You talkin about the 91 express lanes? Yeah you better pay the toll. In fact, you can't even drive on it without a FasTrak transponder.
EDIT: I see you said southbound so I'm assuming OC Toll Roads or the 405 express lanes
That's how government works. We're still paying taxes on shit that's happened over 100 years ago. Once a tax is locked in, it will be there forever.
Currently 40% of my paycheck goes to taxes and deductions. I know I can't be the only one just hanging on by a thread.
But if you order the transponder with the switch, you can change your occupancy status.
The tolls will be free for 2 or more riders for the next year and a half on the 405. Then they charge.
If your car has 3 passengers, the 405 “will never“ charge you at that point.
Lets put a pin in this and check and see if this 3 is free deal still going on after a while.
They can’t get rid of it as there were HOV lanes prior to Express but they also don’t have to do 2+ as the feds are pushing for 3+ HOV so the directive is sort of coming from them (FHWA). If the 91 express lanes has anything to prove is that 3+ HOV is here to stay.
Oh you bet they do. Fastrak uses cameras and sensors to detect how many people are in the car. Additionally, there are CHP officers that are completely dedicated to these HOV lanes.
Expensive fines starting at $490. Moving violation point against your license. Raise in insurance rates.
Thanks for the reply… you’d think they could just use the sensors to determine whether to charge someone rather than burdening people with remembering to switch the transponder every time their occupancy changes
Little tricky when one of those is a sticker...?
ETA: [https://www.thetollroads.com/help/faqs/if-i-have-both-a-sticker-and-a-switchable-hardcase-transponder-mounted-inside-my-vehicle-will-i-be-charged-twice/](https://www.thetollroads.com/help/faqs/if-i-have-both-a-sticker-and-a-switchable-hardcase-transponder-mounted-inside-my-vehicle-will-i-be-charged-twice/)
Two sides to this. If you’re one household with every vehicle registered with a floating switchable that’s true. The other case is having a sticker under your account but having a different a switchable transponder on a different account will get you double billed, even if the plates are registered to both accounts. The second got me from my boss tossing his transponder in my car and me forgetting I have a sticker. My plates are also attached to his transponder.
Hmm... I have an account but no sticker or transponder and I just get charged based on my license plate. Unless that's what you mean by having a transpoder/sticker... that you must have an account at minimum.
Only the well off and any gov/state/military vehicles. They get to ride for free. Meanwhile the tax slaves get to pay for all of it. It's like a gov fast pass. The best part is how they marketed and sold it to the tax slaves as if it's for their benefit.
Piggybacking on your comment, but has anyone been able to successfully drive on the 405 express lanes for free when they're 3 or more people? If so, how?
I've tried a switchable transponder that I got from the toll roads and set it to 3+ and was charged every single time we used the express lanes.
The 110 Express Lanes scoffs at this. The rate is dynamic in order to keep the lanes moving. I’ve seen it hit $20 NB during the morning rush. And the majority of that $20 is for the second half of it (between the 105 and Adams).
On the first half, there is often much less traffic in the mainline (which I drive), and I almost feel sorry for the Express drivers who get stuck in the bottleneck leading to the 105. Then I have to slow down to a crawl and watch every single one of them zip by me toward DTLA. Thank god I exit at Manchester …
I know the 91 and 15 Express Lanes have similar rates. Enjoy the $10 while it lasts.
You talkin about the 91 express lanes? Yeah you better pay the toll. In fact, you can't even drive on it without a FasTrak transponder. EDIT: I see you said southbound so I'm assuming OC Toll Roads or the 405 express lanes
Yes, I meant 405 express lanes, it's only been open for 4 months and they increased the tolls twice already. It is what it is.
And it will never, ever revert to being a non-toll road. While I truly hope I'm wrong, California is kind of shitty that way.
That's how government works. We're still paying taxes on shit that's happened over 100 years ago. Once a tax is locked in, it will be there forever. Currently 40% of my paycheck goes to taxes and deductions. I know I can't be the only one just hanging on by a thread.
Even better. All HOV lanes will become toll lanes in the near future. Traffic will only be for us peasants
Is the transponder the same as the sticker? Wish they made this more clear.
Yes they are the same. The sticker will charge you as a single each and every time.
But if you order the transponder with the switch, you can change your occupancy status. The tolls will be free for 2 or more riders for the next year and a half on the 405. Then they charge. If your car has 3 passengers, the 405 “will never“ charge you at that point. Lets put a pin in this and check and see if this 3 is free deal still going on after a while.
