Bay Area drivers are getting a break from the folks at FasTrak.
Starting this month, drivers may purchase a new edition of the transponder that can be toggled to indicate how many people are in the vehicle.
Officials said the old transponder will still work, but the new one, called FasTrak Flex, has a button to indicate how many passengers drivers have in the vehicle.
Drivers who have enough for a carpool will be able to drive in the express lane during commute times without any deduction from their account.
The first section of highway where the full advantages of the flexible transponders is Interstate 580 between Pleasanton and Livermore.
To prevent cheaters, amber lights along the center median strip will light up when a transponder set to carpool goes past. Officials said it will be up to California Highway Patrol officers to count heads in the vehicle.
"We certainly hope this will cut down on cheating in carpool lanes," said John Goodwin of the Metropolitan Transportation Commission.
