West Virginia E-ZPass program changes

[hbelkins]

As a West Virginia E-ZPass holder, I got a letter recently informing me of changes in the program. Unless I opt out, I'll be moved into a Single Fee Discount Program.

Dear West Virginia E-ZPass® Customer,
We have exciting news!
On or about Saturday, September 15, 2018, as a current West Virginia E-ZPass® customer, you will be automatically enrolled in the Limited Early Enrollment Option of the Single Fee Discount Program. This automatic enrollment will allow unlimited toll-free travel on the West Virginia Turnpike from the date of enrollment through December 31, 2021 for a single fee of $24 per eligible vehicle. Please review this Notice and the enclosed Terms and Conditions very carefully. This Notice summarizes important changes to your West Virginia E-ZPass® account that affect your legal rights.
There are eligibility requirements for the types of vehicles that can get this special Limited Early Enrollment Option. Only participating Toll Class 1 passenger motor vehicles — two axle passenger vehicles weighing less than 8,000 pounds and under 7'6"  in height that are driven for personal/non-commercial use — are eligible for the Limited Early Enrollment Option and the unlimited toll-free travel for one vehicle through December 31, 2021.
You will be charged a one-time fee of $24 per eligible vehicle (per transponder). If a debit card, credit card or bank account is linked to your existing West Virginia E-ZPass® account then your account will be charged a one-time fee of $24 per eligible vehicle (per transponder) on or about Saturday, September 15, 2018. If you don't have a debit/credit card or bank account linked to your existing account then you will be automatically enrolled and we will invoice you for a one-time fee of $24 per eligible vehicle (per transponder) on or about Saturday, September 15, 2018.
You must opt out of the Limited Early Enrollment Option if you do not wish to be automatically enrolled in this program. To opt out, please contact the West Virginia Parkways Authority no later than Friday, September 14, 2018 by 4:00 p.m., by one of the following ways:
(i)   By letter addressed to: West Virginia Parkways Authority
(ii)
PO Box 1469 Charleston, West Virginia 25325-1469 Attention: Customer Service
By email to: customerservicecenter@wvturnpike.com (iii)   By phone at: 800-206-6222
(iv)   In person at:
West Virginia Parkways Authority 3310 Piedmont Road Charleston, West Virginia 25306
(v)   Visit our web site at www.wvturnpike.com and check the opt out box on the tag management screen of your existing WV E-ZPass account.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which types of vehicles are eligible under the Limited Early Enrollment Option? Toll Class 1 passenger motor vehicles are eligible for the Limited Early Enrollment Option. See the vehicle eligibility requirements on page 1. For all other classes of vehicles (Toll Classes 2 through 10), the applicable toll rates will vary as they are shown on the toll rate schedule on the West Virginia Parkways Authority's website at www.wvturnpike.com. This includes Toll Class 1 vehicles towing items such as boats and trailers, which alter the vehicle classification.
Will the Limited Early Enrollment Option continue after December 31, 2018? Is there a different flat fee option after that date? The Limited Early Enrollment Option is only available for a limited time and it ends at the close of business at 4:00 p.m., December 31, 2018. To be eligible you must enroll prior to this date and time. If you do not participate in the Limited Early Enrollment Option, then effective January 1, 2019 under the Single Fee Discount Program, the fee will be $25 per year, plus a one-time transponder issuance fee of $13 for customers without a West Virginia E-ZPass® account and transponder for unlimited toll-free travel on the West Virginia Turnpike for one year from the date of activation. Beginning January 1, 2022, the Single Fee Discount Program fee will automatically increase by no more than 5% every three years.
I have prepaid for the WV Personal Discount Plan #1. If I enroll in the Limited Early Enrollment Option, will the money I have prepaid under the personal discount plan be refunded to me? If you have purchased a discount plan that includes unlimited travel through one or more mainline toll plazas on the West Virginia Turnpike, any full quarters remaining on that plan, after the conversion to the Single Fee Discount Plan, will be refunded to your West Virginia E- ZPass® account.
Are there new Terms and Conditions regarding this program? When do they take affect? The new Terms and Conditions are enclosed and take effect on September 15, 2018. NOTE: The existing Terms and Conditions allow the West Virginia Parkways Authority to make changes to them, and by continuing to use your West Virginia E-ZPass® account and transponder once the change has been made, you are deemed to have consented to such change.
Am I bound by the new Terms and Conditions if I don't opt out of the program? Yes, by continuing to use your West Virginia E-ZPass® account and transponder, or by simply maintaining your account with the West Virginia Parkways Authority, you hereby ACKNOWLEDGE, AGREE and CONSENT to the new Terms and Conditions. A complete copy of the new Terms and Conditions are enclosed along with this notice for your review. You also may review the new Terms and Conditions online at www.wvturnpike.com.)
We encourage all West Virginia E-ZPass® customers to take advantage of the Limited Early Enrollment Option of the Single Fee Discount Program, allowing you unlimited toll-free travel on the West Virginia Turnpike as stated above. For more information regarding the new Terms and Conditions of the West Virginia E-ZPass® Personal Account Application or about other matters detailed above, please contact us toll free by calling 800-206-6222 or by email at customerservicecenter@wvturnpike.com.
Thank you for being a loyal customer and supporting the West Virginia Parkways Authority and the West Virginia Turnpike.
Sincerely,
Gregory C. Barr General Manager
Enclosure

Since I'm a very infrequent user of the WV Turnpike, and I move my transponder between vehicles, I see no reason to be switched to this plan for unlimited use of the turnpike in a single vehicle. In fact, I might want to cancel my account with them and find another issuer with better terms.

Thoughts?

[froggie]

Does Kentucky not have their own EZPass program, now that there are the toll bridges in Louisville?

