Caltrans Pulling Toll Takers From Bay Area Bridges Amid Concern Over Coronavirus

In the latest coronavirus-prompted departure from a longstanding Bay Area routine, Caltrans is pulling toll takers from all seven of the Bay Area's state-owned bridges at midnight Friday.

The Bay Area Toll Authority, which operates the bridges in conjunction with Caltrans, said the abrupt but temporary move is being made at the request of Gov. Gavin Newsom "in order to minimize toll collectors’ and toll-paying customers’ risk of exposure to COVID-19 during the current public health emergency."

The decision will affect about 250 Caltrans employees — toll takers, cash handlers and toll-booth cleaners — at the Antioch, Benicia-Martinez, Carquinez, Richmond-San Rafael, Bay, San Mateo and Dumbarton bridges. Caltrans is expected to assign those workers to other duties.

Those who use Fastrak electronic toll tags — now the majority of those who cross the state-owned bridges — will see no change in how they proceed through toll plazas or how they're billed.

Those who lack Fastrak tags should proceed through toll plazas without stopping, Caltrans says. Automated cameras will capture license-plate images and drivers will be billed through the mail for the cost of the toll only with no other processing fees.

Bay Area transportation officials acknowledged that the suddenness of the change may cause confusion — and safety issues — for drivers heading through the toll plazas.

Metropolitan Transportation Commission spokesman Randy Rentschler said it's important for drivers to understand they need to keep moving through the toll plazas without stopping.

"Those people who are always accustomed to stopping at the toll plaza — for safety reasons they need to know that they just need to go straight through," Rentschler said. "Don't stop."

The changes taking effect at midnight Friday do not affect the Golden Gate Bridge, which is operated by a separate agency and began automatic toll collection in 2013.