 | |
| Industry | Electronic toll collection |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1993 |
Area served | California |
FasTrak is the electronic toll collection (ETC) system used in the state ofCalifornia in theUnited States. It operates statewide on alltoll roads,toll bridges, andhigh-occupancy toll lanes that are part of theCalifornia Freeway and Expressway System.
Like other ETC systems, FasTrak is designed to eliminate the need for vehicles to stop at toll booths, thereby reducing traffic congestion commonly associated with toll collection. Its implementation aligns with theU.S. Department of Transportation'sIntelligent Transportation Systems initiative.
California's toll facilities are decentralized and managed by various local public agencies and special-purpose districts, rather than being operated directly by theCalifornia Department of Transportation (Caltrans) or another centralized state agency. Concerned about the potential development of incompatible ETC systems, theCalifornia State Legislature passedSenate Bill 1523 in 1990. This legislation required Caltrans to develop a statewide ETC specification that all toll agencies were mandated to follow.[1][2]
In 1993, theTransportation Corridor Agencies opened theFoothill Toll Road inOrange County, marking the first implementation of the standardized ETC system, which it branded as FasTrak. The state continues to delegate the responsibility for issuing and managing FasTrak accounts to individual toll agencies.
FasTrak usesradio-frequency identification (RFID) technology operating at 915 MHz to identify vehicles via atransponder mounted on the vehicle (typically to the windshield). As a vehicle passes through a toll point, antennas detect and read the transponder, and the system automatically deducts the toll from a prepaid account.
Caltrans was given the mandate to develop and maintain an open, statewide ETC specification known as "Title 21" after it was added to Title 21 of theCalifornia Code of Regulations.[2][3] FasTrak transponders are compatible across California toll roads but not with out-of-state systems likeE-ZPass. In 2018, the state began a transition to the nationalISO/IEC 18000-63 (6C) standard to support future nationwide interoperability.[4]
If a transponder is not detected, cameras photograph the vehicle’s license plate and attempt to match it to a FasTrak account. If no account is found, either an invoice with no penalty (in locations supporting "pay by plate") or a violation notice is issued and mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.[5]
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FasTrak supports multiple transponder types:
AFasTrak CAV tag was also made available to those with aClean Air Vehicle (CAV) decal for applicable toll discounts. When the federal law authorizing the decal program expired on September 30, 2025, existing CAV tags automatically converted to function like Flex tags.[12][13]
Some toll roads allow carpoolers to avoid tolls by placing their standard tag in a mylar bag to block the radio signals, others require a FasTrak Flex transponder.[14][15][16]
All Bay Area toll facilities use a centralized billing and customer service system operated by theBay Area Toll Authority (BATA).[17]
Transportation Corridor Agencies, operator of the Orange County toll roads, also operates the billing and customer service system for the San Bernardino County high-occupancy toll lanes.[18]
Although the91 Express Lanes is operated by both theOrange County Transportation Authority and theRiverside County Transportation Commission, that facility uses a centralized billing and customer service system operated by the former.[19]
All other Southern California agencies maintain separate billing and customer service systems.[20]
Some agencies "sell" (charge the initial prepaid toll deposit) transponders in a retail setting, such asCostco stores. Customers must still register their transponders with the issuing agency.[8][21][22]
FasTrak account fees and requirements vary by issuing agency:[9]
| Agency | Area | Monthly fee | Initial prepaid toll deposit | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BATA | San Francisco Bay Area | None | $25[23] | |
| TCA | Orange County and San Bernardino County | None | None[24] | |
| SANDAG | San Diego County | $1 | $50 | $3.50 minimum monthly toll[25] |
| LA Metro | Los Angeles County | $40 (automatic replenishment) $75 (manual replenishment)[26] | ||
| OCTA | Orange County | None | $40 (automatic replenishment) $50 (manual replenishment)[27][28] | $100 setup fee |
| $2 | ||||
| RCTC | Riverside County | $40[7] |
In 2008, researchers found that FasTrak transponders lacked encryption and could be queried or updated remotely.[29][30][31] As the Title 21 specification is publicly available, this raised concerns about potential misuse.[32] Transponders are also used to generate5-1-1 traffic data, using sensors and antennae placed across various freeways.[30] TheMetropolitan Transportation Commission responded by reviewing the system’s security and exploring possible improvements with vendors.[31]
After the first electronic toll collection (ETC) system in North America was implemented on theDallas North Tollway in 1989, various toll agencies in California began expressing interest in similar systems. Given that toll roads and bridges in the state are managed by different government entities, there was concern about the potential emergence of multiple, incompatible ETC systems. To address this, theCalifornia State Legislature passed Senate Bill 1523 in 1990, directing theCalifornia Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to create a standardized statewide technical specification for ETC systems.[2] California subsequently became the first U.S. state to require all toll facilities to use a uniform ETC system.[33] This specification was later codified in Title 21, Division 2, Chapter 16 of theCalifornia Code of Regulations.[32]
TheFoothill Toll Road inOrange County, California became the first toll facility in California to implement ETC when it opened in 1993. TheTransportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), which manages the toll road, branded the system as "FasTrak".[34] TCA still holds the trademark for the "FasTrak" name and logo.[35]
The original FasTrak transponder was a device about the size of aWalkman, into which asmart card was inserted.[36] However, the device was costly to produce and the smart card offered little advantage to customers.[37] By 1995, when the91 Express Lanes opened, the transponders had been redesigned to be coaster-sized.[38]
FasTrak was subsequently deployed on theSan Joaquin Hills Toll Road (1996), theEastern Toll Road (1998), and the high-occupancy toll (HOT) lanes onInterstate 15 inSan Diego, California (1998).