[jeffandnicole]

So If you opt in, you are basically paying $24 for over 3 years, which includes free usage of the WV Turnpike.

Honestly, for $24 over 3 years, that's a pretty good deal.

[hotdogPi]

So If you opt in, you are basically paying $24 for over 3 years, which includes free usage of the WV Turnpike.

Honestly, for $24 over 3 years, that's a pretty good deal.

Per vehicle.

[Bitmapped]

So If you opt in, you are basically paying $24 for over 3 years, which includes free usage of the WV Turnpike.

Honestly, for $24 over 3 years, that's a pretty good deal.

Per vehicle.

Even per-vehicle, $8/year is a good price especially when the new toll rate will be $4 per mainline toll plaza.

[wriddle082]

So If you opt in, you are basically paying $24 for over 3 years, which includes free usage of the WV Turnpike.

Honestly, for $24 over 3 years, that's a pretty good deal.

It's a very good deal, and if he didn't live over 100 miles due west of this N-S roadway that really wouldn't be a part of any route he would feasibly take to/from home on a road trip, he would pay it.  But I agree, drop the WV-sponsored EZPass if you can't opt out of this deal.  And you may have to bite the bullet and travel to the evil Cardinal town and get a KY-sponsored EZPass.

Myself, I have an NC Quick Pass on my truck and a FL SunPass decal on my work van.  As long as I get to use either one once a year, no major issues with either.

[ilpt4u]

Get an IL I-Pass. EZ-Pass compatible, refundable deposit, no monthly fee.

Other states may be fine, too

[hbelkins]

Does Kentucky not have their own EZPass program, now that there are the toll bridges in Louisville?

It's called RiverLink, and they have stickers for frequent users and hard-case transponders as well. I really haven't looked into RiverLink since I already had one from WV, but I may have to give it some thought.

I'm basically looking for something that is light on fees and can be moved from one vehicle to another.

[mvak36]

Does Kentucky not have their own EZPass program, now that there are the toll bridges in Louisville?

It's called RiverLink, and they have stickers for frequent users and hard-case transponders as well. I really haven't looked into RiverLink since I already had one from WV, but I may have to give it some thought.

I'm basically looking for something that is light on fees and can be moved from one vehicle to another.

Like ilpt4u said, the I-Pass is really good. They don't have any yearly fees. I just had to pay 10 bucks to get the transponder.

[VTGoose]

I'm basically looking for something that is light on fees and can be moved from one vehicle to another.

Virginia has a pretty flexible E-ZPass system that includes a Flex Pass. There is no maintenance fee and you can register multiple vehicles to use one pass. See https://www.ezpassva.com

Bruce in Blacksburg

[oscar]

Virginia has a pretty flexible E-ZPass system that includes a Flex Pass. There is no maintenance fee and you can register multiple vehicles to use one pass. See https://www.ezpassva.com

But it gives you a hard time if you don't occasionally drive on a Virginia toll road. Not a problem for me, living in a hotbed of toll roads (including one only about a mile from my apartment), even though most of my E-ZPass transactions are out-of-state. Not sure how well it works (or compares to I-Pass) for users not from Virginia or the DC metro area.

[1995hoo]

Virginia has a pretty flexible E-ZPass system that includes a Flex Pass. There is no maintenance fee and you can register multiple vehicles to use one pass. See https://www.ezpassva.com

But it gives you a hard time if you don't occasionally drive on a Virginia toll road. Not a problem for me, living in a hotbed of toll roads (including one only about a mile from my apartment), even though most of my E-ZPass transactions are out-of-state. Not sure how well it works (or compares to I-Pass) for users not from Virginia or the DC metro area.

Also, if you get the E-ZPass Flex and don't use it in HOV Mode within a six-month period, there is a one-time $10 fee. There's really no reason to get a Flex if you don't live in the DC area unless you visit here frequently, though.

[SP Cook]

So If you opt in, you are basically paying $24 for over 3 years, which includes free usage of the WV Turnpike.

Honestly, for $24 over 3 years, that's a pretty good deal.

It is a HECK of a deal, when you consider tolls are doubling.  Each toll booth will be $4, and the Corridor L "side toll" will be 80c.    One round trip breaks you even.  Anyone along the corridor where the WV TP is part of a regular trip, even the once a year vacation trip, needs to sign up.

BTW, as to the "per vehicle" part, the turnpike is supposedly buying cameras similar to those used in "toll by plate" and will try to catch people moving transponders between cars.  But it will write several warning letters before it actually does anything about it.

[hbelkins]

I sent instructions that I did not want to be enrolled in that program.

So what happened? They enrolled me anyway.

[qguy]

 

I sent instructions that I did not want to be enrolled in that program.

So what happened? They enrolled me anyway.

"Exciting news!" [facepalm]

[jeffandnicole]

I sent instructions that I did not want to be enrolled in that program.

So what happened? They enrolled me anyway.

Dear Sir:  Thank you for opting out of the program.  Here is your membership materials.  We have your credit card info so we're gonna do what we want to do anyway.

Drive Safely.

Sincerely, EZ Pass.

[hbelkins]

I see a credit card dispute in my future.

[froggie]

Virginia has a pretty flexible E-ZPass system that includes a Flex Pass. There is no maintenance fee and you can register multiple vehicles to use one pass. See https://www.ezpassva.com

But it gives you a hard time if you don't occasionally drive on a Virginia toll road. Not a problem for me, living in a hotbed of toll roads (including one only about a mile from my apartment), even though most of my E-ZPass transactions are out-of-state. Not sure how well it works (or compares to I-Pass) for users not from Virginia or the DC metro area.

They haven't given me a hard time, and I've been out of Virginia for over 4 years now...