December 30, San Francisco: On Monday, December 29, the Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA), announced the new system for toll collection that would essentially be driven electronically. Targeted at the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Dumbarton, Richmond-San Rafael, San Francisco-Oakland Bay and San Mateo-Hayward bridges, the new collection system is all set to be rolled out from the eve of December 31.
Facts about FastTrack Tags
While customers (read drivers) who pay toll prices through a FastTrack tag or an existing license-plate account will continue to receive the same statement, those who are not affiliated to any of the programs will also receive an invoice every month for the all the toll bridges they cross from Friday onwards.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, cash toll collections were suspended by the authorities since March 21 and these drivers received individual notifications regarding the same, that too for every bridge crossing.
The New System for Toll Collection
Come 2021 the electronic toll collection system will be launched at the Bay Area’s seven state-owned toll bridges. This system is similar to that of the toll collection system used at the Golden Gate Bridge, which started an electronic toll collection procedure way back in 2013.
The newly-launched system will have automated high-speed cameras which will capture incense plates’ images, and the customer service centre of FastTrak will process the images which will be followed by mailing an invoice each month to the address at which the vehicle is registered.
Once the new electronic tolling system and monthly invoicing get rolling, it will mark the return of all the toll payment rules that were suspended for a brief period of time in March this year.
Such an attempt at implementing certain changes in the realm of social infrastructure aimed at the betterment of citizens’ lifestyles, that too at a time when the world encountered a humanitarian crisis, is definitely worth appreciating.
