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If you operate a business with commercial vehicles that cross any of the Bay Area’s eight toll bridges, opening a FasTrak® account can provide a convenient way for you to manage your company’s toll transactions.
All Bay Area toll bridges are equipped with an electronic toll collection (ETC) system called “FasTrak®”, which allows you to pre-pay your company’s bridge tolls – eliminating the need for your drivers to stop at the toll plaza. The system has three components: a toll tag, which is placed in or on your vehicles; an overhead antenna in the toll plaza, which reads the toll tag and automatically deducts the appropriate toll from your pre-paid toll account; and video cameras to identify toll evaders. With FasTrak®, your drivers can take advantage of the dedicated FasTrak®-only lanes at the bridges, as well as the added benefit of non-stop bridge crossings.
As a FasTrak® account holder, you will be able to conveniently manage your FasTrak® account online. You can:
Check your account balance anytime;
Update account information, including address, credit card expiration date, credit card number, and vehicle information;
Reconcile your account daily, weekly, monthly or quarterly;
Add a secondary (back-up) credit card on your account for replenishments;
Make a one-time payment; and
Have your account statements delivered electronically to your company’s email address, which can be exported into a spreadsheet for sorting your transactions by transaction date and time, bridge location, toll tag number, or posting date.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are several ways to sign up for a FasTrak® Business Account:
Apply online
Important notes when completing the online application:
You must open the account with a company credit card.
You must select “Business” as your Account Type.
You must provide both a Contact Name and a Business Name.
You must not have more than 25 vehicles in your fleet.
If you have more than 25 vehicles and/or you are opening your account with a check, you must enroll by mail (see below).
You must list the license plate numbers of all trailers owned or leased on a long-term basis. (Select “Trailer” as the Make of the vehicle.)
Apply by mail
To apply by mail:
Complete the enclosed application form (select “Business” as your Account Type).
To list additional vehicles, complete the enclosed Vehicle List form. (You may make copies of this form, if you have a large number of vehicles.)
Mail the completed application form, Vehicle List, and/or check (if applicable) to our Customer Service Center.
Q: What exactly is a toll tag?
A: A toll tag is a small battery-powered device, programmed with specific customer account information, which is read by an antenna mounted above the toll plaza. There are two different types of toll tags: 1) Internal toll tags are mounted to the inside windshield using Velcro strips; and 2) External toll tags are installed on a vehicle’s front license plate using special tools and tamper-resistant screws to prevent loss or theft.
Q: What are the advantages of using FasTrak®?
A: 1) You don’t need to have cash on hand; 2) You don’t have to stop at the toll booth, you only need to slow down; and 3) Your drivers will likely be able to travel across the bridges faster, since neither they nor any of the vehicles in front of them have to stop to pay the toll. A FasTrak™-only lane can process almost three times as many vehicles per hour as a lane in which tolls are collected manually.
Q: Is there a charge for the toll tag or for opening a FasTrak® account?
A: There is no charge for the toll tag and no service charge to open and maintain a FasTrak® account. To authorize automatic replenishments, establish an account using a credit card, which will require an initial prepaid balance of $25 per toll tag, plus a $20 per toll tag deposit for any toll tags over three. To establish a check-replenishment account, an initial prepaid balance of $50 per toll tag, plus a $20 per toll tag deposit, is due at the time the account is opened.
Q: Can I be billed monthly?
A: No. FasTrak does not send out monthly invoices. FasTrak® is a prepaid toll collection system by which all toll usage is paid in advance.
Q: Do I need to be bonded for FasTrak?
A: No.
Q: Do my drivers still need to stop in the toll lanes?
A: No, but they do need to slow to the posted speed limit for safety reasons and to allow the toll tag to be read.
Q: Are there specific lanes my drivers must use?
A: All toll booths on all eight bridges in the Bay Area accept FasTrak®. All of the seven state-owned bridges have at least one FasTrak®-only lane in operation. The Golden Gate Bridge has up to four FasTrak®-only lanes in operation at a time. For locations of FasTrak®-only lanes, go to the Bridges and Toll Facilities Section at www.bayareafastrak.org. Note that oversized vehicles must use specific lanes designated for oversized vehicles only.
Q: How do I know when to replenish my account and by what amount?
A: FasTrak® will perform an evaluation after 35 days of usage, and then again after every 90 days of usage to establish your replenishment amount and your replenishment threshold. Based on this evaluation, your replenishment amount is equal to 45 days of toll usage and your replenishment threshold is equal to half of your replenishment amount. For credit card accounts, once your account reaches its threshold, FasTrak® will automatically replenish your account for the average 45-day usage. For check accounts, you will need to check your balance online and replenish your account as needed if a “Low Balance” message is displayed at the lanes.
Q: Do I have to have a toll tag for each vehicle in my fleet?
A: All vehicles using FasTrak® as a form of toll payment must have a toll tag on board. It is recommended that each vehicle traveling across any Bay Area bridge on a regular basis be equipped with its own toll tag. However, since internal toll tags are mounted using only Velcro strips, they can be moved from vehicle to vehicle to better accommodate the vehicles in your fleet that only travel across bridges occasionally.
Q: What happens if a toll tag is lost or stolen?
A: If a toll tag is lost or stolen, you must report it immediately to the Customer Service Center either by logging into your FasTrak® account online at www.bayareafastrak.org or by calling 1-877-229-8655 (BAY-TOLL). Your toll tag deposit will be forfeited and your account will be charged a $20.00 fee.
Q: How can I monitor my account balance?
A: You can monitor your account by logging into your FasTrak® account on the web. You will see your toll tag toll usage posted within 24 hours of your driver’s bridge crossing. You may choose to receive monthly statements via email, which can be copied into a spreadsheet and sorted to suit your business needs. You may also use our convenient toll-free phone system to get account balance and payment information.
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