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News from around the Bay Area
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GOLDEN GATE BRIDGE OFFICIALS EYEING TOLL HIKE: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Drivers are expected to soon pay more to cross the Golden Gate Bridge.

The bridge's directors are set to consider several options to raise tolls at a meeting on Friday.

They include a 75-cent increase to $5.75 in April for drivers who use the FasTrak electronic payment system and then another increase to $6 in July 2016. Drivers who don't use FasTrak would see their tolls increase from $6 to $7 in April.

Another option would increase tolls for non-FasTrak drivers to $8 starting in July 2016.

The bridge district is facing a projected $142 million shortfall over the next several years.

A vote on any toll increase is not expected until early next year.

F LIGHT RAIL TRAIN LEAVES STATION WITHOUT DRIVER: SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A San Francisco light rail train left a station without its driver, who got out to fix a door and may have forgotten to set the emergency brake.

The San Francisco Municipal Railway train entered a tunnel Wednesday between Castro and Forest Hill stations before a passenger noticed the driver was still outside and activated the emergency brake.

John Haley, director of transit for the agency, says passengers were never in danger because the train was under automatic control.

Operators are required to engage the brake before exiting the train, and officials are looking into whether the driver forgot.

Without the brake on, the train's automatic control system remotely activated when the doors closed, sending it to the next station.

The train is being checked for mechanical problems.

EARTHQUAKE JOLTS EASTERN SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA: SAN RAMON  (AP) — Authorities say an earthquake has jolted the San Francisco Bay Area, making it at least the sixth small quake to hit the area within a week.

The U.S. Geological Survey says the quake with a preliminary 3.4 magnitude struck along the Calaveras Fault near the East Bay communities of San Ramon and Danville around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

USGS spokeswoman Leslie Gordon says the quake caused "weak to light shaking" in the area that could also be felt in other neighboring cities.

San Ramon Police say there have been no initial reports of damage or injuries.

USGS geologist David Schwartz says it was at least the sixth small quake to strike in and around San Ramon since Friday. He says the quakes have been about a mile apart from each other.