Best E-Z Pass state?

[Uncle Hud]

Motorbikes are free in GA, but you have to have the tag or you're NOT free.

 

[TomInPA]

I'm on the turnpike all the time. Sometimes it doesn't work out to be any faster.

 

[Intech]

Hey Tom! I am not a maroon any more. My Ezpass transponders came in the mail yesterday.

 

[Uncle Hud]

I'm on the turnpike all the time. Sometimes it doesn't work out to be any faster.

Are they passing donuts or coffee between the cars?

 

[rbentnail]

I just hate buying something like a transponder for traveling and being charged whether I use it or not.

 

[TomInPA]

Russ, the PA transponder has a $3.00 annual fee. It gives you at a 40% discount (in PA) on tolls for cars, and more on a motorcycle, because you can't get a MC toll in cash. What's the heartburn here? One use, and it pays for itself. Everything you pay when you register the transponder applies to tolls. A one-time deposit of $10, plus a $3 non-refundable annual service fee, is required for each assigned transponder. Seriously, $3.00?

The PA E-Z Pass might be the best deal because I'm not sure the other states discount tolls. If so, I'd like to know.

 

[bigjohnsd]

I got mine several years ago in New York, the first Rest Stop had a booth and I picked one up, registered it online and the rest is history.

I've had no problems, no issues, it has worked from Washington DC to Maine and through PA, OH, IL as well.

I mount mine using the two little dual lock strips right above the windshield brace, never had an issue with it falling off or coming loose.

I put it in my pocket when i stop.

I've never tried using it from my pocket.

I did hear an interesting story from four Pirates that had trailer-ed their Harley's to Sturgis from Eastern PA, they came across the PA Pike then on some OH toll road, through IL and Chicago on that Toll Road. When they unloaded in Sturgis they realized that they all had their EZ-Passes on their bikes, plus the EZ Pass on the truck. They checked and they had all performed flawlessly at each and every opportunity. They send you the pass in a great little "Electron/RF Proof Envelope" Good idea to keep it and use it should you ever trailer the bike on a Toll Road that accepts EZ Pass.

 

[Intech]

I got mine several years ago in New York, the first Rest Stop had a booth and I picked one up, registered it online and the rest is history.
I've had no problems, no issues, it has worked from Washington DC to Maine and through PA, OH, IL as well.

I mount mine using the two little dual lock strips right above the windshield brace, never had an issue with it falling off or coming loose.

I put it in my pocket when i stop.

I've never tried using it from my pocket.

I did hear an interesting story from four Pirates that had trailer-ed their Harley's to Sturgis from Eastern PA, they came across the PA Pike then on some OH toll road, through IL and Chicago on that Toll Road. When they unloaded in Sturgis they realized that they all had their EZ-Passes on their bikes, plus the EZ Pass on the truck. They checked and they had all performed flawlessly at each and every opportunity. They send you the pass in a great little "Electron/RF Proof Envelope" Good idea to keep it and use it should you ever trailer the bike on a Toll Road that accepts EZ Pass.

Another fine example of why you should not trailer!

 

[Teehaml]

bigjohnsd wrote:

I did hear an interesting story from four Pirates that had trailer-ed their Harley's to Sturgis from Eastern PA, they came across the PA Pike then on some OH toll road, through IL and Chicago on that Toll Road. When they unloaded in Sturgis they realized that they all had their EZ-Passes on their bikes, plus the EZ Pass on the truck. They checked and they had all performed flawlessly at each and every opportunity. They send you the pass in a great little "Electron/RF Proof Envelope" Good idea to keep it and use it should you ever trailer the bike on a Toll Road that accepts EZ Pass.

Same thing happened to me the summer of 2011. I rode my old Sportster out to Sturgis (before the party so as to miss that mess). While there I got word that my mom had died so I caught a flight home and had the bike shipped back. My ez pass was in the tour pak and the bike was in a box truck. The ez pass was pinging on the toll booths across OH and PA.

 

[dudeckp]

October 2016 is supposed to be a deadline for national electronic toll interoperability according to MAP-21, but when doesn't the government extend its own deadlines.

Meanwhile, the best info I can find on toll interoperability (the reciprocity agreements):

And why October 2016 might be a pipe dream (the technology/protocols used):

 

[Uncle Hud]

As for the interoperability .... it's the Feds (Federal Highway Administration) mandating/suggesting/asking the states to do something. And the states are telling the Feds to stick it where the sun don't shine.

