Trip-trapping Across Their Bridge

While crossing the Golden Gate Bridge several years ago, I was in the wrong lane. I couldn't get to the booths on the far right to pay the $6 cash toll, nor did my car have a FasTrak device that would pay the toll electronically.

I went through the FasTrak lane and circled back to the Bridge administrative office. They wouldn't take my money, and I had to write several letters to pay the toll and expunge the $30 fine.

It will soon get even more confusing for the infrequent bridge-crosser. In five months there will be no way to pay the toll with cash:

Come February, the only options for drivers will be signing up for FasTrak, opening a pay-as-you-go license plate account, or making a one-time payment before the transit district mails a bill. [snip]

All-electronic tolling was approved in 2011 as a way to help close a projected $89 million five-year shortfall, a number that [spokeswoman Mary] Currie said Tuesday had been reduced to $66 million after changes were made to workers' pension and health care plans.

Implementation of the program will cost $3.2 million and is expected to save the district $19 million over an eight-year-period by eliminating toll workers, Currie said.

I'm all for government operating more efficiently, even if that means some jobs will be lost. In this case, however, efficiency means a significantly degraded service, a service which everyone must use because there are no feasible alternatives. Drivers who don't wish to open an account, prepay a toll, or mail in a check have no choice. It's the bureaucrats' bridge, not ours. © 2012 Stephen Yuen