Casual carpoolers, get ready to open your wallets and purses as you drive across the Oakland Bay Bridge.  Starting this July, the Bay Area Toll Authority has decided to charge carpoolers for the first time!

This action, as well as other toll increases, was approved by the Authority’s oversight committee yesterday.  It’s expected to receive final Authority approval by month’s end.

On the Bay Bridge, each carpool will need to pay a $2.50 toll heading into San Francisco.  By contrast, regular-old drivers will shell out $6.00 per rush-hour trip.  It’s going to cost $4.00 off-peak and $5.00 weekend hours.

But we wonder how the casual carpools are going to change.  Today there’s an entire protocol related to sharing rides as a free, trustworthy service.  With this new twist, are free-riders supposed to kick in part of the toll?  Or are the drivers picking up the whole, but discounted, fare on their own?

Something to ponder.