Someone explain the EZ Pass toll program to me

[Astro14]

I have had NJ EZ Pass on my cars since 2002. $1/month fee.

You set up the account, give them your license plate and car model. One account can have up to 6 Transponders, which can be switched across cars, but I just leave them in place. Some cars (S600) need an external transponder because of a metallized windshield.

Give them your credit card, they charge it when you run up tolls.

Then, you drive through the express lanes and fuhgeddaboutit. From Illinois, through Maine, down to Florida.

They send you the statement each month, and when your account balance runs low, they hit up your credit card.

Easy.

For Colorado, I have the express toll pass - it’s an RFID sticker in your windshield, with the same account/credit card/monthly fee system. They will bill on license plate, but there is a toll reduction for having the RFID sticker.

Easy.

 

[SC Maintenance]

I have had NJ EZ Pass on my cars since 2002. $1/month fee.

Thats interesting. $12 a year is not a lot, but sunpass has no annual fee. I have had the mini sunpass for years.

I wonder if you still get the ezpass discount when using sunpass? I have never used sunpass out of Florida.

https://www.sunpass.com/en/about/pro.shtml

 

[Astro_Guy]

Just got my bill from our trip to E-town PA last month. I know PA tolls are high but my goodness! $147.04 was the bill. I decided to halve that bill by signing up for EZ Pass and funding it the minimum amount (plus the first year's fee of $3). Even if I don't use it again, it will take just under 12 years to catch up and start costing me. We have multiple friends out there so I'm sure we'll use it again at some point.

My question is: can this EZ Pass account (and transponder) be used for all toll roads in all states? I created an account with PA, but I see the same EZ Pass logo in Ohio too. Forgive my ignorance, I'm from Michigan and we don't have toll roads... just bad roads.

I don't know about all, but I've managed to use it just about everywhere to the north and east of Baltimore.

 

[zzyzzx]

In Maryland you can sign up and it uses your plate but you still need the transponder if you drive out of state because other states don't bill Maryland drivers based in their plate. Understanding he difference is important because there are people who sign up in Maryland and hardly ever drive out of state, then wonder why they are getting toll violations out of state because they forgot to actually install the transponder.

 

[rijndael]

In Maryland you can sign up and it uses your plate but you still need the transponder if you drive out of state because other states don't bill Maryland drivers based in their plate.

Also, there are HOV roads that non HOV people can buy in to. So, if you're on the road without 3 people in the car, you don't toggle the HOV switch, and they'll just bill you some crazy fee. If your HOV switch is on, you're riding free.

 

[SevenBizzos]

Use one every day. Drive to PA with it every year. The open tolling spots are so much better than the stupid gates (hot take alert).