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E-ZPass

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E-ZPass
Company typeelectronic toll-collection systems
Founded1987–1989
ProductsTransponders, Car tags
ServicesUnited States: Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, West Virginia
Canada: Ontario

E‑ZPass is an electronic toll-collection system used on most tolled roads, bridges, and tunnels in the midwestern and northeastern United States, south to North Carolina, and west to Illinois. Currently, there are 37 agencies spread across 16 states that make up the E‑ZPass Interagency Group (IAG).[1] All member agencies use the same technology, allowing travelers to use the same E‑ZPass transponder throughout the IAG network. Various independent systems that use the same technology have been integrated into the E‑ZPass system. These include I‑Pass in Illinois and NC Quick Pass in North Carolina. Other interoperable systems retained their own branding for some time, but have all since been rebranded simply as E-ZPass.

Functionality

Technology

A typical E-ZPass toll booth in Massachusetts, before that state discontinued using their Fast Lane branding. The transmission antenna is highlighted in the yellow box.
An E‑ZPass system transponder unit (also known as a "tag" or a "pack"); this unit is distributed by the Indiana Toll Road for use with their E‑ZPass system and other roads which utilize E‑ZPass.
New G4 style E-ZPass transponder manufactured by Kapsch
E-ZPass exterior (license plate mount) transponder

E‑ZPass tags are active[2] RFID transponders, made exclusively by Kapsch TrafficCom (formerly Mark IV Industries Corp—IVHS Division). They communicate with reader equipment built into lane-based or open-road toll collection lanes by transmitting a unique radio signature. The most common type of tag is an internal tag that can be mounted on the inside of the vehicle's windshield in proximity to the rear-view mirror. Some vehicles have windshields that block RF signals; for those vehicles, historical vehicles, and customers who have aesthetic concerns, an external tag is offered, typically designed to attach to the vehicle's front license plate mounting points.[3]

Although a tag can be used with a motorcycle, there are usually no official instructions given for mounting due to the numerous variations between bike designs and the small area of a motorcycle windshield which could prove a hindrance if the transponder is attached following automobile instructions. Transponders may be put in a shirt or jacket pocket, if necessary.[4]

Most E‑ZPass lanes are converted manual toll lanes and must have fairly low speed limits for safety reasons (between 5 and 15 mph is typical), so that E‑ZPass vehicles can merge safely with vehicles that stopped to pay a cash toll and, in some cases, to allow toll workers to safely cross the E‑ZPass lanes to reach booths accepting cash payments. In some areas, however (typically recently built or retrofitted facilities), there is no need to slow down, because E‑ZPass users can utilize dedicated traffic lanes ("Express E‑ZPass") that are physically separate from the toll-booth lanes. Examples include:

In October 2006, Illinois completed open road tolling for I‑Pass and E‑ZPass users; it was the first U.S. state to have done so.[6]

Each E-ZPass tag is specifically programmed for a particular class of vehicle; while any valid working tag will be read and accepted in any E‑ZPass toll lane, the wrong toll amount will be charged if the tag's programmed vehicle class does not match the vehicle. This will result in a violation and possible large fine assessed to the tag holder, especially if a lower-class (e.g., passenger car) tag is being used in a higher-class vehicle such as a bus or truck. In an attempt to avoid this, E‑ZPass tags for commercial vehicles are blue in color, contrasting with the white tags assigned to standard passenger vehicles. The blue E‑ZPass is also used in government employee vehicles. In New York, an orange E‑ZPass tag is issued to emergency vehicles as well as to employees of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and New York State Thruway Authority.

For purposes of interoperability, all agencies are connected to each other by a secure network (the "reciprocity network"). This network provides the means to exchange tag data and process toll transactions across the various agencies. Tag data is exchanged among the agencies on a nightly basis. This data can take up to 24 hours on the primary network the unit is issued by (e.g., i‑Zoom, i‑Pass, E‑ZPass), but may be delayed by as much as 72 hours on other networks.[7][8]

Technology details

The E‑ZPass transponder works by listening for a signal broadcast by the reader stationed at the toll booth. This 915 MHz signal is sent at 500 kbit/s using the TDM (formerly IAG) protocol in 256‑bit packets. Transponders use active Type II read/write technology. In April 2013, Kapsch (purchasers of Mark IV Industries) made the protocol available to all interested parties royalty-free in perpetuity and is also granting the right to sublicense the protocol.[9]

Retail Availability

Some issuing agencies offer a packaged E‑ZPass transponder preloaded with toll funds sold over-the-counter at a retail setting (such as a supermarket or pharmacy service desk) that are valid immediately.[10][11] A portion of the balance is available instantly; customers can access the remaining balance when they register their transponders with the issuing E‑ZPass agency within several days of first using their tags.

