Drive in the I-880 Express Lanes? You May Qualify for a Toll Discount

Do you travel regularly between Oakland and Milpitas?

If so, you may qualify for Express Lanes START, an 18-month trial program, which offers certain drivers a discount of at least 50% on their tolls when using the I-880 Express Lanes.

Toll rates change according to the flow of traffic (PDF), sometimes rising as high as $15. This means it can get pricey to use these lanes regularly.

Under the Express Lanes START trial program, a person can get 50% off if they drive alone in an I-880 Express Lane. If two people are in your car, the discount will be 75%. If you’re driving a clean-air vehicle, it’s 75%. There is no toll on a three- or more-person carpool.

The discount only applies to the I-880 Express Lanes.

How do I qualify for the Express Lanes START discount?

To qualify, you must live in the nine Bay Area counties and your household must meet a set income threshold. For one person, it is $29,160 or less. For three, it is $49,720 or less. For a household of four, it is $60,000 or less. See the entire income guidelines on the program’s Frequently Asked Questions.

You’ll need to provide proof of your income eligibility for the Express Lanes START program, which can be done by showing your:

• CalFresh (or EBT card)
• Medi-Cal
• Muni Lifeline card
• Clipper START card serial number
• County benefit eligibility letter
• Most recent tax return — your annual household income

If your income changes, you should contact the program.

How can I apply for the Express Lanes START discount?

You can apply online on Express Lanes START’s website. If you don’t already have one, you’ll have to create a FasTrak account to get access to the discount, which will come in the form of a toll tag that you would put on your windshield.

You can also get a paper application at the FasTrak Walk-In Center in San Francisco.

You will find out if you’re eligible for the discount within 30 days of applying.

When will the discount show up?

According to the program’s website, the discount should be applied automatically when you’re deemed eligible.

“Since it may take up to two weeks for each trip in the I-880 Express Lanes to be shown in your FasTrak account, be sure to monitor your FasTrak account balance and factor in tolls for trips that are not shown yet,” the website recommends. “This will help you keep a positive FasTrak account balance and avoid penalties.”

How long could your discount last? The Bay Area Infrastructure Financing Authority says on its website that it “will test and evaluate it to determine if it meets its goals and offers meaningful benefits.

If successful, Express Lanes START may become a permanent program on the I-880 Express Lanes and could be expanded to other express lanes.”

What if I don’t qualify?

If you don’t qualify for Express Lanes START, there may be other ways to find a discount on Bay Area toll roads:

• For Express Lanes I-880, SR-237, and U.S.-101, if you set your tag (on your car windshield) to three-plus people in a carpool (PDF), the toll is free. For two people, it’s half price.
• For Express Lanes I-680 Sunol, I-680 Contra Costa and I-580, two or more people in a carpool make the toll free.

There are ways to find people to carpool with in your community at this website. You can also find a Bay Area vanpool.

If you have a clean-air vehicle (PDF), you’ll have a different FasTrak toll tag, and you may even be able to get half-off driving — even when you’re by yourself.