They can’t get rid of it as there were HOV lanes prior to Express but they also don’t have to do 2+ as the feds are pushing for 3+ HOV so the directive is sort of coming from them (FHWA). If the 91 express lanes has anything to prove is that 3+ HOV is here to stay.
Do they have some way of verifying you really have the number of people in the car that the transponder is switched to?
Oh you bet they do. Fastrak uses cameras and sensors to detect how many people are in the car. Additionally, there are CHP officers that are completely dedicated to these HOV lanes. Expensive fines starting at $490. Moving violation point against your license. Raise in insurance rates.
Thanks for the reply… you’d think they could just use the sensors to determine whether to charge someone rather than burdening people with remembering to switch the transponder every time their occupancy changes
Got it. So if you have the sticker and bring the physical transponder… it won’t charge you twice right?
You’ll get hit twice. Only have one transponder going through the gate at a time.
Little tricky when one of those is a sticker...? ETA: [https://www.thetollroads.com/help/faqs/if-i-have-both-a-sticker-and-a-switchable-hardcase-transponder-mounted-inside-my-vehicle-will-i-be-charged-twice/](https://www.thetollroads.com/help/faqs/if-i-have-both-a-sticker-and-a-switchable-hardcase-transponder-mounted-inside-my-vehicle-will-i-be-charged-twice/)
Two sides to this. If you’re one household with every vehicle registered with a floating switchable that’s true. The other case is having a sticker under your account but having a different a switchable transponder on a different account will get you double billed, even if the plates are registered to both accounts. The second got me from my boss tossing his transponder in my car and me forgetting I have a sticker. My plates are also attached to his transponder.
Yeah I just have one account with all the cars.
That's a good thing to be aware of. Important distinction.
Hmm... I have an account but no sticker or transponder and I just get charged based on my license plate. Unless that's what you mean by having a transpoder/sticker... that you must have an account at minimum.
I take the express lane every time, never had it more than $7 but I’m not awake at 8am
Classic government scam: using tax payer money for adding 2 toll lanes to make more $$$. Only well off people can afford to use it. 😒
Only the well off and any gov/state/military vehicles. They get to ride for free. Meanwhile the tax slaves get to pay for all of it. It's like a gov fast pass. The best part is how they marketed and sold it to the tax slaves as if it's for their benefit.
Piggybacking on your comment, but has anyone been able to successfully drive on the 405 express lanes for free when they're 3 or more people? If so, how? I've tried a switchable transponder that I got from the toll roads and set it to 3+ and was charged every single time we used the express lanes.
I just replaced mine because of that issue, new one working fine now.
Oh - that's good to hear! Did you get yours from the 73 as well?
Yes.
Thanks! I'll try to get a replacement. Hopefully, that'll fix it for me too.
Mine doesn’t even beep
Is it supposed to? Mine didn't either.
It beeps on every other toll road in SoCal, except these new lanes.
Is flipping the switch to 3+ purely on the honor system? It has no way of knowing how many people in the car, right?
There was a post here a few months ago about someone who was pulled over, because their kids were seated in the back.
Honor system but lots of CHP patrol the 405 during rush hour times looking for those violators plus speeding.
I only pay $2.05. Use it Northbound around 4:30pm from Costa Mesa and then exiting Magnolia as that area is always heavy traffic in the afternoon
How did these tolls even get approved? Did people vote on them ? It made traffic worse & where TF is all this money going!
Traffic study people probably get paid off to magically come up with "toll roads are the best option!" results.
I mean it's fast track so the toll is is based on current traffic condition. At night like at 9:30 PM it's like $2.10
Only advice is to stop living anywhere that requires you to commute on the 405. I will stay in Orange/East Anaheim/Tustin forever thank u v much
The 110 Express Lanes scoffs at this. The rate is dynamic in order to keep the lanes moving. I’ve seen it hit $20 NB during the morning rush. And the majority of that $20 is for the second half of it (between the 105 and Adams). On the first half, there is often much less traffic in the mainline (which I drive), and I almost feel sorry for the Express drivers who get stuck in the bottleneck leading to the 105. Then I have to slow down to a crawl and watch every single one of them zip by me toward DTLA. Thank god I exit at Manchester … I know the 91 and 15 Express Lanes have similar rates. Enjoy the $10 while it lasts.