History

Express E-ZPass lanes on the Atlantic City Expressway in New Jersey, which allow the motorist to pay their toll at high speed
A New Hampshire E-ZPass plaza also using a coin drop basket (left) and a conventional toll booth (right)

The notion of electronic tolling had been considered as early as the 1980s, particularly in the New York metropolitan area. The tolling agencies of New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania—which constitute two-thirds of the United States' $3 billion-a-year toll industry—sought to create a compatible electronic-tolling technology that could be used on the toll roads and bridges of the three states, in an effort to reduce congestion on some of the busiest roadways and toll plazas in the United States.[citation needed] In 1991, the E‑ZPass IAG was created to develop an interoperable system, and involved the participation and cooperation of seven independent toll agencies—The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, The New Jersey Turnpike Authority, The New Jersey Highway Authority—which, at the time, operated the Garden State Parkway—the New York Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the New York State Thruway Authority, The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, and the South Jersey Transportation Authority (operator of the Atlantic City Expressway). The E‑ZPass trademark, however, belongs to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.[12] The Port Authority has been aggressive at protecting its trademark, including forcing the Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to rename the "EZ Pass" regional transit pass to "EZ transit pass" to protect its rights.[13]

The TollTag used by North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) in the Dallas / Fort Worth metro area was North America's first electronic toll collection system when it was installed on the Dallas North Tollway in 1989.[14]

Under the direction of Peter Tufo, chairman of the New York State Thruway from 1989 to 1996, E‑ZPass was first deployed on the Thruway at the Spring Valley toll plaza on August 3, 1993. Over the following three and a half years, the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) installed electronic toll-collection equipment, in stages, along the Thruway. By February 6, 1997, E‑ZPass had been installed along the entire length of the corridor.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike had planned to adopt E-ZPass by 1998;[15][16] however, implementation of the system was postponed until December 2, 2000,[17] when E-ZPass debuted on the turnpike between Harrisburg West and the Delaware River Bridge.[18] By December 15, 2001, E-ZPass could be used on the entire length of the mainline Pennsylvania Turnpike.[19][20] Commercial vehicles were allowed to use the system beginning on December 14, 2002,[21] and the entire Turnpike system was taking E-ZPass by 2006.[22]

On October 6, 1998, a U.S. patent for an "automated toll collection system" was issued to Fred Slavin and Randy J. Schafer.[23]

Meanwhile, various other agencies began work on similar electronic toll collecting facilities. This resulted in the emergence of other networks:

Originally, these systems were not interchangeable with E‑ZPass. However, since most of them use the same technology (or have since converted over to a compatible technology), all of them have been incorporated into the E‑ZPass network. Though several still retain their own brand name for their own facilities, users of those systems can use E‑ZPass and vice versa. This allows, for example, travelers to drive on various toll roads in several states from Chicago, Illinois, to Atlantic City, New Jersey, with only an E‑ZPass tag.

The E‑ZPass system continues to expand. The Indiana Toll Road Concessions Corporation has upgraded its toll plazas to include E‑ZPass functionality on the Indiana East–West Toll Road, while the Ohio Turnpike Commission has upgraded its toll plazas in October 2009 for the Ohio Turnpike (I‑76, I‑80, I‑90). The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company brands its E‑ZPass program as I‑Zoom; Ohio will use the E‑ZPass brand name.[26] On December 16, 2008, Rhode Island joined the network by activating E‑ZPass lanes in the state's only toll booth, at the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge.[27] The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet, which had a toll road system pre-dating the E-ZPass system which was ended in 2006, announced at the end of July 2015 their entrance into the E-ZPass system as part of the financing for the Louisville area Ohio River Bridges Project involving the new Downtown Crossing and East End bridges.[28]

E‑ZPass ETC transponders do not work on all toll roads in the United States. Currently, the E-ZPass electronic toll-collection system (as well as the other ETC systems that are part of the E‑ZPass network) are not compatible with Florida systems (including SunPass and E‑Pass), California's FasTrak, Kansas's K‑Tag, Oklahoma's Pikepass, Texas's TxTag, Utah's Express Pass, Puerto Rico's AutoExpreso, Georgia's Peach Pass and Cruise Card, or other ETC systems outside of E‑ZPass operating regions. Under MAP-21, passed in 2012, all ETC facilities in the United States must reach some form of interoperability by October 1, 2016.

In 2009 an organization called the Alliance for Toll Interoperability[29] stated that it was exploring the option of using high-speed cameras to take photographs of the cars passing through non-E‑ZPass lanes in other states.[30] The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, which has been studying going towards all-electronic tolling in order to cut costs, plans to implement such a system for non-E-ZPass users by 2018.[31]

Canada

Until 2005, drivers crossing the Peace Bridge between Fort Erie, Ontario, and Buffalo, New York, paid a toll before crossing to Canada. Following upgrades to the border crossings in 2005, drivers instead pay a toll on the Canadian side of the Peace Bridge after clearing Canadian customs. This is the first E‑ZPass toll booth located outside of the United States. The toll goes to the Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, a bi-national agency responsible for maintaining the international bridge.

On August 11, 2014, E-ZPass began to be accepted at the Lewiston–Queenston Bridge, Rainbow Bridge, and Whirlpool Rapids Bridge.[32] The toll for the Lewiston-Queenston Bridge is paid in Canada after clearing Canadian customs, whereas the toll is paid before leaving the United States at the other two bridges. The toll from these three bridges goes to the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission.

