Tolling Methods Compared

[theroadwayone]

In case no one has done this before, here are the three main methods that are used for collecting highway tolls.

Ticket system
Method: Closed, distance-based payment. Ticket with prices to exits (and highway termini) is obtained at entry and handed over with toll at exit.
Benefits: Tolls are collected mainly at exits, eliminating need for frequent mainline toll plazas, except at the ends of the highway. All traffic entering and exiting can be clustered into a single interchange for getting tickets/paying tolls, in most instances leading to less traffic. Good for long-haul roads.
Drawbacks: Usually only a small number of interchanges can be built, owing to the cost of building them along with the toll booths (although the PA Turnpike, with the EZ-Pass-only slip ramps, gets around that.) Along with that, congestion can occur at the tolls as the vast majority of toll lanes are low-speed.

Barrier toll system
Method: A system of toll barriers charging flat fares along regular intervals of the highway, usually in conjunction with tolls at entrances and exits.
Benefits: The need for usually only one or two mainline barriers makes it ideal for shorter-distance highways. Exits usually need tolls facing only one direction, usually away from the plaza. Some can even get away with having no ramp tolls at all.
Drawbacks: The presence of multiple toll plazas along a highway can slow traffic down quite a bit, though ETC can take a bite out of that. Also, not having exit tolls at some exits can lead to "shunpiking" and loss of revenue.

Open road tolling
Method: Same as a barrier toll, in some respects, but completely electronic.
Benefits: Saves money from having to build and maintain cash tollbooths. Traffic can continuously move at highway speeds. On top of that, all-electronic toll roads can fit into tighter areas, without need for a wider cash toll point.
Drawbacks: There are going to be plenty of users who don't pay. This, though, can be cracked down on with monetary and legal penalties to the most habitual violators.

Those are some of the benefits and drawbacks to the different tolling systems in common use. Shout out any others you can think of below. Thanks!

[Beltway]

Combinations --

Ticket system plus open road tolling -- toll plazas can have both types of lanes

Barrier toll system plus open road tolling -- toll plazas can have both types of lanes

[TheHighwayMan3561]

I have stated my distaste in the past for AET systems because I do not want to waste my time later trying to figure out how to pay tolls online. Let me pay my toll when I'm using your road so I can be done with it.

[hotdogPi]

I have stated my distaste in the past for AET systems because I do not want to waste my time later trying to figure out how to pay tolls online. Let me pay my toll when I'm using your road so I can be done with it.

AET in Massachusetts uses mail for those without E-ZPass; it's not online.

[kalvado]

I have stated my distaste in the past for AET systems because I do not want to waste my time later trying to figure out how to pay tolls online. Let me pay my toll when I'm using your road so I can be done with it.

AET in Massachusetts uses mail for those without E-ZPass; it's not online.

Which is even worse.
I agree with Highway Man - there should always be an option to settle the transaction on a spot. With all sort of automation we have, this should be doable - even if that involves pulling over and dealing with the machine. If cash or credit machine can be used to sell cola, it should be able to collect toll.
Mail or online - post-trip billing involves too much personal information waiting to be hacked, and too much potential for abuse.

[1995hoo]

A drawback to the ticket system when cash payment is allowed: Some people either don't read the ticket or don't know how to read the ticket and therefore take forever to pay the toll, holding up other people when it's time to exit.

Some toll roads are a hybrid of the ticket system and barrier tolls; Florida's Turnpike is the most notable that comes to mind, as it uses a ticket system between Lantana and a point south of the Orlando area combined with barrier tolls elsewhere (including all-AET sections in the Greater Miami area), plus there are sections in the Orlando area that are effectively toll-free.

[jeffandnicole]

A drawback to the ticket system when cash payment is allowed: Some people either don't read the ticket or don't know how to read the ticket and therefore take forever to pay the toll, holding up other people when it's time to exit.

Most people don't know how to read the ticket.  Many people if they take the same route every day know what the toll is and just have their money ready.  But if they enter or exit at a different plaza, they either forget and try handing over the same amount as they normally do, or have to wait for the toll taker to inform them of the toll.

I have stated my distaste in the past for AET systems because I do not want to waste my time later trying to figure out how to pay tolls online. Let me pay my toll when I'm using your road so I can be done with it.

AET in Massachusetts uses mail for those without E-ZPass; it's not online.