Unfortunately, unlike your ATM card which works in cash machines worldwide, toll tags and readers are manufactured by different vendors that use proprietary features to prohibit interoperability. Otherwise, your NY tag could be read by, say, Georgia tag readers, and a simple software transaction would deduct $1.50 from your NY EZ-Pass account and credit it to Georgia's SRTA.

The technology hurdles aren't that difficult: adopt an RFID/communication standard and let everybody manufacture their own toll tags and tag readers that use that communication standard. Political and short-term financial issues are impeding interoperability, not techno-stuff.

<boring techno-stuff> From the most recent specification for managed lane operations in metro Atlanta:

The Express Lanes Toll System will include Automatic Electronic Tolling with multiprotocol (3 protocols) readers, processing both SRTA home and interoperable transactions, video transactions, variable/dynamic pricing, entry/exit trip building, image processing, and interfacing with a third party back office. In addition to the selection, provisioning, and testing of the automatic vehicle identification (AVI) subsystem, the specific protocols that the multiprotocol readers must be capable of processing are Peach Pass (6C), IAG, Cruise Card (eGo® Plus) and SeGo (6B) transponders in a highway open road tolling environment.

PS: I understand Florida is phasing out Allegro.
</boring techno-stuff>

 

[dudeckp]

OUCH! Something posted from one of my competitor companies!

Competitor? Images lifted from supposed "working groups" trying (cough, cough) to make it all work together.

Unfortunately, unlike your ATM card which works in cash machines worldwide, toll tags and readers are manufactured by different vendors that use proprietary features to prohibit interoperability....

And that means it probably won't get solved in my lifetime.

I must be older than I though, my first two ATM cards didn't work in each others' machines: MAC (Money Access Center) & George. (along with many others as I remember: NYCE, Plus, Cirrus, Star, etc.) NOW, they're universal, but it took a decade or to to hash it out.

Otherwise, your NY tag could be read by, say, Georgia tag readers, and a simple software transaction would deduct $1.50 from your NY EZ-Pass account and credit it to Georgia's SRTA.

Financial transactions are easy-peasy, but as you mention:

adopt an RFID/communication standard and let everybody manufacture their own toll tags and tag readers that use the communication standard. Political and short-term financial issues are impeding interoperability, not techno-stuff.

National politics are publicly calling for cooperation, hence MAP-21, but it seems the state/regional turf/fiefdom B.S. is the real impediment.

When push comes to shove,the result will probably mean taxpayer dollars going to the toll agencies to put multiple readers at plazas as a "stop gap" because no one wanted to "lose to that OTHER state."

 

[Uncle Hud]

Your points are good.

HNTB is indeed one of my competitors; it just hurts to see their logo anywhere.

As an early-adopter of ATM cards, I had the same problems. That's no longer the case. My card has worked in non-US cash machines as long ago as .... 10 years? That's a response of profit-seeking entities (banks) overcoming the proprietary aspects of the card suppliers and ATM vendors.

As for toll-tag communication standards ... I added the latest SRTA spec (after you quoted, I suppose).

Seems that Georgia's SRTA -- technically not a part of Georgia DOT -- is attempting its own version of interoperability by requiring tag readers that handle 6B, 6C, and IAG protocols. Not sure if other states have fully- or quasi-independent tolling authorities, but they may also respond to the marketplace with an ability to charge you electronically no matter who issued your tag.

Wonder if they'll tack on a $2 charge for processing non-SRTA tags?

 

[tempest766]

I read through this thread with great interest since PA just added another turnpike spur to the "cashless" riders only club. It saddens me how folks, many with the disposable income to ride a nice expensive bike, are just sometimes (too often) not right in the head.

These are the reasons you DONT WANT a transponder.

1) it is tied to your bank account. Right now it may be only the state that auto-debits your funds, but how long will that last, and do you really trust the state or their 3rd party company they outsource it to to get it right?

2) having a radio transponder attached to my car that knows when I enter and exit the turnpike is way too big brother for my tastes. I guarantee that they are analyzing the data from these transponders to determine what parts of the turnpike will net the biggest speeding ticket revenues even though they are not currently targeting the individuals YET!

3) by supporting EZpass you ARE helping to cut state worker jobs and making it harder for people who don't believe in credit or a cashless society to get along

4) myself being old enough to remember face to face business practices, I can tell you with authority that NOTHING GOOD comes out of kiosk/self-service based business. it is ALWAYS to the advantage to the business and NEVER to the advantage of the consumer. PA has been having a legislative fight between the governor and representatives for going on two years now. The result is that literally noone is left in state offices to take calls over problems they are having with the state government. Tom Wolfe has been laying the workers off to the point where you simply cannot get things straightenned out when you need to. I waited five months for a Pub Utilities Commission guy to get to me on a complaint I had against the electric company. Cash is king! You pay it for services rendered at the time those services are rendered and if you're not getting the service you contract for then you don't pay. Try that when the other side already has your bank account info and you cannot metaphorically reach across the table and grab them by the throat to get their attention.

