Question for Bay Area Folks

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RobertG @ Feb 28 2007, 03:48 PM) [snapback]397986[/snapback]</div>

Hi Robert,

I don't think that's quite right. Getting the HOV stickers (which are no longer available) requires a special FasTrak transponder. However this is only necessary if you are going to use the HOV toll lanes on Bay Area bridges as a single occupant hybrid driver (with hybrid stickers). You're perfectly free to get a regular FasTrak transponder if you are not using the hybrid stickers.

Cheers,

-- Ian

 

I'm on the wrong coast these days, but I grew up in the Bay Area, and my parents still live there. My mother drives from the East Bay to SF every day. She leaves ridiculously early (something like 6:30) in order to avoid significant traffic (and because that's when she likes to get to work) and can make the trip from Oakland to Fisherman's Wharf in ~30-45 minutes. If you try to go at a "normal" commute time, you shouldn't expect anything faster than an hour (and probably more like 1.25 to 1.5 hours).

If BART is in a convenient location to your work, you should really consider it; unlike SoCal, the Bay Area actually has *some* amount of public transportation. It's nothing like NYC or Boston, but it is something.

BTW, if you're looking for a *great* independent mechanic for the Prius, my family has been going to Art's Automotive in Berkeley for as long as I can remember (my parents don't have a Prius, but Art's has started specializing in them).

 

Do get a FasTrak. It is known that more and more lanes are being setup for FasTrak. If you do not have it, you will be restricted to a few lanes for cash only. And hence, the long delay for cash transaction.

 

Hey there,

I live in Oakland and usually work in Berkeley. Occasionally for work purposes, I do drive into downtown SF. It's only about 10 miles, and the drive usually averages out to 15-40 minutes, depending on the time of day, accidents, stalls, weather, you name it. 6:45-8:30am are usually the worst times to cross. If your employer is cool with a flexible schedule, and you really want to drive, I'd recommend leaving Oakland around 6am, or 8:45am. Do you have the HOV stickers? You'll need to get a special transponder from the Fastrack people to legally use them around here. Looks just like the normal transponders, but it's somehow different.

Another thing to keep in mind -- it's not just morning traffic that's nasty; heading back to the east bay in the evening can be just as tough. And I think there's only one carpool lane, on one random sidestreet in SF heading towards the bridge.

If you really want the easiest, lowest-stress method for commuting, I recommend taking either BART (check to see if your employer offers commuter checks -- pay for public transportation w/ pretax dollars), the bus (cheaper than BART and if you can get an express bus, usually faster and cleaner), or the casual carpool. I know plenty of people that use the casual carpool in the morning, and bus in the evening. Basically, there are pick up locations at specified areas throughout the east bay. Folks waiting for a ride line up, lone drivers drive up, pick up a few people, and it makes for a shorter ride for everyone. Different drivers, depending on where they work in SF, will drop everyone off at different locations. But it's nearly always in or near downtown. It may sound sketchy, but I promise, it isn't. Heck, since you're new to town, it'll probably be a good way to meet people. More info about it here. Another bonus -- it's free (although you should slip the drivers a buck or two every now or then to cover gas). Crossing the bridge is free for carpools.

Feel free to send me a PM if you have any more questions, I'd be glad to help you out. And, although I usually don't like to announce this publicly, Oakland is a great place to live. You've got to find the right neighborhood to match your personality, but it's a wonderful quirky place. But don't tell too many people -- my rent is expensive enough already!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ian MacDonald @ Feb 28 2007, 02:52 PM) [snapback]398075[/snapback]</div>

My point was that to obtain a clean air sticker, proof of having a FasTrak transponder was required for vehicles registered in certain counties. Here is the text from the DMV form reg 1000:

• IMPORTANT: Evidence of an Automatic Vehicle Identification System FasTrak account MUST BE submitted with this application in order to obtain stickers for hybrids registered in Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Solano or Sonoma counties.
  (emphasis not added)

I did not say anything about hybrids without HOV access having FasTrak transponders.

However, someone who already has a California clean air sticker, like HS the OP, should get a FasTrak transponder when he moves to the SF Bay area. He can thus avoid switching out of the HOV lane on approach to the bridge toll plazas to pay cash. That would be very cumbersome and time-consuming. Homer, if you bring proof that the car is a qualifying hybrid, your transponder will be specially flagged as one for a hybrid. It will show up like that on the quarterly statement of usage from FasTrak. Who knows, there might be some other benefit for the hybrid transponders in the future.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(RobertG @ Mar 1 2007, 02:01 PM) [snapback]398562[/snapback]</div>

Sorry Robert, I guess I misunderstood your previous post when I first responded.

Funny thing is that when the hybrid stickers first became available, I submitted my application using a regular FasTrak account which I already had. They (the DMV) didn't seem to have a problem with this and gave me the stickers. It wasn't until later that I realized that to use the HOV toll lanes by myself would require a special transponder. The point is moot so far for me because the Benicia bridge's single HOV lane is right next to its single FasTrak only lane. I'm really looking forward to the new bridge and toll lane layout.

Cheers,

-- Ian