Which is even worse.
I agree with Highway Man - there should always be an option to settle the transaction on a spot. With all sort of automation we have, this should be doable - even if that involves pulling over and dealing with the machine. If cash or credit machine can be used to sell cola, it should be able to collect toll.
Mail or online - post-trip billing involves too much personal information waiting to be hacked, and too much potential for abuse.

However, you don't have 30 people standing in line at a Coke machine. 

And once you allow people to pay with cash/credit, you can't just have one lane - you have to have enough lanes to handle the traffic wanting to pay with those methods.  Using the NJ Turnpike or GS Parkway as good, long time examples, you can have a few lanes handling electronic toll payments at high speed, but you need at least 2 lanes per AET lane to handle cash/credit card transactions.  Even if cash/cc users only make up 15% or so of the travelers on a highway, they take up 75% of the room at a toll plaza.  And once you accept cash and cc payments, you need facilities to handle the control rooms, maintenance worker, toll employees, secured vehicles to pick up the money collected, 24 hour staffing by at least 2 people, etc. 

In modern times, taking cash is just a pain in the ass.

Of course, there are options if you don't want to pay later on all AET systems: Don't use the road.  Sure, it'll probably take you longer, but most likely there are alternative routes to take.  Just because it's the fastest way doesn't mean you have to go that way - heck, we have a subforum on here dedicated to optional routes to avoid traffic!

[kalvado]

However, you don't have 30 people standing in line at a Coke machine. 

It is called "planning".

And once you allow people to pay with cash/credit, you can't just have one lane - you have to have enough lanes to handle the traffic wanting to pay with those methods.  Using the NJ Turnpike or GS Parkway as good, long time examples, you can have a few lanes handling electronic toll payments at high speed, but you need at least 2 lanes per AET lane to handle cash/credit card transactions.  Even if cash/cc users only make up 15% or so of the travelers on a highway, they take up 75% of the room at a toll plaza.  And once you accept cash and cc payments, you need facilities to handle the control rooms, maintenance worker, toll employees, secured vehicles to pick up the money collected, 24 hour staffing by at least 2 people, etc. 

Did you ever hear the term "cost of doing business"?.

Of course, there are options if you don't want to pay later on all AET systems: Don't use the road.  Sure, it'll probably take you longer, but most likely there are alternative routes to take.  Just because it's the fastest way doesn't mean you have to go that way - heck, we have a subforum on here dedicated to optional routes to avoid traffic!

If you don't like cavity searches - don't fly. If you don't like surveillance - move to the cabin in the woods...
I can only imagine how much pain someone like you feels on 4th of July - celebrating those terrorists rebelling against lawful powers of His Majesty....

[abefroman329]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

And cash is probably equally as fast as paying a toll with a credit card at a manned or unmanned booth, probably faster than a chip transaction.

[PHLBOS]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

Many newer toll facilities don't even have a cash option at all (such were built that way) and some older facilities (the Mass. Pike and all three harbor/river crossings in Boston) have since been converted to AET.

[jeffandnicole]

And once you allow people to pay with cash/credit, you can't just have one lane - you have to have enough lanes to handle the traffic wanting to pay with those methods.  Using the NJ Turnpike or GS Parkway as good, long time examples, you can have a few lanes handling electronic toll payments at high speed, but you need at least 2 lanes per AET lane to handle cash/credit card transactions.  Even if cash/cc users only make up 15% or so of the travelers on a highway, they take up 75% of the room at a toll plaza.  And once you accept cash and cc payments, you need facilities to handle the control rooms, maintenance worker, toll employees, secured vehicles to pick up the money collected, 24 hour staffing by at least 2 people, etc. 

Did you ever hear the term "cost of doing business"?.

I've heard of that term before.

So have the toll agencies.

And the toll agencies have decided that the cost of doing business by accommodating cash payers isn't worth the money. 

Collecting tolls has always been a costly expense, and with AET, it's much, much cheaper, even with the mailings and trying to recoup the money after the fact.

[Beltway]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

Many newer toll facilities don't even have a cash option at all (such were built that way) and some older facilities (the Mass. Pike and all three harbor/river crossings in Boston) have since been converted to AET.

AET normally includes a non-transponder option thru license plate scanning, but they normally charge a hefty premium to those tollings.

