FasTrak was implemented on the San Mateo-Hayward bridge at five in the morning yesterday, but FasTrak commuters will have to share with cash and ticket-users until the program gets its own lane in February.
"We have over 50,000 people signed up bay-wide, but the amount of commuters signed up today was disappointing," said Caltrans Spokesperson Jeff Weiss. "There is a lot of marketing work to be done in the South Bay."
Weiss added the best way to market FasTrak is for people to see an empty lane which would entice them to participate in the program.
Users of FasTrak have a credit line of 40 dollars, and as drivers pass through the designated lane a transponder -- about the size of a deck of cards, placed between the dashboard and windshield -- is read by an antenna that automatically deducts $1.85 until the account dips below $10. The difference is subsequently billed in perpetuity. Weiss says FasTrak will save riders time by not having to fumble for change, and participants will be able to cruise artfully through the booth at 25 miles-per-hour and never look back.
"It will save gas and reduce air pollution too," Weiss said. "We have 96,000 people crossing the bridge a day, within a month, barring any unforeseen problems on other bridges we'll have single FasTrak lane on every bridge by 2001," he added.
Last night several lanes were closed at night as electricians installed the system which only took a few hours. The Antioch Bridge, the last bridge in the Bay Area to have FasTrak, will begin to offer the service Saturday.
To participate in the FasTrak program, call FasTrak at (888) 725-TRAK or visit their website at www.dot.ca.gov/fastrak. Toll booth operators also have information pamphlets about the program.
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