Variants

E-ZPass Plus

For E-ZPass subscribers who replenish their accounts with a major credit card the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey offers an E-ZPass option to pay for parking at three Port Authority airports—John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, and Newark Liberty International Airport—through a program known as E-ZPass Plus.[33] This program is also available in New York at the Albany International Airport in Albany, Syracuse Hancock International Airport in Syracuse, and the parking lots at the New York State Fair when the fair is in progress; as well as in Atlantic City, New Jersey at the Atlantic City International Airport, the New York Avenue Parking Garage, and the Atlantic City Surface Lot.

The parking payment is debited from the prepaid E‑ZPass account if the parking fee is less than $20. If it is $20 or more, the amount is charged directly to the credit card used to replenish the E‑ZPass account.[33] The Port Authority reports that drivers save an average of 15 seconds by opting to pay for airport parking using E‑ZPass.[citation needed]

Subscribers who replenish their E‑ZPass accounts with cash or check cannot participate in this program. Additionally, this service is only available, as of 2013, to customers of the DelDOT, Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, or Delaware River and Bay Authority, or of the New Hampshire DOT; to customers in Maryland and in New Jersey; to customers of the PANYNJ, the New York MTA, or the NYS Thruway; and to customers of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.[34]

E-ZPass Flex

In late 2012, the I‑495 HOT (high occupancy toll) lanes in Virginia started to support E‑ZPass Flex transponders.[35] These work similarly to regular transponders, but let the driver switch between HOV and toll-paying modes. When a transponder is switched to HOV mode (with three or more passengers in the vehicle), it is read by the HOT lane's toll equipment but no toll is charged. E-ZPass Flex also works like a standard E-ZPass on all other toll roads where E-ZPass is accepted, regardless of the position of the switch.[36]

Concerns

Reduced pollution and health

A study published in the American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, "Traffic Congestion and Infant Health: Evidence from E-ZPass", compared fetal health outcomes for mothers living near congested and uncongested toll plazas on three major highways in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The researchers focused on areas where toll plazas had instituted E-ZPass, which, because cars travel through more efficiently, diminishes congestion and pollution. The study drew its conclusions by looking at the health outcomes of nearly 30,000 births among mothers who lived within two kilometers of an E-ZPass toll plaza. The researchers state that their findings "suggest that the adoption of E-ZPass was associated with significant improvements of infant health". The study's specific findings were: 1) In areas where E-ZPass was adopted, rates of infant prematurity decreased by between 6.7% and 9.1%; this means that, out of the sample studied, 255 preterm births were avoided; 2) Introduction of E-ZPass was correlated with a reduction in the incidence of low birth weight by between 8.5% and 11.3%; that means 275 cases of low birth weight were avoided.[37]

Privacy concerns

RFID E-ZPass reader attached to the pole and its antenna (right) used in traffic monitoring in New York City by using the vehicle re-identification method

Civil liberties and privacy rights advocates have expressed concern about how the position data gathered through E‑ZPass is used. As of August 2007, several states that employ E‑ZPass have provided electronic toll information in response to court orders in civil cases, including divorces and other non-criminal matters.[38]

Position data is collected by antennas at locations in addition to fee collection locations. The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT), for example, collect transponder information to provide real-time estimates of travel times between common destinations. By subtracting the time when vehicles pass under the first sign from the current time, the sign can display the expected travel time between the sign and the destination point ahead. This information is also used to determine the best times to schedule lane maintenance-related lane closures and for other traffic management purposes. According to NYSDOT, the individual tag information is encrypted, is deleted as soon as the vehicle passes the last reader, and is never made available to the Department.[39]

Accounts and agencies

Within the IAG, each member agency has its own billing and customer service center, and each establishes its own fee and discount structures. The agencies also set their own customer account policies. Areas of variation include the refundable deposit or nonrefundable charge for a tag, periodic maintenance fees, paper statement fees, the low account threshold, and replenishment amounts. E‑ZPass is usually offered as a debit account: tolls are deducted from prepayments made by the users. Users may opt to have prepayments automatically deposited when their account is low, or they may submit prepayments manually, either by phone or a toll authority's web portal, depending on the agency. For commercial accounts, some agencies allow postpaid plans with a security deposit (which effectively renders them prepaid accounts, with a different replenishment policy).

Some agencies have imposed periodic account maintenance fees on their subscribers. After New Jersey began losing money with the E‑ZPass system, a monthly account fee of one dollar was implemented on July 15, 2002[40] and is still in effect for both individual and business accounts.[41] The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey also charges a monthly individual account fee of one dollar.[42] On July 1, 2009, the Maryland Transportation Authority began charging a fee of $1.50 a month to accountholders[43] which, as of July 1, 2015, only applies to non-residents and is waived if three Maryland E‑ZPass tolls were incurred during the previous month.[44]

The Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority (TBTA) in New York City once imposed a monthly account fee starting on July 1, 2005, claiming to defray the administrative costs.[45] However, New York State Assembly Bill A06859A in 2005 and 2006 and Senate Bill S6331 in 2006 both considered such a fee threatening the efficiency to move traffic faster with lower tolls and sought to ban it.[46] When the New York State Law started to ban the monthly account fee,[47] the TBTA repealed it on June 1, 2006, and those, especially New Jerseyans, seeking New York accounts and avoiding the monthly fee still imposed by New Jersey and Port Authority, would have to apply for the TBTA or the New York State Thruway accounts at an E‑ZPass New York Service Center.[48]

