SunPass

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SunPass is an electronic toll collection system in use by the State of Florida and was originally created by the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. The system uses Amtech active RFID windshield-mounted transponders manufactured by TransCore along with lane equipment designed by several companies including SAIC and TransCore. SunPass is fully interoperable with E-Pass (from the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority), O-Pass (operated by Osceola County; operations have been absorbed by E-Pass), LeeWay (from Lee County toll bridges) and Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) toll roads. SunPass customers benefit from an average of a 25% discount on most tolls.

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[edit] General

SunPass-Only toll lanes on most toll roads in Florida allow a vehicle to proceed through the tollbooth at speeds of up to 25mph (40km/h). This is a safety guideline, not a technological limitation, and violation may be subject to a speeding ticket and associated fine. Most mainline toll barriers on the Turnpike system have been, or are currently being reconstructed with Open-Road Tolling (ORT) SunPass-only lanes that handle highway speeds. The mainline toll barriers have dedicated lanes capable of full-speed automatic toll collection at up to 65 mph (105 km/h), however, E-Pass-Only lanes in the OOCEA system have a speed limit of 35 mph (60 km/h). Most toll booths in the Orlando area have already upgraded to this open road tolling technology.

SunPass portable (hard case) transponders can be transferred between vehicles without damaging the transponder. The original transponders operate on battery power to communicate with toll barrier equipment and to operate audible and visual indications of toll paid, toll low, battery low, and so forth. The Type IIe transponder, an updated version of the SunPass portable, requires no batteries, but do not have indicator lights or audible beeps. SunPass portable transponders are sold at $25 US plus sales tax to customers who prefer the portability offered by the transponder. Currently, only the Type IIe transponder is being sold. Customers must establish a minimum opening account of $10 US to fund their tolls. Unused toll fees are only refunded if the user closes the account or takes advantage of a money-back guarantee.

SunPass Mini sticker RFID passive transponders, about the size of a credit card, operate on the energy emitted by toll barrier detectors, thus requiring no battery and providing no indicators. The Mini went on sale on July 1st, 2008 at $4.99, although the money is rebated minus tax with the opening of a new account. SunPass Mini, unlike its predecessor, must be mounted on the glass windshield of the vehicle to work properly and, once applied, cannot be removed from a windshield without destroying it. It will not work on motorcycle windshields as they are not made of glass, and there have been reports of damaged motorcycle windshields after the stickers were removed.[citation needed]

The Mini was initially unavailable in the Orlando Metro area due to the lack of RFID readers on E-Pass on Orlando area tollways.[1] On September 1st, 2008, the Mini became usable in all E-Pass lanes in Orlando, and the SunPass Mini is now sold at retail locations statewide.

In early 2009, all Easy Pay customers automatically become SunPass Plus customers and have the privilege of using their transponders to pay for airport parking at Tampa, Orlando and soon Fort Lauderdale, Miami, and Palm Beach airports. Customers can opt out of the SunPass Plus program.[2]

The SunPass electronic toll-collection system as well as the other related ETC systems in Florida are currently not compatible with E-ZPass or other ETC systems outside of Florida. Non-Florida ETC transponders (including E-ZPass) will not work in Florida tollbooths.

Florida's Turnpike recently began a project to convert the the southern 47 miles of the Turnpike Mainline, also known as Homestead Extension of Florida's Turnpike, to all-electronic tolling. When the first phase is complete in 2011, motorists must have a SunPass or enroll in the "Toll-by-Plate" program. Toll-by-Plate will use cameras and send a bill to the registered owner of the vehicle. Rates will be higher that SunPass rates.

[edit] Where SunPass is Accepted

[edit] References

  1. ^ "Sun Pass vs Sun Pass Mini". City-Data.com. 2008-07-20. http://www.city-data.com/forum/tampa-bay/378728-sun-pass-vs-sun-pass-mini.html. Retrieved 2008-07-29. 
  2. ^ "SunPass Plus Airport Parking". SunPass.com. 2009-04-02. http://www.sunpass.com/airportparking.cfm. Retrieved 2009-04-02. 

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SunPass"