I suppose they could send an mailed invoice to someone who won't use credit cards, but there would likely be a hefty premium for that as well.

[kalvado]

Did you ever hear the term "cost of doing business"?.

I've heard of that term before.
So have the toll agencies.
And the toll agencies have decided that the cost of doing business by accommodating cash payers isn't worth the money. 
Collecting tolls has always been a costly expense, and with AET, it's much, much cheaper, even with the mailings and trying to recoup the money after the fact.

Well, thats why customer protection regulations exist - many toll roads are essentially monopolies, so nothing wrong with some regulation. Like applying "same price, cash or credit"  concept...

[PHLBOS]

I suppose they could send an mailed invoice to someone who won't use credit cards, but there would likely be a hefty premium for that as well.

I know that MA, NY & PA do Toll-By-Mail (TBM) for their AET facilities for non-E-ZPass users.  It's the recipient's decision whether they want to pay their mailed toll bill by check or list their credit card number on the invoice & mail it back.

I could be mistaken but I don't believe there's an additional charge aside from the difference between the E-ZPass rate and the TBM rate... at least not a hefty one.  Such is dependent upon which agency is charging the toll.

[Brandon]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

And cash is probably equally as fast as paying a toll with a credit card at a manned or unmanned booth, probably faster than a chip transaction.

That is, of course, if they enjoy paying twice as much at each toll plaza.

[kalvado]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

And cash is probably equally as fast as paying a toll with a credit card at a manned or unmanned booth, probably faster than a chip transaction.

That is, of course, if they enjoy paying twice as much at each toll plaza.

Did any toll agency dropped their toll at least 30% after AET was implemented? If not, I suspect your 2x estimate is plain wrong.

[Brandon]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

And cash is probably equally as fast as paying a toll with a credit card at a manned or unmanned booth, probably faster than a chip transaction.

That is, of course, if they enjoy paying twice as much at each toll plaza.

Did any toll agency dropped their toll at least 30% after AET was implemented? If not, I suspect your 2x estimate is plain wrong.

In Illinois, on the ISTHA tollways, the cash rate is 2x the I-Pass rate.

[abefroman329]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

And cash is probably equally as fast as paying a toll with a credit card at a manned or unmanned booth, probably faster than a chip transaction.

That is, of course, if they enjoy paying twice as much at each toll plaza.

Did any toll agency dropped their toll at least 30% after AET was implemented? If not, I suspect your 2x estimate is plain wrong.

In Illinois, on the ISTHA tollways, the cash rate is 2x the I-Pass rate.

And I believe the discount on the ITR from the Skyway to the ticket barrier is even steeper.

[abefroman329]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

And cash is probably equally as fast as paying a toll with a credit card at a manned or unmanned booth, probably faster than a chip transaction.

That is, of course, if they enjoy paying twice as much at each toll plaza.

For many people, it's a small price to pay.

[kalvado]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

And cash is probably equally as fast as paying a toll with a credit card at a manned or unmanned booth, probably faster than a chip transaction.

That is, of course, if they enjoy paying twice as much at each toll plaza.

Did any toll agency dropped their toll at least 30% after AET was implemented? If not, I suspect your 2x estimate is plain wrong.

In Illinois, on the ISTHA tollways, the cash rate is 2x the I-Pass rate.

Question is a bi different. Of course, charging infrequent customers at 2X rate under "they don't vote here" assumption is a common thing these days.
But, if the overall cost of AET transaction is 2x lower than cash, one would expect that AET introduction would cut tolls 2x. I don't think any AET system achieved that - making me believe that cash customers are charged 2x not because underlying costs are higher - but because they will pay whatever is on a bill.
And using legislative regulation is perfectly OK in such cases when a too-big-to-fail agency goes on a power trip.   

[jeffandnicole]

There are enough people who don’t like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

And cash is probably equally as fast as paying a toll with a credit card at a manned or unmanned booth, probably faster than a chip transaction.

That is, of course, if they enjoy paying twice as much at each toll plaza.

Did any toll agency dropped their toll at least 30% after AET was implemented? If not, I suspect your 2x estimate is plain wrong.

In Illinois, on the ISTHA tollways, the cash rate is 2x the I-Pass rate.

