Each Express Lane Works
A few rules are lane-specific. Click to learn how to drive in each lane.
Find Your Lane: 580, 680 Contra Costa, 680 Sunol, 880, 101, 237.
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Free and Discounted Tolls
See this at-a-glance view of each lane's toll discounts. Carpools and eligible Clean Air Vehicles get free or discounted tolls.
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Understanding Tolls
The price to use the lane goes up or down every few minutes depending on traffic. This PDF explains how to read express lane pricing signs.
View this video about understanding tolls on the I-880 express lanes. Tolls work similarly on all the Bay Area Express Lanes.
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Getting In/Out
Bay Area Express Lanes have sections where access into or out of the lane is restricted (separated with double white lines) and sections where it is unrestricted (separated with a dashed white line).
Learn more about "Restricted Access," "Mostly Open Access," and "Open Access" (PDF)
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Enforcement
The California Highway Patrol (CHP) performs enforcement for all Bay Area Express Lanes. CHP enforces all laws within the California Vehicle Code while patrolling Bay Area Express Lanes, including:
- Carpool occupancy requirements
- Clean air vehicle requirements
- Proper mounting of valid license plates
- Illegal lane and buffer crossing
- Proper mounting of a valid FasTrak® toll tag
- Proper switch position setting on a FasTrak Flex® toll tag
License plate cameras identify vehicles in the express lane without a valid FasTrak® toll tag. The registered vehicle owner receives a violation notice for the toll amount plus a $10 penalty. If unpaid, a second notice is sent and an additional $20 penalty is assessed.
