Most Bestest EZ-Pass Transponder

[Hobart]

I have come to a significant milestone in my life: I need to invest in a transponder for the Illinois Tollway.

I'm not sure if I heard it here or somewhere else, but I've heard of different states having better terms for their transponder holders.

I will be registering whatever transponder I acquire with a Wisconsin address, and will be driving on the Illinois Tollway like once a month tops. What state's EZ-Pass flavor should I acquire?

[ran4sh]

If Illinois is acceptable to you I would just go with that. They are one of several states with no monthly fee. I'm not aware of the Illinois Tollway engaging in transponder discrimination (unlike e.g. New Jersey, Georgia, etc).

[ElishaGOtis]

IMHO, SunPass PRO is the best, given that it works in more places than the traditional E-ZPass transponders (OK, KS, and about half of TX). It's also portable, attaching to your windshield with suction cups, no special holder needed. Not to mention no monthly fees!

Granted, resolving any issues you may have could be a bit difficult in Wisconsin, considering that the pass is run by a Florida agency. Also, it only works for 2-axle vehicles, so if you pull a trailer, you'll need a different tag.

[Scott5114]

It is worth noting that whichever government operates the pass you sign up for could theoretically profit off of the interest drawn while the account balance is held in escrow, especially if you don't use the pass often. This could be worth considering if you find a particular state's public policies objectionable. (There are some states that I would be kind of uncomfortable funding by keeping my money in their pass program, which I would weigh against the utility of any unique benefits that particular pass would grant me.)

[StogieGuy7]

I have come to a significant milestone in my life: I need to invest in a transponder for the Illinois Tollway.

I'm not sure if I heard it here or somewhere else, but I've heard of different states having better terms for their transponder holders.

I will be registering whatever transponder I acquire with a Wisconsin address, and will be driving on the Illinois Tollway like once a month tops. What state's EZ-Pass flavor should I acquire?

Given where you live, you'll probably be using the Illinois Tollway system the most anyhow, so I'd go with that. If there's any issue with a toll payment on the tollway, it's much more easily resolved if you are using an I-Pass than if you're using some other EZPass. Not to mention that, although you get the same terms with an I Pass as you'd get with an EZPass from out east, most of those charge quite a bit more money to get started, including a fee for the pass itself.  I Pass doesn't do that, I think you can start for as little as $10.

One thing I should tell you is that the new I-Pass transponders are stickers that go on your windshield, so you'll need one per car (though they can be tied to the same account). This was done as the sticker transponders are more modern and more easily interoperable with tollways down south which are also now part of the EZ Pass network (including most Florida toll roads). You can get your I-Pass by signing up on line, stopping at a kiosk on one of the tollway Oases (not recommended) or by simply stopping at the service desk of a Jewel supermarket (where they sell them) or other retailers that partner with the Illinois Tollway.

[1995hoo]

Can the I-Pass sticker transponders be fastened with Scotch tape? The SunPass Mini sticker transponder has instructions claiming it won't work unless the backing is removed and the sticker is permanently affixed to the windshield, but that's untrue. I cancelled my SunPass when Florida began accepting E-ZPass, but for years prior to that I had a SunPass attached with tape and it worked just fine (I saw the display at the old toll plaza at the north end of the Turnpike's ticket system change as I drove slowly through, which is confirmation that it read the device and didn't do a plate lookup). We also had three vehicles registered to our SunPass account despite having just the one sticker device.

All of that makes me wonder whether the same would be true as to the I-Pass sticker.

[paulthemapguy]

I know a bunch of out-of-staters that use Illinois Tollway's IPass because of how convenient it is.  You can walk up to the customer service desk at any old Jewel grocery store in Chicagoland and request one. There is no fee to pay for the transponder per se; they will ask for $10 up front, but that money will go into your tollway account toward future tolls. There is no monthly fee. They give you all you need to stick the transponder to your vehicle--though I suppose that isn't a difficult feat now that the new transponders they issue ARE just stickers.  IPasses are just a daily part of life for a lot of Chicagolanders, so Illinois Tollway knows they would be hearing it if they didn't make it as convenient as possible. Not to be a shill... but you can learn more here: https://www.illinoistollway.com/about-ipass

[ilpt4u]

In addition to Jewel, six Northern IL Road Ranger gas stations/truck stops also sell/replace I-Passes, both standard passenger vehicles and semis

https://www.roadrangerusa.com/locations-amenities/amenities/ipass

The Road Ranger at the 1st IL exit off I-39/90 from Wisconsin, before the tolls begin, is one of the 6: South Beloit.

If it was a statewide partnership I'd go trade my expired hard-pack transponder (G4 or 5, the final hard pack model) for a sticker at the Marion Road Ranger at the IL 148 exit off 57. Next time I drive up north... I don't use my I-Pass as much in SoIL as I used to, but last time I did it worked fine. I think it "expired" in 22 or 22. Oh well. Still works AFAIK