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Adapting FasTrak for California’s toll bridges required additional modifications, especially to handle 18 different toll classifications for trucks. After a trial at theCarquinez Bridge in 1996 revealed accuracy issues,[39] improvements were made, before the bridge adopted FasTrak in 1997. Despite these developments, other state-run Bay Area toll bridges did not adopt the system until October 2000, due to bureaucratic and technical delays.[40] The independently managedGolden Gate Bridge introduced FasTrak a few months earlier in July 2000.
TheSan Diego-Coronado Bridge briefly used FasTrak before tolls were eliminated in 2002. In 2005, the Bay Area FasTrak Customer Center opened, consolidating services for regional bridges and the Golden Gate Bridge.[41]
FasTrak has since expanded to cover all new toll facilities in California, which are required by law to adopt the system. In 2009,San Francisco International Airport began accepting FasTrak in its parking garages.[42]
The introduction of theMetro ExpressLanes in Los Angeles in 2012 led to the introduction of FasTrak Flex transponders with occupancy switches (1, 2, or 3+ riders), allowing automated toll calculations for carpools and solo drivers.[43] TCA began issuing switchable transponders in 2013,[44] followed by the91 Express Lanes and the Bay Area in 2015.[14][45]
The TCA introduced a sticker transponder in 2019 to replace the earlier plastic model. The new sticker transponders cost the agency less than $1 each, compared to approximately $20 for the plastic version. The lower cost enabled TCA to eliminate monthly account maintenance fees and the requirement for a prepaid deposit.[46][47][48]
California continues moving towardopen road tolling, eliminating cash transactions in favor of transponders, license plate tolling, and online or phone payments. The Golden Gate Bridge became fully cashless in March 2013,[49] followed by TCA-operated toll roads in May 2014.[50] In 2019, California approved the phaseout of toll takers on all state-owned bridges.[51] Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, electronic-only tolling was implemented in March 2020 and became permanent by 2021.[52] The only remaining cash-accepting toll road is theSouth Bay Expressway, which has unstaffed cash machines.[53]
In line withMAP-21 all ETC systems nationwide were required to achieve interoperability by October 1, 2016. In response, California passed Assembly Bill 493 in 2013, enabling collaboration between Caltrans and toll agencies to comply with the mandate.[54] California regulators later approved a phase-in of transponder technology using theISO/IEC 18000-63 (6C) standard. Rollout began in 2018 and was expected to be complete by 2024.[4]
California state law prohibits tolling agencies from sharing information regarding tolls collected to other states.[55] However in the interim, FasTrak member agencies may pursue one-way interoperability with their account holders. In June 2025, FasTrak users under the TCA system were permitted to use their FasTrak toll tags on toll roads and managed lanes operated by theNorth Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) andNorth East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NETRMA).[56] TCA will later permit their users to use FasTrak on toll roads operated byTexas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) and theHarris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA).[57]
All eight toll bridges only collect tolls in one direction. All other toll facilities collect tolls in either direction, though some high-occupancy toll lane toll lanes exist in only one direction of their freeway in parts or the whole of their length.
^ indicates that carpools require the switchable "FasTrak Flex" transponder.
HOV 2+ indicates that carpools requiretwo or more persons.
HOV 3+ indicates that carpools requirethree or more persons.
