EZ-Pass

I'm from MN so this is all a big mystery to me.

When I was a kid we used to go to Illinois once and awhile. You had to keep change in the car and when you went through the booth you threw about 35 cents into a big tub. It would roll to the bottom and be automatically counted. Then the gate would rise and you could drive on.

If you didn't have exact change there were booths with people in them that could make change.

In this day and age I'm sure that is all different. From readin on here I'm guessing that E-Z pass or some other version of it lets you go through the stop easily. My question is: what happens if you don't have one ??? Do you still go through the booth and throe 35 cents into the bucket ??? What if you don't have exact change ???

Sorry to hi-jack the thread but, I have been reading you all talk about if for awhile now and I'm am just wondering how it works ?

(The next thing you are going to tell me is that you swipe your credit card for the change. What if you don't have a credit card ??? )

I believe there is a nice discount for using EZ pass on the Pa Turnpike.

We have the IPASS from IL. Only have one transponder and can move it from vehicle to vehicle. We use it wihen towing our 5th wheel with no issues and have used the same transponder with our Harley trike and even a rental car. No monthly service fee too. No waiting at toll booths to pay or carrying around a bunch of change. We also have the SUNPASS for FL.

I believe at least in the lower part of NY it's mostly either EZ Pass or a photo to pay tolls. Makes the going faster and eliminates one more job with a high rate of occupational illnesses and less education requirements.

In NY, I have 2 transponders - one for the trailer, one for bobtail. I use it because the lines at the toll booths are shorter & faster using EZ-Pass.

Tvov wrote:
I got EZPass transponders from New Jersey. I entered the vehicles that would be using them, and the fact one pickup truck (F250, registered as combination in Connecticut) tows a camper sometimes. No issues, I check the statements, and all charges look to be correct and non-commercial. My account with New Jersey gives me up to 4 transponders on the same account at no extra charge.

EZPass does give a decent "discount" for some areas, and especially on bridges. I was traveling somewhere with my F250 and didn't have the EZPass with me, and got charged with the new photo / mail system (may have been in Mass). On the bill, it pointed out that if I had used my EZPass the tolls would have been about a 1/3 less for at least one bridge (I forget the exact numbers).

Then I thought... if the photo system tracks my truck and sends a bill, why can't it just look up that I do in fact have an EZPass account, and just use that account?

Then I realized that all those scifi movies from years ago about the government watching you are coming true....

The photo method probably still needs a person to look it over for accuracy so they'd rather not have to.

Being a west coaster, none of this sounds very EZ to me.

I got EZPass transponders from New Jersey. I entered the vehicles that would be using them, and the fact one pickup truck (F250, registered as combination in Connecticut) tows a camper sometimes. No issues, I check the statements, and all charges look to be correct and non-commercial. My account with New Jersey gives me up to 4 transponders on the same account at no extra charge.

EZPass does give a decent "discount" for some areas, and especially on bridges. I was traveling somewhere with my F250 and didn't have the EZPass with me, and got charged with the new photo / mail system (may have been in Mass). On the bill, it pointed out that if I had used my EZPass the tolls would have been about a 1/3 less for at least one bridge (I forget the exact numbers).

Then I thought... if the photo system tracks my truck and sends a bill, why can't it just look up that I do in fact have an EZPass account, and just use that account?

Then I realized that all those scifi movies from years ago about the government watching you are coming true....

I have an EXPass from Virginia and use it everywhere. We traveled north to Jersey with ours pulling a TT. Went through all the EZPass lanes "Only" and were never charged more than we did when not pulling the TT. I called asked about adding the TT. I was told I needed another transponder when I am towing. I didn't get it. I'm sure eventually they will eventually catch it. But till then I'm sticking with the transponder I have.

djousma wrote:
Odd... I live in Michigan, but travel through Illinois. I have an I-PASS (which works on EZ-PASS roads they say too). I dont need separate transponders for towing. Somehow they road sensors know, and I get charged appropriately when towing, or just one of our two vehicles.

I go through Illinois quite often too. I downloaded the FastPass App from the App Store on my iPhone. It uses the GPS to determine when you are passing tolls and clocks them up for you. Paying is done through the phone at the end of the journey. You tell it what you were in terms of axles when you pay.

Don't forget to pay though... It cost me $90 on the one occassion I did forget. :E

We use I-pass in Illinois, but have used the same system from Wyoming to D.C. We have one transponder in the truck and one transponder in the car. We registered our car plate, our truck plate, and the 5th wheel license plate on their web site. Sail past toll booths. Love it
No monthly fee.