Several agencies offer discounted tolls to E-ZPass customers. The details vary widely, and can include general discounts for all E‑ZPass users, variable pricing discounts for off-peak hours, commuter plans with minimum usage levels, flat rate plans offering unlimited use for a period of time, carpool plans for high-occupancy vehicles, and resident plans for those living near particular toll facilities. Many of these plans are available only to customers whose tags are issued by the agency that owns the toll facility in question (reciprocity applies to tag acceptance, not to discounts). Eight authorities in the Northeast (Maine,[49] the Massachusetts Turnpike,[50] the New Hampshire Turnpike,[51] Rhode Island,[52] NYC TBTA,[53] New Jersey Turnpike,[54] DelDOT[55]) and Maryland restrict their general discounts to their own respective tagholders. The Delaware Memorial Bridge restricts its discount plans to New Jersey tags[56] despite its toll plaza being located in Delaware (DelDOT-issued tags cannot obtain the discount plans).[57]

Some agencies charge a one-time fee between $20 and $30 for each new transponder, including the Delaware Department of Transportation, the New Hampshire Department of Transportation, and the Maine Turnpike Authority.[58] At least two agencies, the Delaware River and Bay Authority and the Maryland Transportation Authority, once charged multiple fees. In a press release dated July 17, 2007, the DRBA stated: "Beginning January 1, 2008, all DRBA E-ZPass account holders will be charged an account management fee of $1.50 per month. The transponder cost will also be passed on to E‑ZPass customers for each new transponder." E‑ZPass New York charges a monthly fee of 50 cents for each tag in connection with a business account.[59] The DRBA since merged its service center with New Jersey's E-ZPass service center. On July 1, 2015, a plan put forth by Governor Hogan eliminated Maryland's monthly fee (except accounts without a Maryland address, unless using Maryland toll facilities at least three times in the previous statement period)[60] along with decreasing some toll rates especially for Maryland-issued E-ZPass tags.[61]

E‑ZPass users are not required to maintain their account with an agency in their home state. Subscribers can open an E‑ZPass account with any member of the IAG regardless of residency. This means that users have the option of choosing an agency based on the fees that it charges, effectively allowing them to circumvent transponder and account maintenance fees.[62]

Fees and discounts by state

State Monthly/Annual Fee(s) Deposit Minimum Balance Discounts
Delaware[63] $0 for email/web statements, $8/year for quarterly paper statements $15 per internal or external transponder (non-refundable) $10 minimum balance (Account charged a replenishment amount based on monthly toll usage, with a minimum of $25). 50% off cash rates for Delaware SR‑1 when 30 or more qualifying trips are made by a two-axle passenger vehicle within a 30-day rolling period.
Illinois (I-PASS)[64] $0 per month $10 per internal transponder (refundable) $10 minimum balance (Account charged a minimum replenishment amount of $20 or an amount 10% of average monthly usage, whichever is higher). 50% off cash rate for all transponders (ISTHA tolls and passenger cars only)
Indiana (formerly i‑Zoom) $1 per month/transponder $10 per internal transponder (refundable) $2.50 minimum balance (first 90 days), then $2.50 minimum balance or 25% of average monthly usage, whichever is greater (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $10 in the first 90 days, after which the minimum replenishment amount is based on the previous three months of usage on one's account and is recalculated on the first of each month, the minimum amount being $10.). Manual replenishment for any amount is available via ITR website. Discounts available to all transponders. Percentage varies by exit.
Maine[65] $0 per month $10 per internal transponder (non-refundable)

$17 per external transponder (non-refundable) 		$15 minimum balance (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $20 when one's account drops below minimum balance). Discounts based on travel volume: 30–39 account trips per month will equal a 25% discount applied to monthly account trips. 40+ account trips per month will equal a 50% discount applied to monthly account trips. For less than 30 account trips per month, Maine E-ZPass customers pay slightly less than cash rate. Other transponders pay cash rate.
Maryland[66][67] $0 per month ($1.50 fee for non-residents only, effective July 1, 2015, waived if three Maryland E‑ZPass tolls incurred during the previous month)[44] $9 per internal transponder (non-refundable)

$33 per external transponder (non-refundable)

$40 per internal FUSION CVO (PrePass & E-ZPass all-in-one) transponder

$18 per internal E-ZPass Flex transponder (For use on I-495 Express Lanes) 		$10 minimum balance (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $25 or an amount equal to one's average monthly usage, whichever is higher). Discounts available to Maryland E‑ZPass users only. 10–37.5% discount off the passenger vehicle cash rate at all Maryland toll facilities.[68] Various other plans available for bridges and regions.
Massachusetts (formerly Fast Lane)[69] $0 per month if monthly statements by e-mail $0 per internal transponder $20 minimum balance (Account is charged a replenishment amount whenever the balance falls below $10, replenishing the account to a balance of $20). For "Fast Lane"/"E-Z Pass MA" subscribers (from any state): 25¢ discount at Allston-Brighton tolls, 50¢ discount at Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels and Tobin Memorial Bridge.[70][71]

