Massachusetts I90 removing Toll Booths

[Canuck_Travelle]

Hi all, Just a note to Canadians travelling via I90 Turnpike in Massachusetts.
The Toll Booths are gone and the collecting of tolls is done via either a transponder or flashing your license plate and sending you a bill in the mail.
I am wondering how they do this for out of the US States in Countries like Canada.
We have passed through the I90 area with the booths gone a year ago going south, back last spring going north, did not receive any bill.
We came down three weeks ago and maybe the bill is back in Canada....I wonder?
Seriously do they have an agreement to get the database from the 10 Provinces and Territories in Canada so as to bill the vehicles passing through? This would appear to involve the Privacy act in many provinces i.e. requesting this from another country or is it that simple?
Wondering if any Canadians have encountered bills in their mail or had interfacing with the Massachusetts I90 authorities on this, if so please post or send me a private email.

Thanks for any input......Ernie

[rhagfo]

Well could just be a slow process possibility. I once got a PlatePass charge on my work card. I thought back this was mid April, and I had not rented a car for work yet that year, so challenged the charge, AMEX informed me two weeks later that it was a valid charge!
When I contacted PlatePass I was told it was for toll charges in San Juan, PR from last October!! I guess the saying Island Time is true.

[Padlin]

Transponders are still free in MA, they are of course good for all EZ-Pass roads and in MA.

For those who travel the MA Pike with and without trailers, you need 2 transponders, you use the applicable one in the tow vehicle and the other in it's foil pouch in the glove box or some such. Too much hassle to me so I got another states EX-Pass.

[NanciL]

We live in NC and travel to Mass several times a year.
We were quite surprised last summer to find the toll booths gone on the Mass Pike.
On our way there several weeks later I received a bill in the mail and I decided to look into paying it, since it was more cost then if I had a transponder. Even though it was only a bit more, just the idea of it irked me.
I checked and found they had recriprocal greements with Maine and NH. and that was all, but after thinking about it I felt that I had a moral obligation to pay and sent in a check.
About a week later I got another bill with a late payment attached.
It was post marked the same date that I mailed the payment.
I wrote on the bill that I had sent it in and wasted another stamp.

Several weeks later I got another bill for my return and they not only had the original late payment, but added more to that.

Needless to say I threw that away and will never pay again there unless I go through a toll booth.

One of the good things I did for myself and family was move out of that state years ago!

Jack L

[stickdog]

I know many states have no problem issuing transponders to anyone reguardless of where you are from. I know there is a charge for the transponder but is refundable if you return it. That does not go for the window sticker ones in Florida.

[Canuck_Travelle]

Beverley&Ken wrote:
Friends of ours from Michigan, used the 407Electronic Toll Road here in Ontario. They did receive a bill from Ontario for the toll fee. It took 2 or 3 months but Michigan did give the licence info to Ontario.
It probably requested on a case by case event.

Ken

Beveerley & Ken, thanks for the input, now if a Canadian gets a bill from a US State like maybe the Mass I90 situation or other ones where the vehicle plate might be photo-ed that might ascertain that Canadians will be getting billed via mail and in fact the data is being shared.

I dont mind paying the toll but would not like getting a bill for not paying because I missed the bill sitting home unopened for several months, that would hurt. I see where the Mass Toll Authorities were giving out Transponders free at one time but am uncertain if they might give them out to out of state residents or even Canadians and going forward more Toll Authorities will be moving to this same situation i.e. removing the Toll Booths and electronically billing via transponders or flashing plates. So it might be nice to get an advance indication how this will work out.

[Lwiddis]

Why wouldn’t states and provinces cooperate regarding collection of taxes and tolls? How does it violate your privacy for a state or province to mail you a toll bill? You used a service in Massachusetts, now pay for it without complaint.

[Beverley_Ken]

Friends of ours from Michigan, used the 407Electronic Toll Road here in Ontario. They did receive a bill from Ontario for the toll fee. It took 2 or 3 months but Michigan did give the licence info to Ontario.
It probably requested on a case by case event.

Ken