NJ Drivers: EZ Pass.... (1 Viewer)

[DeathStar1]

Does anyone think it'll be possible to get rid of these unsightly things and ditch tolls completly? If you beleive the anti toll people, it costs ten times more to keep these things running than it does to get rid of them, so why don't we get rid of them?

 

[Mike__D]

From my personal experience, EZ PASS has been the best thing since sliced bread I drive the AC Expressway almost every day, and it really pays off during the summer. I see lines of cars waiting to pay tolls as I just motor on through without a hitch (unless some moron cuts me off going from one line to another, through the ezpass lane). Also saves me time when I travel through Philly at the bridges, and use the PA Turnpike.

Tolls on the other hand, I don't see going away. I highly doubt the AC Expressway would be in the clean and pot hole free condition it is if there were no tolls.

Mike D.

PS - It's not unsightly to me since I have it behind my rear view mirror, and can not see it

 

[Don Black]

The privacy concerns are what bother me. Not necessarily with the current generation of EZPASS (which can also be abused), but with future versions.

 

[Philip_G]

question, if you have an ezpass do you get a deal on your drive? like drive 8 times get 2 free or w/e?

In denver we have ez pass, but you pay the same 1.75 each time that you would with cash, no "frequent flyer" discount

 

[Larry Price]

Yup EZPass discount here in NY for at least 10% off depending on where you live - I believe SI residents get more % off.

 

[Philip_G]

that sucks
I prepay and get NOTHING.

 

[Shane Martin]

We prepay in Oklahoma but I don't think we get a discount IIRC on our pike pass. We do get the convienence of not having to carry exact change or wait in lines and that alone is worth the trouble. After all Time is money to some folks.

 

[LewB]

I'm a New York EZ Pass lover, best thing yet. I've driven from here in Pok to Philadelphia and never had to open the window to pay a toll. I get my statement sent to my e-mail account and they take $25 from my Visa card when I get down to about $5 or so in the account. It's a god-send on those trips down to A.C. or LBI on the Garden State. I'm not signed up with any of the 'commuter' programs so I basically pay full price on the tolls. I still think it's neat. I understand that there are/were major problems with the N.J. implementation of E-Z pass. Cost overruns and the like. I guess the down side would be the loss of toll taker jobs, assuming the union would let the state lay off the toll takers.

 

[Justin Lane]

EZ Pass is the way to go. If you sign up for the commuter programs it is even better. For instance, one trip over the Delaware Memorial bridge usually costs 3 bucks, with EZ pass with their frequent or commuter programs it is 1 buck or less. Not having to fish for change is also a great benefit in some cases.

As far as tolls go, I think they are borderline robbery, especially with the great suplusses many of these public authorities rack up. If they go up any higher on some of these bridges, I see major outrage and protests on the way.

J

 

[Steven K]

Here in Taxachusetts, we get a discount on the two toll plazas closest to Boston... the AllstonBrighton toll plaza, and the 128 toll plaza. Normal price is $1.00 per toll, we get it for $0.75. Also, if you live in South Boston or East Boston (as I do), you get to use the Ted Williams Tunnel for $0.40 instead of the normal $3.00.

I hit the two aforementioed tolls each way to work, which really adds up even with the discount. $3.00 a day times 20 days a month is $60.00 a month just for the "privelage" of driving on the Mass Pike, while the drivers who use 93 (Big Dig country) and 128 don't pay a dime. Basically, the drivers who use the Pike are paying for the Big Dig.

 

[Eric Kahn]

where I live, the nearest toll road is almost 150 miles away, with the amount of taxes we pay on gas, there should be no toll roads in this country
just for you new yorkers, the tolls on the bridges around new york city do not pay for the roads, they are used to pay the operating expense's of the subway system

 

[Joseph S]

We do get the convienence of not having to carry exact change or wait in lines and that alone is worth the trouble. After all Time is money to some folks.

What is the deal with the receipts? When I drove in OK they gave me a receipt after paying a toll. Yet, when I got back on they actually wanted me to give them back the receipt. I had to dig around and find this magical receipt just to get back on the highway. Another thing that had me puzzled was the "Don't Drive Through Smoke" sign.

By the way, driving through OK is a lot more pleasant on the eyes than 145W(?) through Missouri. Everything is greener in OK.

Are the EZ Passes from MA compatible with those from other states, I'm thinking of getting one for my trips through Chicago??

 

[Matt Birchall]

We prepay in Oklahoma but I don't think we get a discount IIRC on our pike pass. We do get the convienence of not having to carry exact change or wait in lines and that alone is worth the trouble. After all Time is money to some folks.

I had always been under the impression that using the PikePass saves at least a dime or so for some of the larger tolls, from OKC to Tulsa or something.

And I've occasionally gotten a volume discount by using the pass so many times in a certain time period--want to say they've credited $1.75 or so back to my account.

 

[David-S]

Joseph: This is a map showing where EZpass is accepted... it would get you at least to the edge of PA...

 

[Brian Perry]

I've had the I-pass (Illinois' version of the system) and it's been great. I just wish they'd make more lanes I-pass only; as more people sign up, the I-pass lanes are almost getting more crowded than the regular lanes.

Illinois recently had a big controversy due to the crackdown on I-pass scofflaws. Apparently the system takes a picture of violators who breeze thru the I-pass lanes without actually owning an I-pass. The problem was that they waited a couple years before sending people tickets, so some people--who thought no one was watching and kept cheating--got $5,000 bills. They complained that had they been told after a few tickets, they would have stopped cheating.

 

[Tommy Ceez]

Due to the fact that NJ is a major 'shipping lane' for over-the-road merchendise to and from market 1, New York City, it would be totally unfair to expect New Jersey residents to pay for the roads exclusivly through thier taxes.

 

[Paul McElligott]

It's called FastTrak in Southern California and not only do you not get any kind of discount off the frankly exorbidant tolls but your prepayment will expire if you don't use it.

And they wonder why the toll roads are losing fistloads of money in California.

 

[DeathStar1]

And they wonder why the toll roads are losing fistloads of money in California.>>>

If you beleive the anti-toll folks, it takes more money to run these things than they make off these things. So I doubt toll money goes toward paying anything except the debt the tolls themselves cause. Maby a mass 'no toll day', where people just drive through without paying in protest would get their attention, heh.

 

[Patrick Larkin]

After my last trip down the Northeast Extension of the PA Turnpike, I decided to get an EZ Pass as soon as I got home. The toll booth to get onto 476 has like 20 lanes, 4 of which were EZ Pass lanes (completely empty) and the rest regular toll lanes with 30 cars lined up in each one.

Having it is worth not waiting in the lines. I waited so long to get one because of the lame requirement of prepaying $35. Why can't you just give them your credit card number and just charge for each usage?

Has anyone ever gotten cited or warned about making it from Point A to Point B a -um- little too fast? I heard that the state sends out warnings...