With special transponder obtained by application: Residents of Charlestown and Chelsea pay $0.30 on Tobin Bridge. Residents of East Boston, South Boston, and North End pay $0.40 at Sumner and Ted Williams tunnels. Carpools with 3 or more passengers receive discount.[72]

New Hampshire[73] $1 per month for paper statements after year 1[74] $8.90 per internal transponder (non-refundable)

$15.19 per external transponder (non-refundable)

$.50 per month to lease transponder 		$30 minimum balance (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $30 in the first 35 days, after which the minimum replenishment amount is based on the previous three months of usage on one's account, the minimum amount being $30). 30% off cash rate for NH transponders only. Other transponders pay cash rate.
New Jersey $1 per month membership fee + $1 bimonthly for print/email statements $10 per internal transponder (refundable) or $0 if credit or direct debit replenishment. $10 or 25% of one's replenishment threshold, whichever is greater (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $25 in the first 90 days, after which the minimum replenishment amount is based on the previous three months of usage on one's account, the minimum amount being $25). Various discounts for NJ transponders only. Other transponders pay cash rate.
New York[75] $1 per month PANYNJ account service fee (no fee for MTA, Thruway, or Bridge Authority accounts) + $6/yr for monthly paper statements (bimonthly statements are free) $10 per internal transponder (refundable) or $0 if auto-replenish or pay per trip with a credit card backup $30 minimum balance (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $25 or an amount equal to one's average usage in a 90‑day period, whichever is higher) or $0 minimum balance for pay per trip. At all Port Authority facilities, E‑ZPass discounts are available. At MTA Bridges and Tunnels, $2.17 off cash tolls. $4.34 off round-trip at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and $1.75 discount at the Marine Parkway-Gil Hodges Memorial and Cross Bay Veterans Memorial Bridges. At all New York State Thruway and New York State Bridge Authority facilities, E‑ZPass discounts apply. Discount rates apply only to customer tags issued by a New York E-ZPass Customer Service Center (discounts don't apply to out-of-state E-ZPass holders).

NY now also offers a Pay-Per-Trip option for total tolls to transact on a daily basis directly via the Checking Account linked per tag. It is optional (yet recommended) that a Credit Card be kept on file, but monthly balances are not required under this new payment option in New York.[76][77]

North Carolina (Quick Pass)[78] $0 per month, $1 per month after 12 consecutive months of no toll transactions. $20 per internal (hard case) transponder
(Sticker transponders are available for $5 but these are incompatible with E-ZPass and will only work in North Carolina, Florida, and Georgia). 		$20 minimum balance for first two transponders, $10 for each additional transponder, up to five transponders total. (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $10 or when account balance is 25% of one's replenishment threshold, based on the previous three months of usage, whichever is greater.) Discounts available to all E-ZPass, NC Quick Pass, SunPass, and Peach Pass users; percentage varies by exit.
Ohio[79] 75¢ per month (waived for those who use their E-ZPass for 30 or more trips in a month on the Ohio Turnpike) $0 per internal transponder ($25 replacement fee within first four years) $25 minimum balance per transponder (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount based on the previous three months of usage, or the amount needed to return the account balance to $25.00 per transponder, whichever is greater). Ohio discount available to all transponders. Percentage varies by exit (0–35%).
Pennsylvania[80] $3 per year/transponder, $4 per month for monthly paper statements $10 per internal transponder (refundable) or $0 if credit or direct debit replenishment $10 per transponder. Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $35 whenever the balance reaches a total value of $10 or less ($15 or less for manual replenishment accounts) per transponder. If one's account requires more than the allowed replenishments in a one-month cycle (2 times for credit cards and 3 times for ACH), the amount of replenishment will switch to average usage. 35% discount off cash rate to all E-Z Pass transponders.
Rhode Island[81] $0 per month if monthly statements by e‑mail $20.95 per internal transponder (purchase required)

$33.04 per external transponder (purchase required) 		$25 minimum balance per transponder (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount based on the previous 45-days of usage and is recalculated every 90-days, or the amount needed to return the account balance to $25.00 per transponder, whichever is greater). $0.83 per car on the Claiborne Pell Newport Bridge toll for Rhode Island residents only (as opposed to the normal $2/axle)
Virginia[82] $0 per month, as of July 1, 2014. $35 per internal transponder $10 minimum balance per transponder (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $35 per transponder or an amount equal to one's average monthly usage, whichever is higher).
West Virginia[83] $5 per year for "prepaid" plan (Includes free use of the North Beckley ramp on the West Virginia Turnpike). Flat rate, unlimited use plans range from $5 to $285 for various parts of the West Virginia Turnpike. $10 per internal transponder $10 minimum balance. (Account is charged a minimum replenishment amount of $20. No balance needed with annual WV unlimited plan.) 35% off cash rate and free use of the US-19 North Beckley exit for WV transponders only (non-WV transponders pay cash rate)

