Understanding EZ Pass & HOT lanes
Wed, 08/26/2015 - 3:11pm
16 years
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Ontario is looking into setting up HOT Lanes. I've never used these in the US and don't know how the system works.
How do they determine you're in the lane and then bill you?
If it's a transponder, does one transponder work in all states?
If EZ Pass is used, does one EZ Pass work in all states?
Is EZ Pass proprietary to one company?
the way they work down here is you choose a lane at tollbooth
The lane will have an inductive loop similar to at a traffic light to "see" that a car is there. If you are HOV category (free) then you choose one lane. If you are HOT (toll), you choose the other lane. They can use a transponder or OCR on a video camera depending on who is running the billing. In the HOV lane, I've seen that they take a picture to confirm that you are HOV or send you a ticket for being in the wrong lane. If it is a transponder system, they often have a camera as backup for when the transponder is not working right.
Ezpass
Is not recognized throughout the entire US. The company is made up of 25 individual agencies in 14 states primarily in the northeast.
In 2009, the federal government proposed standardizing all electronic toll collection systems in the US but it doesn't appear it will happen any time soon.
http://tollroadsnews.com/news/feds-propose-mandating-interop...
Wikipedia offers a good explanation of the Ezpass system:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-ZPass
Ezpass, sunpass, etc.
Many toll roads have different types of toll taker / Ezpass type system. You may find toll taker lanes (very slow +/-5 minutes), Ezpass/toll taker lanes (not always slow -5 minutes), Ezpass only lanes (slow speed 5 mph), and Ezpass high speed lanes (highway speeds 55-65 mph).
Sunpass and Platepass are systems used in the southeast, I've used them in Florida. It is similar to Ezpass system used here in PA.
Turnpikes in PA, NJ and FL also have express exits having a single unmanned Ezpass type toll booth. Since there are no toll takers, going through them without an Ezpass transponder will get you a ticket.
Something people like me that don't use tolls should know
Many toll roads have different types of toll taker / Ezpass type system. You may find toll taker lanes (very slow +/-5 minutes), Ezpass/toll taker lanes (not always slow -5 minutes), Ezpass only lanes (slow speed 5 mph), and Ezpass high speed lanes (highway speeds 55-65 mph).
Sunpass and Platepass are systems used in the southeast, I've used them in Florida. It is similar to Ezpass system used here in PA.
Turnpikes in PA, NJ and FL also have express exits having a single unmanned Ezpass type toll booth. Since there are no toll takers, going through them without an Ezpass transponder will get you a ticket.
Not using Toll Roads for years since the Fort Worth Turnpike in Fort Worth, if I were to go on one I would expect there to always be a booth at the end to pay.
Did not know about no toll takers and tickets.
Thanks
Mary, Nuvi 2450, Garmin Viago, Honda Navigation, Nuvi 750 (gave to son)
Toll Roads
Why are tolls highways created? Is it like the turnpike in Maine? Created to pay for the that first part of I-95 is what was claimed until the tolls collected paid for the highway.
Thus the Turnpike Authority was created and never went away. It became a cash cow or shall we say a herd. Plus, the Authority paid well, to the higher ups.
Other toll roads I have no idea how they came into being or if they were supposed to have a finite life, but I imagine some were given life that way.
I avoid them whenever possible, but sometimes can't.
I have the GPS set to avoid tolls and dirt roads. Not always successful with dirt roads and avoiding tolls takes me on a scenic tour even without the dirt goat paths.
Curiosity is the acquisition of knowledge. And the death of cats.
Why are tolls highways created?... INDEED!
Why are tolls highways created?
Why indeed!
All to many times it seems bonds for one project or another are put on ballots for the sheep within specific tax jurisdictions to vote on. Bonds are best viewed as a loan that is guranteed by the sheep of that taxing authority.
So when potential lenders are approached for the loan by a taxing juriction, the lending firm wants a specific ROI. So for highway infrastructures the thinking seems to be to let those that use the infrastructure pay for it. On the surface, this seems reasonable until we consider after the bond is payed off the toals remain in place. All to frequently the sheep are told it's for continued maintenance of the infastructure in question.
But, but, but.... Many protest, that's what our federal, state, county and kocal gas tax is for. Remember the thinking about those that use it should pay for it? There have been many a fight over tolls on highway infastructures after the bond was payed off... Yes, governments have never discovered a tax they wouldn't prefer to continue so those revenues could be diverted to other entitlement programs and when the original infastructure requires service, the toll rates are raised.
It's like those bottles in merchants counters usually at the checkout stand. You know the ones, donate for <~ insert your favorite cause here ~> it's in reality an anueity. The merchant buys the donation jar for say $50.00. That $50.00 in theory goes to that cause. The merchant gets to keep (and this is the important part) in perpetuity any and all donations derived from the jar.
And our tolls are the same way!
So I like you, have my GPS set to avoid toll roads.
I'll now go back to blindly following, graizing on the yummy vegetation and drinking tasty lemonaid!
Never argue with a pig. It makes you look foolish and it anoys the hell out of the pig!
Thanks for the information
This was very informative. I plan to pass on some of the info to my provincial Member of Parliament.
It's also valuable for when I drive in the US.
DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)
No actually it's coming by 2016
...In 2009, the federal government proposed standardizing all electronic toll collection systems in the US but it doesn't appear it will happen any time soon
http://tollroadsnews.com/news/feds-propose-mandating-interop...
...
The proposal you cited was enacted (probably in a modified form of course) in 2012. It mandates that all federally-funded toll roads must accept electronic tolling from any other US electronic toll system by fall 2016. (In other words, if you've registered in one state for electronic tolling, you can pay electronically in any other state without registering there. Toll folks call this "interoperability.")
Here was the most recent article I could find mentioning (halfway through the article) that this 2016 mandate is still in effect:
http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/advice/2015/08/07/toll-...
There is some dispute whether a toll road may meet the requirements of the mandate merely by providing video tolling (in which your license plate number is recorded, and a bill is mailed to you) as opposed to reading all toll roads' transponders which is still a work in progress.
The most commonly-complained-about lack of e-toll inteoperability involves E-Z Pass not working in Florida (and vice versa, Sun Pass not working in the Northeast). Florida toll road authorities say that they are on track to get this worked out by next year.
JMoo On
Good info..Thanks
Good info..Thanks
Mountain Parkway
Mountain Parkway was created in the early 1960's in Southeastern Kentucky. I remember my grandfather asking why anyone would pay a quarter to drive to a neighboring town on the Parkway when they could use the existing roads to do the same. When the road was built, there was a provision that as soon as the road was paid off, they would remove the toll. They predicted it would take approximately 40 years to pay it off. It was actually paid off in 23 years and the tolls were removed. There is now a plan to extend the road and tolls would be required once again until the construction bonds are paid off.
"Everything I need can be found in the presence of God. Every. Single. Thing." Charley Hartmann 2/11/1956-6/11/2022