Bay Bridges Proposed Toll Hike for Earthquake Safety – 7 Bay Area Bridges
The Bay Area Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is currently proposing to increase toll fees in order to cross the 7 Bay Area Bridges by doubling and/or tripling current toll fees.
It is our understanding that MTC is gearing the increased fees to the Trucking Industry
This proposed toll hike comes in response to the need to raise an additional $160 million in annual revenues. The chief reason the additional revenue is needed is to finance the estimated $750 million cost of necessary seismic retrofit projects on the
The MTC is proposing three options:
- Option 1
- $5 for two-axle vehicles
- $6 per each additional axle
- $3 for carpools (peak periods, Monday-Friday)
Total for 5 axle combination vehicle = $23
- Option 2
- $5 for two-axle vehicles
- $10 per each additional axle
- No charge for carpools (peak periods, Monday-Friday)
Total for 5 axle combination vehicle = $35
- Option 3
- Same as Option #1 for all bridges except
- Congestion Pricing would be introduced on the Bay Bridge, with a toll of $6 for two-axle vehicles during weekday peak periods; $4 for two-axle vehicles during weekday off-peak hours; $5 for two-axle vehicles on weekends; $6 per each additional axle at all times; and $3 for carpools during weekday peaks.
Total for 5 axle combination vehicle = Between $22 and $24
The Bay Area Toll Authority (BATA) is considering a toll increase on the seven state-owned Bay Area toll bridges: the
BATA will hold three public hearings to take public comment on these options:
Written comments will be accepted until 4 p.m., December 21, 2009. Written comments should be submitted to the BATA Public Information Office at
BATA Commissioners will weigh all public comment in their decision on the toll increase, scheduled for January 2010. For more information on the hearings or the proposal, visit the MTC Web site at www.mtc.ca.gov or phone the BATA Public Information Office at 510.817.5757.
CHP – Pilot Car Certification
November 17th, we met in
Caltrans made it clear they have no current plans to reduce the requirements or dimensions on a variance load that could possibly jeopardize the public safety. They understood the problem that CHP and industry are currently facing and were sympathetic. We asked if there was any accident data available that showed the number of accidents involving loads being escorted and who was at fault. CHP responded that there weren’t any known accidents and there really wasn’t any method of tracking accidents involving specifically pilot cars.
Caltrans currently requires the Carrier to contract with CHP for their services to escort these unusually large or heavy loads when required by Caltrans. Caltrans doesn’t designate the number of CHP Escorts as they do Pilot Cars; they leave it up to the discretion of CHP which sometimes may require 4 to 6 or even 8 depending on the size of load and the route traveled.
Other states have already implemented their own Pilot Car Certification Programs, the problem their experiencing is reciprocity within bordering states. In some cases a Pilot Car Driver would have to be certified in each individual state to be able to operate continuously. That becomes a problem for some Carriers that have to contract new pilot cars at each state border prior to entering unless the Pilot Car happens to be certified in more than one state.
The Pilot Car representatives main concern is to level their playing, such as to insure that all Pilot Cars carry the proper amount of insurance to cover themselves and the load if their found to be at fault. Also to insure that the vehicles being used meet a standard equipment inspection, except they are not necessarily commercial vehicles that may require a commercial license. Some of their concerns could possibly be addressed if the Pilot Car Industry were to be regulated.
We asked on several occasions, how will this reduce their involvement by having the Pilot Car Certification Program, which will be administered by CHP, where does CHP feel their involvement is going to be reduced? We never did receive a clear answer. We were told that there would be no way that a Pilot Car would have the authority to stop oncoming traffic. We explained that if they’re not able to stop oncoming traffic even on local roads, we didn’t really see how this would reduce their involvement enough to be significant. I was told by a CHP Commander during a discussion of their workload and he said “something has got to give.”
We agree to meet and discuss this further in the next month or so. If you have any comments on Pilot Cars being certified, please send them to me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it , we need your input.
Caltrans
Industry not familiar with Weigh in Motion (WIM) Scales. - We were asked to educate Industry on this technology and how it will be benefitting the Industry.
Caltrans required that the monitoring system could work with the real time data already being compiled currently at WIM Scales. Most drivers and /or the public are unaware of neither what and where a WIM scale is located nor what they even look like, though they probably cross one or more a day. Industry isn’t very unfamiliar with Weigh in Motion (WIM) Scales and so thought it was time to educate Industry on this technology and how the Heavyhaul Industry can take advantage of this same technology already being used.
The WIM Scales as shown above will be reset into the roadbed of the roadway or freeway and could be across as many as 4 lanes in one direction, as is the 710 freeway in Long Beach. Caltrans WIM systems are configured to calculate GVW (gross vehicle weight), individual axle weights, weight violations, vehicle speed, overall length, axle spacing, and vehicle classification (such as passenger vehicle, bus, or truck-tractor/semitrailer). Caltrans captures data from each vehicle as it passes over the WIM. Currently there are 106 data WIM collection sites in operation across California to monitor traffic flows and vehicle weights.