List of places where E-ZPass is accepted

List of agencies

E-ZPass toll plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

As listed on its website, the E-ZPass Interagency Group includes "26 members in 15 states". A twenty-seventh member, the Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority is also listed on the Group's website, although its Ohio River Bridges Project is still under constructions and it currently does not operate any toll facilities.[84]

Although the Virginia Department of Transportation is Virginia's sole member of the E-ZPass Interagency Group, not all E-ZPass facilities in Virginia are operated by the Department of Transportation.[85]

Each of the fifteen E-ZPass states operate their own E-ZPass Service Center.[86] NJ E-ZPass manages accounts for the Burlington County Bridge Commission, Delaware River and Bay Authority, Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission and Delaware River Port Authority.[87][88] The E-ZPass New York Service Center operates accounts for the Buffalo and Port Erie Public Bridge Authority, the Niagara Falls Bridge Commission, and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.[89]

List of roadways, bridges, tunnels, and airports

Map of U.S. toll roads that accept E‑ZPass. Areas in light gray have at least one facility that accepts E‑ZPass; those in dark gray do not. (Washington, D.C., does not have any toll roads.) North Carolina also accepts E-ZPass on its toll roads.

The following tolled roads, bridges, tunnels, and airports accept E‑ZPass. Crossings between jurisdictions are listed in the state or province where the toll collection point is located.

Canada

Note: These are international bridges between Ontario and New York. Some toll plazas are in New York and some are in Ontario.

United States

Other non-toll uses

Although not part of the E‑ZPass-Plus program, E‑ZPass users may also pay for parking at Pittsburgh International Airport. The E‑ZPass transponder is used for identification only. The Southern Beltway, which also uses E-ZPass, has its western terminus at the airport.

E‑ZPass was tested in a since-discontinued program by some McDonald's restaurants on Long Island, New York, at which drive-through customers were given the option to pay using their E‑ZPass accounts to test out cardless payment platforms.[91][92] In late 2013, Wendy's started a similar system called iDriveThru that is E-ZPass compatible, and is currently undergoing testing at five Staten Island Wendy's locations.[92]

The New York State Fair offered E‑ZPass Plus as a payment option at two of its parking lots for the first time in 2007,[93] and offered the service again for subsequent seasons.[94] The service was administered by the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA), and motorists' E‑ZPass accounts were charged the same $5 parking fee that cash customers were charged. Unlike other E‑ZPass Plus implementations, the State Fair systems charged motorists at the parking lot entrances; drivers opting to pay by E‑ZPass Plus used dedicated "E‑ZPass Plus Only" lanes. Since the lots only charge for parking during the twelve days of the State Fair, mobile, self-contained E-ZPass units were used to process vehicles. The units were mounted on trailers with a collapsible gantry for the E‑ZPass antennas, used a cellular wireless connection to send transactions to the NYSTA backoffice system, and were powered by batteries that were kept replenished by photovoltaic solar panels, with a generator for backup.[95]

E‑ZPass can also be used to pay for parking at the Route 128 station in Westwood, Massachusetts; this is available for Massachusetts customers only.

E‑ZPass transponders are also used to monitor traffic. A transponder reader is placed above the roadway at various intervals, and the time a particular tag takes between scans at each interval provides information about the speed of traffic between those points. This transit time information is often relayed back to motorists via electronic signs on the roadway.[96] The individual tag data is not collected or used for ticketing purposes, as some sources have suggested.[97]

Toll facilities that do not accept E-ZPass in E-ZPass states

There are a few toll facilities, mostly bridges run by independent authorities, that are not part of the E-ZPass network even though they are in a state that is in the E-ZPass region. These facilities include:

The Thousand Islands Bridge Authority will be upgrading their tolling facilities to accept EZ Pass, having already joined the EZ Pass Consortium as of January 1, 2016. [99]

Kentucky will join the consortium officially when the Ohio River Bridges Project linking it with Indiana, an existing E-ZPass state is completed. Also, with Congress seeking a national electronic toll-collection system in place by mid-2016 for federal highways, E-ZPass officials are talking to other states that have electronic tolls "to find a common way to do business".[100]