 

[Geezer]

I live in NY, so I use the NY EZ-Pass. I have a separate one for my motorcycle which has a large M on it facing forward through the windscreen. Motorcycles get a discount so it pays to get the motorcycle specific tag.

I never had to pay a fee to get the tag, or any annual fee to have the tag, but that was years ago and may have changed.

I keep mine mounted on the windscreen at the center bottom. In NY, if your vehicle is registered on EZ-Pass to a particular tag and your tag is not read, or not on the vehicle, the system will use a photo of your license plate to match you up with the tag and charge accordingly. If your license plate is not in the EZ Pass system they charge an added fine. I don't know how that would work for out of state license plates.

 

[Uncle Hud]

Tempest776,

You are, as always, entitled to your opinions, and I'm not criticizing them. However,

1) Check your Pennsylvania EZ-Pass requirements carefully. Most toll tags do not have to be tied to a bank account or a credit card. The Georgia toll folks have their own account for me with the minimum $25 balance in it. Any tolls are deducted from my balance, and I get an email reminder when it drops below $25. Since motorbikes ride for free, any email reminder is a source for concern.

2) Tag tolling does indeed eliminate employees (a source of embezzlement) and toll plazas (a source of recurring traffic congestion and rear-end collisions).

3) If you think the bank holds your personal info any more securely than the State or a state-authorized vendor, you're kidding yourself. Same thing with your credit card company. Your info is out there, and it's a little scary how easy it can be stolen.

 

[BikerGeek99]

My main reason for getting an EZPass?

Heading from NY into PA, on I-90. Every booth at the toll plaza had at least 12 cages in line to pay. And it was raining to beat all hell. I had to take off my gloves to dig out my wallet (wasn't s-m-r-t enough to keep a few bucks in the tank bag).

I just keep mine in a pocket in the tank bag when I don't have it in one of the cages. I just pull it out a bit when I run through the booth.

When we bumped in to John Ryan over in Pittsburgh at the IBR '13 hotel, he had his in a pouch on his left forearm.

 

[Fred W]

Most EasyPass accounts can be set up with a credit card number. No need to give them your bank info. In case you aren't already aware, any fraudulent charges on a credit card will be reversed as soon as you inform the company. Legally they say you can be on the hook for the first $50 but in reality they always credit you the full amount. I've had fraudulent charges on my credit cards several times in the past and the companies always take care of it. If they didn't people would stop using credit cards.

Not having an easy pass won't shield you from Big Brother for much longer anyway.

Open road tolling is actually already being used in Massachusetts. What this amounts to is the toll booths are completely gone now from the Mass Pike (and soon all other toll roads). They have set up gantries that span the highway in strategic locations with EZ Pass transponders and photo cameras mounted on them. If you have a transponder they'll collect your info and charge your EZ Pass account (with the normal discount you got from cash). If you don't have a transponder they photo your plate and send you the bill anyway, and of course you have to pay the higher rate. You don't even have to sign up for this or be from a local state.

I expect this to be the way of the future soon in other / all states eventually. When you travel through a state that doesn't participate in your local EZ Pass type system, you'll just get the higher, photo-recorded toll fees in the mail. So, Big Brother will still know where you've been and how fast you were going whether you get a transponder or not. You'll just pay higher tolls for the privilege.

In NH you don't even need to have the transponder in the vehicle so long as you have the plate registered to your EZPass account. When you go through the open road tolling section they will just charge your EZPass account for the tolls based on the plate photo. You lose your discount because it takes more processing, but you don't have to sweat having your EZPass transponder in the car or on the bike.

I am a proponent of user fees vs taxes in most areas of life. I'd much rather that the cars and especially big trucks that actually use and wear out the highways be the ones who pay for it, instead of having everyone in the entire area be taxed to support it, whether they actually drive or use the roads at all. The unfortunate part is that most states do both, collect the tolls and then also tax the public.

 

[BigOgre]

Yep. We've been seeing the PR releases from our governor for some time now letting us know how great he this is for us.

Clicky

 

[Fred W]

Is the NYS throughway open road tolling now too?
Just curious as we'll be 4 wheeling it out to MI this summer to visit the kids.