Several of these sites are under construction, and further expansion of WIM systems are planned for the coming years. The purpose for this information gathering is essential for functions such as Pavement studies, Highway monitoring and capacity studies, accident rate calculations and analysis of truck transport practices. Caltrans website has maps of all WIM locations in California by Districts. http://www.dot.ca.gov/hq/traffops/trucks/datawim/datawim-map.htm
WIM field systems gather and store data 24/7/365 automatically in roadside cabinets. Data collection is via telemetry using an office file server and PC. WIM data downloads are both automated and manually performed according to a preset schedule. Data collected must be screened and sorted on a historical and operational basis to validate its quality before archiving or distributing. Data that exceeds control limits needs further investigation into possible field site problems.
- The Benefit for Annual Permits: Caltrans stipulated when they approved the issuance of Annual Permits for 7, 8 and 9-axle combination vehicles that a monitoring system was developed to know where these vehicles were traveling. It was agreed that Industry and Caltrans would work together on a Monitoring / GPS system to track these vehicles and gather real time data on the highways traveled over, structures that had been crossed and the number of trips.
The Pre-Pass system is already utilizing the technology through the WIM Scales system, which is being taking advantage of by over 7,790 Carriers and 406,154 enrolled trucks throughout several states. The Pre-Pass system allows participating transponder equipped commercial vehicles to bypass designated weigh stations, port-of-entry facilities and agricultural interdiction facilities. Cleared vehicles may proceed at highway speed, eliminating the need to stop. That means greater efficiency for shippers and improved safety for all highway users.
Of the 106 WIM Scales across the state, there are 34 WIM scales integrated with CHP Scales and unless the scales are closed, these vehicles must stop every trip. When approaching a CHP scale facility most drivers would recognize crossing over this scale at 55 mph. WIM system provide 24/7/365 hour traffic information at key locations on California Highways. The type of data at a WIM Scale would be the WIM location, Date, Time, Direction, Vehicle Class, Gross Weight, Length, Speed, Axle weight (right side and left side axle weights), axle spacing and there is other data available if requested.
- The InfoTek System: We recently met with Caltrans and InfoTek staff before with we went any further to make sure that we were all in agreement what Caltrans was expecting in their final product. Caltrans is already working contractually with InfoTek collecting the data from these same WIM Scales for many other applications. So we felt pretty assured that working with InfoTek would be acceptable by Caltrans and with their history of working with data collecting from WIM was a Win, Win for everyone.
It was agreed that the InfoTek II will satisfy all necessary requirements and expectations of Caltrans.
We asked InfoTek staff to come back to us with a draft quote that we could present to Industry for those companies that would be interested in obtaining an Annual Permit for a 7, 8 & 9-axle vehicle combination that would help assist benefitting them and/or their customers in quicker response times and delays.
InfoTek proposed to the Heavyhaul industry the Wizard II Second Generation M2M and will do the following based on 100 transponders subscribers for a 24 month period. The more transponders subscribed will only lower the cost of $25 a month. http://infotekwireless.com
- Relaying of data about the location of the trucks
- Their route
- An alert system on board.
- The fee includes basic maintenance for 24 months and installation.
Everything that is being presented is pretty self explanatory except the alert system and that is for Caltrans to be able to alert drivers of an emergency closure or change of condition of a route. ·
- SURVEY – If you have a 7, 8 or 9-axle green weight (minimum) Mobile Crane and/or a 7, 8 or 9-axle Heavyhaul vehicle or you have someone else moving your equipment that would benefit them, which will in-turn benefit you, have them contact us. We need to know if you would be interested in participating in this program and if so, how many Wizard II units do you think you might be interested in subscribing for at a cost of $25 a month, with a 2 year basic maintenance contract? Please contact me.
Please leave your contact information and the number of Wizard II Units that you would like to subscribe too.
County of San Bernardino – Policies sometimes reverted back after a few years if you’re not keeping records of these changes. We had a member back in 2003, who requested that we pursue the County of San Bernardino to eliminate the requirement for license numbers to be on the face of an Annual Permit. The reason for this is once you’re required to add a vehicle license number on the face of the permit, it locks that permit to that vehicle and that vehicle only. Caltrans doesn’t require it and we feel the only reason a locality would require it would be for revenue reasons only. If you have the same axle spacing etc., you’re able to swap permits from vehicle to vehicle and be good to go. Once this was brought to our attention, which we were very familiar with the original change, we contacted the County and were told this has been the way its been. They were very cooperative after explaining that we had this change made some time ago. They asked us to submit that documentation and they would review it. So that is what we did, the original approval for this change took place November 19, 2003. The County has since change their policy back to not requiring a license number on Annual Permits.