See also

References

  1. ^ E-ZPass Group – Home
  2. ^ NJTA-E-ZPass Archived 2007-12-13 at the Wayback Machine
  3. ^ E-ZPass® New York – Tags. E-zpassny.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  4. ^ http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TrafficTravelResources/EZPassMAProgram/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.aspx#21
  5. ^ "I-95 High-Speed E-ZPass lanes open in Hampton". Fosters.com. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
  6. ^ First state to complete ORT http://www.illinoistollway.com/portal/page?_pageid=54,1373776&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL
  7. ^ E-ZPass Group – File Specifications. E-zpassiag.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  8. ^ E-ZPass MA Frequently Asked Questions – Highway Division – MassDOT. Massdot.state.ma.us. Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  9. ^ Kapsch.net. Kapsch.net (2013-04-25). Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  10. ^ "www.getezpass.com". www.getezpass.com. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  11. ^ http://www.paturnpike.com/ezpass/retail.htm
  12. ^ "Latest Status Info". Tarr.uspto.gov. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  13. ^ [1]
  14. ^ "NTTA > Who We Are > Milestones". NTTA Website. North Texas Tollway Authority. Retrieved 24 March 2016.
  15. ^ "Electronic tolls coming to Pa. Turnpike by 1998". Lancaster New Era. Associated Press. March 22, 1994. p. A3.
  16. ^ Gilbert, Pat R. (March 22, 1994). "7 Agencies OK Electronic Toll-Collection Firm: Project Expected To Speed Traffic On Parkway, Turnpike". The Record. Bergen County, NJ. p. A3.
  17. ^ Wyckoff, P.L. (March 12, 1998). "E-ZPass to debut on Atlantic City highway: But 2000 is target for Turnpike and Parkway". The Star-Ledger. Newark, NJ. p. 22.
  18. ^ "E-ZPass not so easy for drivers on first day". Erie Times-News. Associated Press. December 3, 2000.
  19. ^ "Pennsylvania Turnpike extends E-ZPass service". The Express-Times. Easton, PA. December 15, 2001.
  20. ^ Fuoco, Michael A. (December 22, 2001). "Turnpike E-ZPass Will Get More Lanes". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. p. D6.
  21. ^ Therolf, Garrett (December 15, 2002). "E-ZPass making life harder for bridge users". The Morning Call. Allentown, PA. p. B1.
  22. ^ Agnello, Joe (March 16, 2006). "E-ZPASS, Other Enhancements Coming This Year to Greensburg and Beaver Valley Expressways" (Press release). Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. Retrieved March 15, 2012.
  23. ^ "Toll collection system – U.S. Patent 5819234 Abstract". Patentstorm.us. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  24. ^ http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A3665-2004Oct27.html
  25. ^ North Carolina and E-ZPass interoperable from January 3, 2013 | TOLLROADSnews
  26. ^ Samuel, Peter (21 March 2007). "Indiana to have I-Zoom transponder brand". TollRoadsNews.com.
  27. ^ "E‑ZPass Lanes open". Associated Press. WBZ News Radio. 16 December 2008. Retrieved 2008-12-16. [dead link]
  28. ^ Green, Marcus (29 July 2015). "Kentucky joins E-Z Pass for Ohio Bridges Bridges Project". WDRB. Retrieved 17 September 2015.
  29. ^ ATI – Alliance for Toll Interoperability. Tollinterop.org (2013-07-19). Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  30. ^ "Toll Payment In Other States May Get Easier". .tbo.com. 2009-02-06. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  31. ^ Thompson, Charles (March 6, 2012). "Caution: All-E-Z Pass turnpike ahead". The Patriot-News. Harrisburg, PA. p. A1.
  32. ^ "Niagara Falls Bridge Commission Introduces E-ZPass® Toll Program at Rainbow, Whirlpool, and Lewiston-Queenston Bridge Crossings" (Press release). Niagara Falls Bridge Commission. June 2, 2014. Retrieved June 11, 2014.
  33. ^ a b [2] Archived 2008-12-03 at the Wayback Machine
  34. ^ "NH E-ZPass®". Ezpassnh.com. Retrieved July 23, 2013.
  35. ^ "video interview with Pierce Coffee, I-495 Express Lanes Project Marketing Director". WUSA-TV. 13 March 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
  36. ^ "VDOT :: E-ZPass Flex". ezpassva.com. Retrieved 2015-05-25.
  37. ^ "Traffic Congestion, Infant Health, and E-ZPass". Journalist's Resource.org.
  38. ^ Newmarker, Chris (8 October 2007). "E-ZPass Records Out Cheaters in Divorce Court". MSNBC. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  39. ^ "NYSDOT Announces Travel Time Signs In Staten Island". New York State Department of Transportation. 2007-07-10. Retrieved 30 April 2010.
  40. ^ Tri-State Transportation Campaign: Mobilizing the Region 386, E-ZPass Gains New Customers
  41. ^ New Jersey E-ZPass – Individual and Business Terms and Conditions
  42. ^ E-ZPass® New York – Terms & Conditions – Individual Accounts
  43. ^ "Cost-Recovery Efforts Approved For Maryland's Toll Facilities". 29 January 2009. Retrieved 2009-06-04.
  44. ^ a b http://www.mdta.maryland.gov/News/MDTA_News_Releases/governor-hogan-rolls-back-tolls-statewide-saving-marylanders-54-million-a-year
  45. ^ "Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority statement to E-ZPass account holders". Web.archive.org. Archived from the original on 2005-06-09. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  46. ^ "New York State Legislature Bill Status". Public.leginfo.state.ny.us. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  47. ^ "Public Authorities Law Section 2855". Public.leginfo.state.ny.us. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  48. ^ AAA New York: Car and Travel: March 2007