Question is a bi different. Of course, charging infrequent customers at 2X rate under "they don't vote here" assumption is a common thing these days.
But, if the overall cost of AET transaction is 2x lower than cash, one would expect that AET introduction would cut tolls 2x. I don't think any AET system achieved that - making me believe that cash customers are charged 2x not because underlying costs are higher - but because they will pay whatever is on a bill.
And using legislative regulation is perfectly OK in such cases when a too-big-to-fail agency goes on a power trip.   

As long as that money saved is going towards improvements, personally I'm fine with it.  Taxpayers are always saying that if costs are reduced, then they should pass along the savings.  It doesn't work like that, because while some costs are reduced, other costs are increasing. 

I always find it ironic as well that people willingly accept price increases from private companies without much thought other than 'inflation'.  These private companies spend millions upon millions of dollars on themselves.  Parties, conferences, meetings, planes, trips, rewards, etc, etc, etc.  The consumer pays for all of it, and there's no getting around it by buying other products. Yet, they find out their councilman spent $20 at dinner and they go ballistic.  Yet when it comes time for re-election, they vote the guy back in!

[Brandon]

There are enough people who don't like being tracked by toll transponders and/or credit cards that cash is going to stick around until another method of paying for tolls without being traced is invented.

And cash is probably equally as fast as paying a toll with a credit card at a manned or unmanned booth, probably faster than a chip transaction.

That is, of course, if they enjoy paying twice as much at each toll plaza.

Did any toll agency dropped their toll at least 30% after AET was implemented? If not, I suspect your 2x estimate is plain wrong.

In Illinois, on the ISTHA tollways, the cash rate is 2x the I-Pass rate.

Question is a bi different. Of course, charging infrequent customers at 2X rate under "they don't vote here" assumption is a common thing these days.
But, if the overall cost of AET transaction is 2x lower than cash, one would expect that AET introduction would cut tolls 2x. I don't think any AET system achieved that - making me believe that cash customers are charged 2x not because underlying costs are higher - but because they will pay whatever is on a bill.
And using legislative regulation is perfectly OK in such cases when a too-big-to-fail agency goes on a power trip.   

Actually, the 2x rate is the carrot to convince people to use I-Pass (EZ Pass) instead of cash.  It works too, as over 87% of tollway users use an I-Pass (EZ Pass).

[SP Cook]

IMHO,

- Any toll system that is based on computer recognition of plates should be banned.  The level of mistakes by state DMVs is sometimes upwards of 10%.  People often do not recieve the bills in the mail and have registrations and DLs cancelled due to supposed non-payment.  Which is almost certainly unconstitutional.   

- "Soak the stranger" schemes such as deep discounts for regular users just invite other states to do the same and in the end everyone loses. 

- Schemes that require rental car users to pay via the rental car agency (bandits all) should be banned.  There should always be a cash option.

[wxfree]

I don't think ORT should be used in the same set of categories.  ORT can be used with either ticket or barrier systems.  I like the delineation made by Peter Samuel, who described open road tolling as using full-speed lanes for electronic toll collection with a toll booth aside on bypass lanes, while all-electronic collection has no option for payment on the road, or reason to slow down.

I would propose that ticket and barrier be considered as cost calculating methods and ORT and AET, along with an old-fashioned toll booth with or without low-speed electronic lanes, be considered as collection methods.

[kalvado]

Question is a bi different. Of course, charging infrequent customers at 2X rate under "they don't vote here" assumption is a common thing these days.
But, if the overall cost of AET transaction is 2x lower than cash, one would expect that AET introduction would cut tolls 2x. I don't think any AET system achieved that - making me believe that cash customers are charged 2x not because underlying costs are higher - but because they will pay whatever is on a bill.
And using legislative regulation is perfectly OK in such cases when a too-big-to-fail agency goes on a power trip.   

Actually, the 2x rate is the carrot to convince people to use I-Pass (EZ Pass) instead of cash.  It works too, as over 87% of tollway users use an I-Pass (EZ Pass).

And I am only moderately uncomfortable with that. Punitive charges for locals... Well, maybe not a good idea... But if I am far enough from home to be out of ezpass area, I would likely have only a few tolled trips. Extra $10-20 is a small part of trip cost (which would start with $200-500 air fare or a few hundred miles worth of gas and car wear) - but paying for peace of mind that all charges are settled definitely worth it, even if it is an unfair charge.