City of
- City no longer contracts LA County to issue transportation permits on their behalf.
We have since contacted a friend of our Industry, Mayor Walter Allen111 to see if we can convince the City of the benefits they’re receiving and as well as Industry being able to have a one stop permit program. There is no profit to cover the cost for at $16 a permit or to even think about hiring a qualified person to fill the position. The City may have first of thought by charging $125 for each permit, they would have another source of revenue, but not at $16. - Excessive Permit Fees - The City has agreed to cease charging the $125 for a Transportation Permit they were misinformed and now are charging $16.
City of
- Refunds due for overcharged Transportation Permit fees - The City recently increased all their permit fees in July, not realizing that Transportation Permits per the Vehicle Code can’t exceed Caltrans. The City realized that this was an oversight by their management team and has agreed to roll back their increased transportation permit fees from $66.56 to $16. Anyone that obtained a
- Construction Project 30 Day Site Permit – We have had several members that have fallen victims to overweight citations in the City because of the confusion of what is covered and what is not on a site permit. Local Contractors have been obtaining a 30 day site permit that is renewable that covers the Contractors, their sub-Contractors, materials delivery companies or import export operations. A Contractor would need to list who the company is, type of vehicles, license numbers and the pre-approved truck route to use to and from the jobsite. They have also suggested that if you’re going to work in the City, the Contractor may obtain a 30 day site permit for the entire job. This will eliminate any confusion and notify City Police, who are very aggressive and then the Police would be aware of the activity that will be taking place from the specific project. What has happened in the past is the Contractor never realized that permit loads making deliveries or picked up, weren’t being covered because weight wasn’t being included on the site permit, be sure you list maximum purple axle weights per Caltrans to cover all permit loads. Truck route map at http://www.culvercity.org/it/maps/Map16_TruckRoutes.pdf
City of
The City Council has adopted the following 4 Ordinance changes and has sent these 4 changes to the City Attorney to write the language to adopted the following changes; Annuals will expire 1 year from issuance, Peak Hour Travel allowed up to 10’ wide vehicles, Allow travel on weekends, Intermodal Annual Permits for Overweight Corridor only.
City of
- The City will start issuing their own Transportation Permits instead of LA County The City started out to issue their own Transportation Permits and has since signed contract to continue to have LA County issue Transportation Permits on their behalf.
- Transportation Permit increase excessive fees – The City was charging $229 for a Transportation Permit and has ceased with LA County doing their issuing.
- No more through truck traffic - City has informed the County that there will no longer be anymore through traffic. The load must either have a destination within the City or originate within the City.
- Variance Loads no longer allowed travel through Lakewood. - Variance Loads have been stopped in their tracks due to the Public Works Department not wanting these unusually large and heavy loads not having a final destination in their city. What most localities do not understand is that Variance Loads are a necessity in most cases, for example the next time you go to switch on your lights and they don’t go on, it maybe because the transformer that was supposed to replace the aged transmission station was denied access through your city or any other. These loads continue to get bigger, why? To meet your demands of lower energy cost and that is obtained in some cases by larger and more efficient transformers. So that little extra convenience that everyone gets used to, well it will sometimes come with some temporary inconvenience that we all need to understand for a better quality of life, has to be shared by all. So what do you think would happen if every locality were to take the same position, we could be left in the dark or even worse if a coke drum couldn’t get to the refinery, oil prices would go where.
These loads generally will have 4 or 5 or more CHP Escorts involved along with several Pilot Cars and will crisscross through localities, counties and the state from origin to destination. These loads can be high, wide, long and/or exceeding 250,000 lbs. Their not your average or routine load, so thinking that these loads are restricted to only local truck routes is inconceivable at the least. You mind this load in areas that you ask why are these loads here and there may be several very good reason, such as a bridge was to low to cross under. Local Truck Routes are designed to restrict the day to day general truck traffic and so when these loads have to come through a locality that route is the only way through and generally that is the way they’re going to have to go. There are so some many obstacles that they have to contend with, clearing the vertical height of a structure, wires, street signs, signals and that sometimes is accomplished by maneuvering the vehicle into opposing lanes or lifting signal heads which has been permitted and with the presence of the CHP. Safety is accomplished with the help of CHP, as the vehicle maneuvers through each jurisdiction with the expected few confused motorist which brings additional safety concerns that just add to the already intense move that becomes just another day at the office.
- Meeting with City Engineer and CHP Southern Division Commercial. - We recently met with the City Engineer and staff, which were also attended by CHP Southern Division Commercial Officers who do the escorting through the City of
Reaffirming Our Purpose:
If you have any problems with an agency (city/county/state) and you find yourself asking ‘why are we having to do things this way’ and the agency tells you, ‘this is the way we have always done it’, let us know. We are here to make
Respectfully submitted,
Greg Dineen
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