SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS Radio) -- New data show Bay Area commuters are hitting the road earlier and earlier. The figures from the Metropolitan Transportation Commission show a double-digit percentage jump over the last year in the number of cars crossing the Bay Bridge between 3 am and 5 am.
Responding to a KCBS Radio request, the MTC provided raw data comparing the number of vehicles passing through the Bay Bridge toll plaza on two dates this year (Tuesday January 15th and Wednesday January 16th) and the corresponding weekdays in 2018 (Tuesday January 16th and Wednesday January 17th).
The year-over-year increase for the 3 am-5 am timeframe is 12.8%. When viewing the 3 am-4 am hour alone, it's even more pronounced: 14.2%
The new information accentuates a trend that has been in evidence for some time. KCBS Radio first reported in 2016 that the 5 am-6 am hour had become the busiest hour on the Bay Bridge,
