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CA FasTrak Transponders

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My FasTrak transponder is/was correctly installed at the top/center of the windshield. However, any time I use the FasTrak lane, my account is charged because the the system cannot read the transponder through the coating which Tesla puts on the windshields. The last time this happened I called Metro Express and they credited my account back. Today, I apparently reached the correct person. She stated that they are aware of this problem for the Tesla and that she was putting my license plate on the "exclusion" list. This means that from now on whenever I use the FasTrak lane the system will still photo my license plate, but then it will not charge me. My license plate is now permanently excluded. I will be removing the transponder now since I see no point to keeping it up there on the windshield. Of course, I still have to pay the $1 monthly fee, but at least I no longer have to worry about the transponder or figure out a work-around.
 
FWIW, I had been using an external likcense plate FasTrak transponder here in the SF Bay Area, as I could never get the internal version to work. I had this mounted on the black front bumper bar behind the nose cone. Worked great.

There are soon going to be new HOV/flex $$ pricing lanes here, so there is a new internal FasTrak Flex transponder with a 3 position switch. 'Ordinary' drivers set the switch to the number of occupants and use the bridges/toll lanes, and are supposed to be billed as appropriate. But what about the shielded Model S windshield--what could I do?

I went over the Bay Area FasTrak web site and read up on the system, and also spoke with a representative. If you have the white HOV stickers and thus qualify, you can get the new FasTrak Flex transponder and leave it set to 3. So I got the new transponder, set it to 3, placed electrical tape over the switch and the speaker opening, and also taped up the enitre perimeter of the transponder case. I then popped my nose cone off, deinstalled the old license plate transponder, and Velcroed the new one to the inside of the nose cone itself. I have not yet hit a HOV/variable pricing lane yet. YMMV.
 
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My FasTrak transponder is/was correctly installed at the top/center of the windshield. However, any time I use the FasTrak lane, my account is charged because the the system cannot read the transponder through the coating which Tesla puts on the windshields. The last time this happened I called Metro Express and they credited my account back. Today, I apparently reached the correct person. She stated that they are aware of this problem for the Tesla and that she was putting my license plate on the "exclusion" list. This means that from now on whenever I use the FasTrak lane the system will still photo my license plate, but then it will not charge me. My license plate is now permanently excluded. I will be removing the transponder now since I see no point to keeping it up there on the windshield. Of course, I still have to pay the $1 monthly fee, but at least I no longer have to worry about the transponder or figure out a work-around.

Wow, that's news to me... Did you call 511 to get connected? I've never had any luck with talking to them. Anyways, I say this in any So-Cal Fastrak thread that comes up -- I found that mounting on my rear glass (or just velcro to the underside of the parcel shelf) works 100%. I've driven dozens of times up and down the 110, through the 73, and even in the bay area on the Golden Gate Bridge and it's read 100%.
 
Never reads thru my windshield. If you have your license plate registered on the account then you shouldn't need a separate exclusion. It should be automatic. That's the way it's always worked for me at least on the toll roads.
 
Wow, that's news to me... Did you call 511 to get connected? I've never had any luck with talking to them. Anyways, I say this in any So-Cal Fastrak thread that comes up -- I found that mounting on my rear glass (or just velcro to the underside of the parcel shelf) works 100%. I've driven dozens of times up and down the 110, through the 73, and even in the bay area on the Golden Gate Bridge and it's read 100%.

I did get to a human through 511. Never thought about mounting elsewhere but since I also have ceramic tint I'm not sure that it would work in other spots as well unless it was inside the nose cone.
 
FWIW, I had been using an external likcense plate FasTrak transponder here in the SF Bay Area, as I could never get the internal version to work. I had this mounted on the black front bumper bar behind the nose cone. Worked great.

There are soon going to be new HOV/flex $$ pricing lanes here, so there is a new internal FasTrak Flex transponder with a 3 position switch. 'Ordinary' drivers set the switch to the number of occupants and use the bridges/toll lanes, and are supposed to be billed as appropriate. But what about the shielded Model S windshield--what could I do?

I went over the Bay Area FasTrak web site and read up on the system, and also spoke with a representative. If you have the white HOV stickers and thus qualify, you can get the new FasTrak Flex transponder and leave it set to 3. So I got the new transpondfer, set it to 3, placed electrical tape over the switch and the speaker openiong, and also taped up the enitre perimeter of the transponder case. I then popped my nose cone off, deinstalled the old license plate transponder, and Velcroed the new one to the inside of the nose cone itself. I have not yet hit a HOV/variable pricing lane yet. YMMV.

Thanks for the heads up on the Flex transponder. I ordered one this afternoon!
 
All very interesting. In San Diego, we don't need transponders for EV vehicles. You just put on the decal and drive.

You don't need it for the regular HOV carpool lanes but if you want to take the toll road up to L. A. then you need to get the transponder. It will cost you $25 plus $1 a month. You can get them from AAA and some Costco stores. If you plan to drive in SF Bay Area then you need it for the toll bridges as well.
 
Wow, that's news to me... Did you call 511 to get connected? I've never had any luck with talking to them. Anyways, I say this in any So-Cal Fastrak thread that comes up -- I found that mounting on my rear glass (or just velcro to the underside of the parcel shelf) works 100%. I've driven dozens of times up and down the 110, through the 73, and even in the bay area on the Golden Gate Bridge and it's read 100%.

Mount it on the rear windshield works?

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FWIW, I had been using an external likcense plate FasTrak transponder here in the SF Bay Area, as I could never get the internal version to work. I had this mounted on the black front bumper bar behind the nose cone. Worked great.

There are soon going to be new HOV/flex $$ pricing lanes here, so there is a new internal FasTrak Flex transponder with a 3 position switch. 'Ordinary' drivers set the switch to the number of occupants and use the bridges/toll lanes, and are supposed to be billed as appropriate. But what about the shielded Model S windshield--what could I do?

I went over the Bay Area FasTrak web site and read up on the system, and also spoke with a representative. If you have the white HOV stickers and thus qualify, you can get the new FasTrak Flex transponder and leave it set to 3. So I got the new transponder, set it to 3, placed electrical tape over the switch and the speaker opening, and also taped up the enitre perimeter of the transponder case. I then popped my nose cone off, deinstalled the old license plate transponder, and Velcroed the new one to the inside of the nose cone itself. I have not yet hit a HOV/variable pricing lane yet. YMMV.

Where in the nose cone did you mount the Velcro? I have the same issue. I got one of those transponder with the 3 position switch. I suppose when I get the white HOV sticker, I can leave it 3 all the time.
 
That's awesome! I had no luck with the old FasTrack transponder. But the new one with the three way switch works great.

Really? I have a 3 way switch and that doesn't seem to work either. Where are you mounting yours?

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91 Express lanes transponder with 1,2,3 people switch. I have it on 3.

Free access to 91 Express most of the time and no monthly fee.

And it works through my windshield

WHere are you mounting yours? Can you take a picture?
 
Mount it on the rear windshield works?

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Where in the nose cone did you mount the Velcro? I have the same issue. I got one of those transponder with the 3 position switch. I suppose when I get the white HOV sticker, I can leave it 3 all the time.

I mounted it to the back side of the nose cone centered just below the location of the Tesla T.