Still need to drive? We get it. Here are some options to make your trip faster and greener while saving you money.
- Calculate Your Commute’s Carbon
- Get Real-Time Traffic Updates
- Carpooling: Share Your Ride
- Commute Coach: Free Personalized Commute Planning
- Carsharing
- Go Electric
- Find an EV Charging Station
- The Contra Costa EV Readiness Blueprint
- HOV Lanes, Express Lanes, and FasTrak®
Calculate Your Commute’s Carbon
See the impact of your commute. Use our carbon calculator to estimate how much CO2 your commute produces in a year. See how your carbon output changes by commuting to work 4 days instead of 5 or switching to a more fuel-efficient vehicle.
Get Real-Time Traffic Updates
- Traffic.511.org: A real-time Bay Area traffic map
- SFGate.com/traffic: A real-time traffic map that includes a list of current incidents
- maps.google.com: Use Google Maps to see an overlay of traffic congestion and incidents
News & Information on Key Traffic Corridors
- Caldecott Tunnel (State Route 24)
- Antioch Bridge (State Route 160)
- Highway 4 (State Route 4)
Carpooling: Share Your Ride
The benefits add up quickly when you share your ride. Carpoolers split the cost of gas and enjoy toll-free access to HOV and Express lanes. Plus, everyone who carpools has a Guaranteed Ride Home in emergencies where carpooling isn’t an option.
If you are looking for a carpool partner, we’ve got useful tips on how to fill an empty seat.
Commute Coach
If you’re curious how trying a different commute might save you time or money, ask a 511CC Commute Coach. Give us the basic information about your commute and one of our transportation experts will contact you with customized commute options and information on available incentives. Best of all, the service is completely free.
Carsharing (Richmond and El Cerrito)
For people who need reliable access to a car for shorter trips but don’t want to own one, carsharing is a great option. Carsharing services provide affordable, round-the-clock access to a fleet of vehicles distributed throughout a city or service area. Vehicles can be located and rented instantly, online or with an app, making it easy to get out on the road. In Contra Costa, carsharing is currently available in Richmond (Míocar) and El Cerrito (GIG Car Share).
Go Electric
The technology supporting electric cars has improved dramatically over the last few years and they’ve become an affordable, reliable and cost-saving option that is better for the air we breathe.
- Never buy gas again
- No tailpipe emissions
- Lower maintenance costs
- ‘Fill up’ at home or work
- Take advantage of cash rebates and incentives
- Newer 100% EVs are HOV and express-lane eligible
- Find out how much you could save on the purchase of an electric vehicle with PG&E’s EV Savings Calculator
Learn more about electric vehicles with this buying guide for clean and efficient vehicles.
Find an EV Charging Station
Find a charging station using the PlugShare.com map of EV charging station locations.
The Contra Costa EV Readiness Blueprint
The Contra Costa Electric Vehicle (EV) Readiness Blueprint is preparing Contra Costa County for the electric vehicle future. The blueprint identifies best practices and strategies to bring about a transition to electric vehicles—both personal use and public transit—with the goal of improving air quality and our community’s health.
Learn more about how the EV Readiness Blueprint, created by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority and funded by the California Energy Commission, can transform how Contra Costa residents get around.
HOV Lanes, Express Lanes and FasTrak®
Faster commutes reduce driving time and generate less air pollution. During peak hours, a FasTrak Flex toll tag is required when using the I-680 and I-580 express lanes.
Express lanes are toll-free for carpools, vanpools, eligible clean-air vehicles, buses and motorcycles. Solo drivers must pay tolls during peak hours using a standard FasTrak or FasTrak Flex toll tag set to ‘1’.
