New to towing vehicle with E-Z Pass question

[TomHalv]

I have a 2015 Allegro Open Road MH and have decided to get set up for towing my Subaru Forester (manual transmission). I have a new Demco Dominator tow bar and a RVi Brake2 braking system. I should be all set by early next week with the baseplate install on the toad.

My question is how do I get set up for E-Zpass with towing? I seem to get conflicting info and wonder if anyone can set me straight. I currently have an E-Z pass account and tags for the motorhome and the toad. Should I get a new tag for the combination of MH and toad (and put the toad's E-Z pass in the little bag so it doesn't get tagged)? Or am I supposed to just run through with both tags active?

And what about other states besides NY (my home state)? Are the rules similar/different??

[falconman]

We just crossed a bridge in Oakland, Ca where the fee is $5.00 per car or $5.00 per axle if over two axles. Crossing with the toad attachéd was $25.00. Had we separated the units it would have been $20.00, certainly not worth the hassle. The real issue is that somewhere in the Jeep is a Fastrac and we didn't want to pay the $25.00 then get dinged for another $5.00 for the Jeep when the Fastrac was detected. We mentioned to the tollbooth attendant and she said she would cancel the Fastrac reading if it showed when we passed, we'll see.

[ferndaleflyer]

I to have just one EZ pass transponder and move it from vehicle to vehicle---I sometimes tow a 2 axel trailer and sometimes one with 3 axels. I have been all over the country and was always charged correctly except some times the 3 axel will be only charged as 2.......$36.00 to cross that bridge on 301 from MD to VA is pretty stout!

[AidenJ]

Executive wrote:

holstein13 wrote:

debaets wrote:
How about contacting EZpass

Sometimes it's easier to ask a question to this forum on a Saturday than to try and call a government agency that is closed.

Often, you get BETTER answers too....:W:B....Dennis

Not necesarily. Been fighting with them for 3mos. trying to get them to correct a charge for a 5 axle pick up with a camper in the bed of the truck. They say I was towing and I need to prove otherwise, and they won't accept a photo. I almost got them to reduce it to just 2 axle but they now claim I was overweight and each toll area weighs rigs on the way through. When I proved them wrong on the weight issue they are back to 5 acle. Long story but the point is watch your acct. carefully and if they overcharge you chances are no one there can tell you what you should be paying.

[eadeal55]

I just pull the EZ Pass from my TOAD and lay it on the MH dash. Last time thru the Chesapeake Bay Bridge tunnel, it correctly charged me $31. Glad I don't make a trip up the Eastern Shore but once a year.

[holstein13]

conceptumator wrote:
For EZ Pass and SunPass in Florida, we just have a transponder in the RV and another in the TOAD. When we go through, it reads both and charges them just like someone tailgating you through the booth. We used to pull the TOAD on a car hauler and it worked that way, too. When we pull our golf cart on a utility trailer, we just registered the trailer's license plate to our account and they automatically add for it when it goes through. As for all the folks that suggest calling them, they've apparently never tried to get any useful information from the folks there - I think they're the workers who couldn't quite cut it at the DMV!

If this works, it would be fantastic news. I could avoid being charged the semi trailer rate. Are you sure about this?

[conceptumator]

For EZ Pass and SunPass in Florida, we just have a transponder in the RV and another in the TOAD. When we go through, it reads both and charges them just like someone tailgating you through the booth. We used to pull the TOAD on a car hauler and it worked that way, too. When we pull our golf cart on a utility trailer, we just registered the trailer's license plate to our account and they automatically add for it when it goes through. As for all the folks that suggest calling them, they've apparently never tried to get any useful information from the folks there - I think they're the workers who couldn't quite cut it at the DMV!

[mtrumpet]

Here in NY, you can get an EZPass for a Motorhome. Just contact them and tell them that you want one for your motorhome. You will get what is known as an EZPass w/motorhome exemption. (Not sure why they call it that.)

When towing a vehicle, make sure that you remove the EZPass from the vehicle that you're towing and place it in the foil bag that they will provide. Otherwise, you will get hit with two EZPass charges each time you go through a toll barrier with the vehicle in tow.

I've had one for 10 years now. No problem.

[Kayteg1]

WARNING
This might be result of me posting in this topic, or maybe coincidence.
Even living in California I do have EZ pass for Chicago. Did not use it for over 2 years, but the account is active.
Just yesterday I got email from E-ZPass Support
My hotmail blocked it as containing virus and the email originated in UK

[Executive45]

holstein13 wrote:

debaets wrote:
How about contacting EZpass

Sometimes it's easier to ask a question to this forum on a Saturday than to try and call a government agency that is closed.

Often, you get BETTER answers too....:W:B....Dennis

[holstein13]

debaets wrote:
How about contacting EZpass

Sometimes it's easier to ask a question to this forum on a Saturday than to try and call a government agency that is closed.

[TomHalv]

webslave wrote:

Dutch_12078 wrote:
First set up an ordinary NY E-ZPass account, just as you would for any passenger vehicle. Then go to this link and follow the instructions for the "Thruway Motorhome Discount Plan". There's a link where the needed form can be downloaded and printed out. E-ZPass will send you the proper tag for your motorhome toad combination, and the standard tag gets put in a shielded bag or wrapped in foil while the towing tag is in use.

Very similar to what I have from Massachusetts... I have a transponder for each of my cars (one of which is my towed). I have another one for the MH that is setup for the MH + towed. When I'm towing the Jeep with the MH, the Jeep's transponder goes in the bag (signal blocking) in the Jeep's glove box. I also have an another transponder for the MH for when I use the MH without a towed vehicle. I don't currently have it activated since 99.9% of the time I take the towed, but, if I don't, I activate that one and all of the tolls are correct for the various weights and axles and over-rides any of the "axle counters". It was explained to me, by MA, that mere axle counters may misconstrue my MH and towed combination as a tractor trailer combination (a higher rate), while the transponder transmits the proper MH and towed car combination... It seems to have been working properly so far, I've never had an error in fees deducted. Nice thing about the MA E-ZPass is that there is no charge for any of the transponders, so I have enough of them to cover all of my possible combinations. I had the same setup when I towed a 5th wheel and, again, never had any confusion or issue of incorrect charges.

Thanks for all of the great info. I will contact E-Z Pass NY to get a new interior MH tag (I have an old exterior one attached to my license) for the MHM discount as well as fill out the form for the correct MH/towed vehicle combo tag.

[fitznj]

I have 1 EZ transponder and use it for every vehicle (use velco on the windshield). All toll booths that I have used in the NJ/PA/NY area count axles, so I get charged accordingly.

The only place I use cash is on I95 in Maryland - for some reason their booths are "not as sensitive" and sure enough I get a letter a few weeks later saying I did not pay the toll - then they tack on an "administration" fee to the toll.

This has happened 3 times at that particular toll booth - yet nowhere else. Ummm.

Gerry

[Skid_Row_Joe]

Executive wrote:
Most toll roads I've been on charge an extra fee if you're hooked up. I become a 5 axle vehicle hooked up and pay a premium as opposed to a 3 axle AND 2 axle. In California it's about $12-15 more. All toll roads I've talked to, Fastrak in Cal and SunPass in Florida say to put the second transmitter in a bag and the sensors in the roadway will determine axle count....Dennis

The problem is - you need more axles!!! :B

[debaets]

How about contacting EZpass