BY BRADEN CARTWRIGHT
Daily Post Staff Writer
Cheating is rampant for drivers getting a carpool discount in Highway 101’s new toll lanes, according to transit advocates.
That’s because drivers self-report how many passengers they have on their FasTrak devices. They get a 50% discount for one passenger and no toll for two passengers.
A study found that 46% of drivers reported two passengers last year.
“Is everybody telling the truth? We’re not sure,” Program Director Kim Comstock told the San Mateo County Transportation Authority on Thursday.
Comstock said the agency should look at technology to verify passenger numbers and more enforcement.
The agency’s board reviewed a study on Tuesday on how the toll lanes are working in San Mateo County, from the Palo Alto border to Interstate 380.
The board will use the study to decide whether toll lanes should be expanded.
The study found that average speeds increased by 7 to 13 mph from 2018 to 2024 for drivers in the toll lanes, and average speeds increased by 1 to 7 mph for everyone else.
“The express lanes are functioning as intended,” consultant Liz Justison told the agency’s board.
But East Palo Alto Councilman Carlos Romero said the results are questionable because speeds were compared to before the pandemic, when the freeway was narrower and more people commuted to work.
Data questioned
Romero wants to review the data assuming that some of the carpooling drivers were in fact driving alone. He also said the UC-Davis Institute of Transportation Studies should take a second look at the study.
“It’s a little unclear. It’s a little dirty,” Romero said.
Starting in February 2019, the agency converted seven miles of carpool-only lanes into toll lanes from University Avenue to Whipple Avenue. The agency started charging tolls in March 2022.
The agency added 15 miles of toll lanes from Whipple Avenue to Interstate 380 that went online in March 2023.
San Mateo resident Mike Swire said the faster traffic on Highway 101 is because of the new lane, not the tolls.
“The conclusions are simply unreliable,” Belmont resident Giuliano Carlini said on Thursday.
VTA has built its own toll lanes through Mountain View and Palo Alto.
Tolls adjust depending on traffic. The toll was less than $3 for two-thirds of drivers and more than $12 for 6% of drivers in the last three months of 2023, according to an agency report.
A Bay Area freeway study by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has suggested that all lanes could be toll lanes by 2050.
“The study identified two potential pathways for further examination: first, all-lane, per-mile tolling on all freeways during peak weekday driving hours; and second, a regional, mileage-based, all-hours user fee for all Bay Area roads,” the freeway study said.
We slaves (taxpayers) have paid for the roads sixteen times over already.
Income taxes. Vehicle sales taxes. Vehicle license fees. Transit taxes. More taxes.
Dear greedy political corruptoid crooks: stop over-milking the cows already!
Let’s invest in more technology, I’m sure money is readily available to catch these crook citizens… Social programs, parks and schools? no money for that….
This statement below shows the foolish greed of the state. More people will leave this state taking their taxes with them. The ones left will have to pay more. Spending is never curtailed, taxes are just increased.
A Bay Area freeway study by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission has suggested that all lanes could be toll lanes by 2050.
“The study identified two potential pathways for further examination: first, all-lane, per-mile tolling on all freeways during peak weekday driving hours; and second, a regional, mileage-based, all-hours user fee for all Bay Area roads,”
The reality is the politicians said “we voted for it”. I recall voting for “Toll Roads” not toll lanes that we already paid for! Even worse, at least in the Palo Alto strip, ambulance, fire and police services have increased due to the “toll lanes” and “exit only” lane. People are using those lanes like a Tetris game. Dodging out before sensor or lane exit. Crossing solid white lines is “OK” to these folks. Police are too busy dealing with other problems I suppose. It is not California in the 1980’s anymore with real drivers who actually took a class in our public schools to learn.
This just shows how bad actors can ruin a good idea. “Foolish greed of the state” in this case has been supplanted by “foolish greed and recklessness” of drivers with no consideration for anyone but themselves. It’s not just toll lane hoppers, it is also right lane racers, tailgaters, and zig zaggers, that put the rest of us at risk. You can be doing 80 in the exit lane and still get someone on your bumper. 90 to 100 MPH is now commonplace, and you are guaranteed some sort of encounter with a reckless driver if you travel more than 10 miles on a California highway. Heck, I get tailgated on my 25 MPH residential street. I’ve even had folks pass me on the left as I am slowing up to pull into my driveway. What is THE STATE supposed to do about that? Believe it or not, sometimes the politicians and bureaucrats have a hard time keeping up with some of the sociopaths who get behind the wheel.
The future looks more like 100% Waymo as opposed to more toll lanes. I am not a big fan of autonomous cars, but they sure are a lot safer than the Speed Racers that have infested our roadways.