  49. ^ Maine Turnpike: Toll Charts
  50. ^ Massachusetts Turnpike Toll / Mileage Calculator shows that E-ZPass discount tolls are limited to FAST LANE users.
  51. ^ "New Hampshire Turnpike System Toll Rate Schedule" (PDF). Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  52. ^ "Newport/Pell Bridge Toll Rates". Ritba.org. 2010-02-15. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  53. ^ MTA Bridges and Tunnels Crossing Charges limit E-ZPass discounts for tags issued by New York E-ZPass Customer Service Center only.
  54. ^ "New Jersey Turnpike Authority: Toll Rates". State.nj.us. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  55. ^ The Frequent User Plan is limited to Delaware tags. Otherwise, the cash and E‑ZPass tolls are the same.
  56. ^ "Plan Descriptions and Discounts (Delaware Memorial Bridge) (Tag Specific)". NJ E-ZPass. 2012. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
  57. ^ "Frequently Asked Questions: Your E-ZPass Account". E-ZPass Delaware. 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
  58. ^ "How Much Does a Maine Turnpike E-ZPass Tag Cost?". EZPassMaineTurnpike.com. Retrieved 2010-07-13.
  59. ^ E-ZPass® New York – Terms & Conditions – Business Accounts
  60. ^ "Private Account Terms and Conditions, Section II.h" (PDF). Ezpassmd.com. 2015-07-01. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
  61. ^ "New Lower Toll Rates Effective July 1" (PDF). Ezpassmd.com. 2015. Retrieved 2015-07-14.
  62. ^ Laura Northrup (2 March 2011). "You Don't Have To Buy an E-ZPass from the State Where You Live". The Consumerist.
  63. ^ E-ZPass Delaware: FAQ
  64. ^ [3] Archived 2008-12-21 at the Wayback Machine
  65. ^ E-ZPass Information – Frequently Asked Questions
  66. ^ http://www.ezpassmd.com/en/about/Attention_E-ZPass_Customers_2.pdf
  67. ^ http://www.mdta.maryland.gov/Toll_Increase/documents/Customer_Letter.pdf
  68. ^ Maryland EZPass – New Lower Toll Rates Effective July 1, 2015
  69. ^ E-ZPass MA Program – Highway Division – MassDOT
  70. ^ E-ZPass MA Program – Highway Division – MassDOT
  71. ^ http://scholar.google.com/scholar_case?case=1219859601790298718&hl=en&as_sdt=2&as_vis=1&oi=scholarr
  72. ^ http://www.massdot.state.ma.us/highway/TrafficTravelResources/EZPassMAProgram/FormsApplications.aspx
  73. ^ E-ZPass Program | Turnpikes | NH Department of Transportation
  74. ^ [4]
  75. ^ E-ZPass® New York – Terms & Conditions – Individual Accounts
  76. ^ e-zpassny.com
  77. ^ https://www.e-zpassny.com/en/faq/paypertrip.shtml. {{cite web}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  78. ^ NC Quick Pass. Myncquickpass.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  79. ^ Ohio Turnpike users can set up E-ZPass accounts in other states, possibly pay less | cleveland.com. Blog.cleveland.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  80. ^ PA Turnpike E-ZPass – Personal Account – FAQ
  81. ^ [5] Archived 2009-02-06 at the Wayback Machine
  82. ^ https://www.ezpassva.com/forms/agreement.pdf
  83. ^ E-Z Pass FAQ
  84. ^ "About Us – Members". E-ZPass Group. E-ZPass Interagency Group. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  85. ^ "Toll Facilites". VDOT. Virginia Department of Transportation. Retrieved 1 January 2016.
  86. ^ "E-ZPass Group – Get E-ZPass". E-ZPass Interagency Group. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  87. ^ "NJ E-ZPass". E-ZPass New Jersey. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  88. ^ "COMMISSION MOVES TO MERGE E-ZPASS CUSTOMER SERVICE OPERATIONS WITH NEW JERSEY ELECTRONIC TOLL COLLECTION GROUP". DRTJBC – Current Press Releases. Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission. Retrieved 4 July 2015.
  89. ^ "E-ZPass New York". E-ZPass New York. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  90. ^ Grant Oliver Launches Online Sign Up for Go Fast Pass – Pittsburgh, March 24 /PRNewswire/. Prnewswire.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-23.
  91. ^ "McDonald's Testing E-Payment System". USA Today. 29 May 2001. Retrieved May 1, 2010.
  92. ^ a b Fast Food Drive-Thrus Are Getting E-ZPass System So You Don't Have to Exhaust Yourself Digging for Change Time (12/26/2013)
  93. ^ "E‑ZPass Tested at State Fair as Way To Clear Traffic – August 30, 2007". New York Sun. 30 August 2007. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  94. ^ [6][dead link]
  95. ^ "Mobile E-ZPass reader deployed by NYSTA for Fair parking – Rent a Reader opportunity". TOLLROADSnews. 29 August 2007. Retrieved 2011-02-28.
  96. ^ "E-ZPass Monitors Being Set Up to Observe City Traffic". Gothamist. 11 April 2011. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  97. ^ "E‑ZPass Speeding Tickets False". Snopes. Retrieved 2011-09-27.
  98. ^ "Toll Facilities in the United States". Federal Highway Administration. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  99. ^ "Thousand Islands Bridge Authority Meeting Minutes, Sept 17 2015" (PDF).
  100. ^ Donald Wittkowski. "As E-ZPass turns 20, electronic toll system could link more states". The Press of Atlantic City. Retrieved 16 December 2013.
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