† indicates that two-person carpools are tolled differently than solo drivers or carpools with three or more, typically at a rate intermediate between the solo and 3+ rates
| Name | Highway(s) | Location | South or west terminus | North or east terminus | Direction tolled | HOV | Account agency | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antioch Bridge |   SR 160 north | San Joaquin River | Antioch | Sacramento County | Northbound | 3+ | BATA | [58] |
| Benicia–Martinez Bridge |   I-680 north | Carquinez Strait | Martinez | Benicia | [59] | |||
| Carquinez Bridge |   I-80 east | Carquinez Strait | Crockett | Vallejo | Eastbound | [60] | ||
| Dumbarton Bridge |   SR 84 west | San Francisco Bay | Menlo Park | Fremont | Westbound | 2+ | [61] | |
| Golden Gate Bridge |     US 101 south /SR 1 south | Golden Gate | San Francisco | Marin County | Southbound | 3+ | [62] | |
| Richmond–San Rafael Bridge |   I-580 west | San Francisco Bay | San Rafael | Richmond | Westbound | [63] | ||
| San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge | I-80 west | San Francisco | Oakland | [64] | ||||
| San Mateo–Hayward Bridge |  SR 92 west | Foster City | Hayward | 2+ | [65] |
| Name | Highway | Location | South or west terminus | North or east terminus | HOV | Account agency | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Toll Road |    SR 241 /SR 261 /SR 133 | Orange County | Irvine | SR 91 inAnaheim–Yorba Linda | None | TCA | [66] |
| Foothill Toll Road | SR 241 | Oso Parkway nearRancho Santa Margarita | SR 133 nearIrvine | ||||
| San Joaquin Hills Toll Road |  SR 73 | I-5 inMission Viejo | Bison Ave inIrvine | ||||
| South Bay Expressway |  SR 125 | San Diego County | SR 11 /SR 905 inOtay Mesa | SR 54 nearChula Vista | SANDAG | [67] |
The following is a partial list of toll facilities that are either in the planning or proposal stages (sorted by highway number):
| Name | Highway | Location | South or west terminus | North or east terminus | Scheduled to open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-5 Express Lanes |  I-5 | San Diego County | La Jolla Village Drive inSan Diego | Harbor Drive inOceanside | By 2035[84] |
| I-10 Metro ExpressLanes Extension |  I-10 | Los Angeles County | I-605 inBaldwin Park | San Bernardino County line | TBD[85] |
| I-10 San Bernardino Express Lanes Phase 2 | I-10 | San Bernardino County | Etiwanda Avenue in Ontario | Pepper Avenue inColton | TBD[86] |
| I-10 San Bernardino Express Lanes Phase 3 | I-10 | San Bernardino County | Pepper Avenue in Colton | Ford Street inRedlands | |
| SR 11 Toll Road |  SR 11 | San Diego County | SR 125 /SR 905 | Otay Mesa East Port of Entry | TBD[87][88] |
| SR 37 Sears Point Toll Road |  SR 37 | Sonoma andSolano Counties | SR 121 atSears Point | Mare Island inVallejo | TBD[89] |
| Yolo I-80 Express Lanes | I-80 | Yolo County | Solano County line | West El Camino Avenue near theSacramento County line | TBD[90][91] |
| Silicon Valley Express Lanes Phase 4 |  SR 85 | Santa Clara County | US 101 inSouthern San Jose | SR 87 inSan Jose | Winter 2028[92] |
| Silicon Valley Express Lanes future extension | SR 85 | Santa Clara County | SR 87 inSan Jose | Central Expressway[e][71] inMountain View | TBD[93] |
| Silicon Valley Express Lanes Phase 5 | US 101 | Santa Clara County | I-880 inSan Jose | SR 237 nearMountain View | Fall 2026[94] |
| Silicon Valley Express Lanes Phase 6 | US 101 | Santa Clara County | SR 85 in southernSan Jose | I-880 inSan Jose | TBD[93] |
| Silicon Valley Express Lanes future southern extension | US 101 | Santa Clara County | Dunne Avenue inMorgan Hill | SR 85 in southernSan Jose | |
| I-105 Express Lanes |  I-105 | Los Angeles County | SR 1 inLos Angeles | Studebaker Road inNorwalk | By 2029[95] |
| I-405 Sepulveda Pass Express Lanes |  I-405 | Los Angeles County | I-10 inLos Angeles | US 101 in Los Angeles | Late 2028[96] |
| I-680 Sunol Northbound Express Lane Southern Extension | I-680 | Alameda andSanta Clara Counties. | SR 237 inMilpitas | Auto Mall Parkway inFremont | TBD[97] |
| I-680 Sunol Express Lanes Northern Extension | I-680 | Alameda County | SR 84 inSunol | Alcosta Boulevard inSan Ramon | Fall 2025 (Southbound) TBD (Northbound)[98] |
While the California state highway system officially treats the following routes as discontinuous through the followingnational parks, respectively, signs within these parks and some commercially produced maps may show these highways as continuous. The park entrance fees are handled by theNational Park Service, not FasTrak or Caltrans.
SR 41 /SR 120 /SR 140 inYosemite National Park.[99]
SR 89 inLassen Volcanic National Park.[100]
SR 146 inPinnacles National Park.[101]
SR 180 /SR 198 inKings Canyon andSequoia National Parks[102]The17-Mile Drive, a scenic toll road inPebble Beach is owned and operated by the Pebble Beach Company and does not utilize FasTrak for toll collection.[103]
Later phases (2020-2035) will upgrade the carpool lanes to Express Lanes
