TCA Toll Roads in Orange County going cashless

[cpzilliacus]

TOLLROADSnews: Corridor Agencies in Orange Co Calif going all-electronic by Fall 2013 at estd $14m cost, new zonal tolling

[OCGuy81]

I can see the sense in that, though I hate to see jobs of any sort eliminated nowadays.  The toll roads are some of my favorite roads to drive near me, and this may give them an even better "flow" once implemented.  Good link, thanks cpz.

[Interstate275Fla]

I am surprised that CA 73 will be going cashless soon.  In fact, a few years ago while I was vacationing in the Los Angeles area I took a ride on CA 73 in both directions, going south to Interstate 5 and San Diego for a day trip and going north to return to my hotel in Los Angeles.

Shortly after I got back from my Los Angeles trip I wrote The Toll Roads (the toll authority that oversees CA 73) asking them if they have any long range plans to accept toll transponders from other states in addition to California's FasTrak, such as Florida's SunPass.  TCA Toll Roads wrote me back and told me that there were no plans at the moment to achieve interoperability with toll transponders from outside California.

However, if TCA Toll Roads wants to go cashless on CA 73 it should consider looking into the possibility of interoperability with toll transponders from other states in addition to California's FasTrak.  In my situation, if I were to take another trip into the Los Angeles and/or San Diego area and use a toll road such as CA 73 or CA 125, I could use my Florida SunPass without the expense of having to set up a toll account with FasTrak.

On a side note, there are efforts underway to achieve interoperability between Florida's SunPass and EZ-Pass.  That would benefit our seasonal residents who come down to Florida for the winter and at the same time we can use our SunPass transponders at EZ-Pass locations.  Moreover, Tampa's Selmon Crosstown Expressway went cashless back in 2010 - after all, a toll road that is converted to the open road tolling concept is great for the environment.

[nexus73]

My question is how will the cashless system work for out of state plates?

Rick

[cpzilliacus]

My question is how will the cashless system work for out of state plates?

You will get a bill in the mail for the toll due.  Now it's not clear if they can force you to pay - some states have interstate agreements which allow your registration renewal to be withheld if you don't pay those tolls, but many do not.

[Road Hog]

All the tollways in North Texas converted to cashless a few years ago, and it's wonderful. I'd get a TollTag if I drove them more often, and the toll is higher without one, but the few times I do drive a tollway, it's nice not to have to fish for change and slow down almost to a stop at a toll plaza every few miles anymore.

[Henry]

And the EZ-Pass revolution continues full speed ahead...

[rte66man]

All the tollways in North Texas converted to cashless a few years ago, and it's wonderful. I'd get a TollTag if I drove them more often, and the toll is higher without one, but the few times I do drive a tollway, it's nice not to have to fish for change and slow down almost to a stop at a toll plaza every few miles anymore.

And if you're from Oklahoma, they can't get you because their cameras are aimed at the front plate. OK only requires a back plate.

rte66man