EZ-Pass Question For Non-EZ-Pass Vacationers...

[thenetwork]

There are those who live in states &/or areas of the country where they don't need to get an EZ-Pass since they either don't live near an EZ-Pass facility.  However, depending on where one travels for a vacation, it could be to their benefit to purchase an EZ-Pass from any specific state in order to save money on tolls.

My Questions are these:  At what monetary price-point of non-discounted tolls is it worth getting an EZ-Pass?  And what state's transponder is the best deal for a vacationer that may only use it for 2 weeks and then not use it for another 2-5 years?

I will be traveling from Colorado to Ohio this summer -- I-70 out and I-80 back.  I will probably be staying on I-70 through the Kansas Turnpike, using parts of the Ohio Turnpike, and the I-80 "toll trap" section of the Tri-State.  I may or may not be using the Indiana Toll Road and other parts of the Illinois Tollway system, as it will depend on if I visit friends & family in Detroit or Chicagoland.  Even in the worse case scenario, I may not be saving up enough on EZ-Pass fares to warrant getting a transponder.  I might just be better off paying full fares and be done with it.

Any suggestions or advice is appreciated in advance.

[lordsutch]

Well, for starters unless the interoperability rollout gathers a lot of pace over the next 3 months, E-ZPass won't do you any good on the Kansas Turnpike. (In general, E-ZPass' approach to interoperability to date seems to have been "try to convince states to join E-ZPass and use our obsolete, nonstandard tags, and if not don't work with them at all.")

That said, since most of your travel will be on ticket system routes (i.e. the Indiana and Ohio turnpikes) EZ Pass won't probably save you much time at toll booths relative to the time/hassle of getting one in the first place, and I doubt you'd rack up enough of a discount to make it worthwhile monetarily. But if you do get a tag, see here; Illinois seems to be the best deal at present in terms of avoiding maintenance fees and refunding your deposit on transponder return, of the states on your itinerary.

[corco]

I got a Massachusetts E-ZPass about a year ago. It works well - you can get it online as an out of state resident and there's no maintenance fees and it can sit unused indefinitely. There is a $20 minimum balance, but no other strings attached or fees.

[RobbieL2415]

I got my EZ-Pass from the NYS offices, since only NYS-issued transponders will get you discounted tolls on Thruway Authority roads and MTA B&T crossings.

MassHighway currently deducts 50 cents from all tolls paid via EZ-Pass regardless of the state that issued it.

[vdeane]

I know the MTA engages in transponder discrimination, but I haven't heard anything on the Thruway Authority doing it (aside from commuter plans that don't really count; IMO if one has to meet residency or number of trips qualifications, it's not transponder discrimination if you limit the special plan to in-state tags).  Most people will just say "NY does transponder discrimination" because the MTA does, not bothering to care that NY actually has 5-6 toll authorities that deal (or will deal, in the case with the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority) with E-ZPass, and each has their own tags and policies.

Well, for starters unless the interoperability rollout gathers a lot of pace over the next 3 months, E-ZPass won't do you any good on the Kansas Turnpike. (In general, E-ZPass' approach to interoperability to date seems to have been "try to convince states to join E-ZPass and use our obsolete, nonstandard tags, and if not don't work with them at all.")

That said, since most of your travel will be on ticket system routes (i.e. the Indiana and Ohio turnpikes) EZ Pass won't probably save you much time at toll booths relative to the time/hassle of getting one in the first place, and I doubt you'd rack up enough of a discount to make it worthwhile monetarily. But if you do get a tag, see here; Illinois seems to be the best deal at present in terms of avoiding maintenance fees and refunding your deposit on transponder return, of the states on your itinerary.

Personally, I like E-ZPass the best.  If one is pulling a trailer here, they just swap out their regular E-ZPass for the one that's issued for the trailer.  In sticker territory, that's not possible (unless you do that scotch tape trick, which sticks me as a messy way to do things).  I guess you have to pay the trailer rate for all trips down there.  Also, it works well with closed ticket systems, which IMO are the best system (it logs were you get on and where you get off on the bill, so no matter the length of your trip, you're only invoiced once for a toll - nice and elegant; contrast that with barrier systems, where you'll get invoiced for every single exit you pass... SLOPPY!).  Why should someone's make-work attempt to re-invent the wheel force the IAG that invented toll interoperability to change?  IMO, it should be everyone else adopting E-ZPass, not the other way around.

[Duke87]

I got my EZ-Pass from the NYS offices, since only NYS-issued transponders will get you discounted tolls on Thruway Authority roads and MTA B&T crossings.

Worth noting, though, that if you are not a NYS resident, you will get a PANYNJ tag and corresponding $1/month fee if you sign up through NY's website. If you want a NY tag with no fee and don't live in NY, you either need to borrow the address of someone who does to sign up, or purchase one in person at a location that sells "On-the-Go" transponders.

If you don't plan on using any MTA crossings, it's not worth the hassle since they're the only agency in NY that engages in transponder discrimination.

Massachusetts, as has been pointed out, is the ideal state otherwise since they have no monthly fee and no deposit. Illinois has no monthly fee and a refundable $10 deposit.

Personally, I like E-ZPass the best.  If one is pulling a trailer here, they just swap out their regular E-ZPass for the one that's issued for the trailer.  In sticker territory, that's not possible (unless you do that scotch tape trick, which sticks me as a messy way to do things). {...}  Why should someone's make-work attempt to re-invent the wheel force the IAG that invented toll interoperability to change?  IMO, it should be everyone else adopting E-ZPass, not the other way around.

The issue with hard case active transponders is that they are considerably more expensive to manufacture than passive stickers. The ability to easily move tags between vehicles or swap tags within a vehicle is certainly a key advantage to them, but for most people the situations in which this adds convenience are few and far between - to the point where this occasional extra convenience is not worth the extra cost.

As for the issue of trailers, the FAQ on SunPass' website says:

5. Can I pull a boat/trailer?
    A: When towing, you can use the SunPass lanes. The toll for additional axle(s) will be calculated and deducted from your account balance during subsequent use.

Though it does not explain how exactly this works. Presumably they must have some means other than the tag itself of IDing the type of vehicle passing through the toll plaza.

[MikeTheActuary]

The issue with hard case active transponders is that they are considerably more expensive to manufacture than passive stickers. The ability to easily move tags between vehicles or swap tags within a vehicle is certainly a key advantage to them, but for most people the situations in which this adds convenience are few and far between - to the point where this occasional extra convenience is not worth the extra cost.

In a passive sticker system, how do you handle situations where you don't want to use the pass?

With EZ-Pass, you just stick the transponder inside its foil wrapper.  I've got to believe it's not quite that simple with a sticker.

(Or does the situation even come up outside EZ-Pass-land?  In the Northeast there are some barriers where EZ-Pass readers exist on all lanes...)

[lordsutch]

In a passive sticker system, how do you handle situations where you don't want to use the pass?

With EZ-Pass, you just stick the transponder inside its foil wrapper.  I've got to believe it's not quite that simple with a sticker.

(Or does the situation even come up outside EZ-Pass-land?  In the Northeast there are some barriers where EZ-Pass readers exist on all lanes...)

SunPass still has a hard case option if you really want to go that route, so it's technically possible to have a portable tag even with "sticker" technology.

SunPass will also let you put another car plate number in their system and roll through ETC-only lanes without a tag at all as long as you already have a SunPass account, so you really don't need to be able to transfer tags between vehicles at all.

As for the issue of trailers, the FAQ on SunPass' website says:

5. Can I pull a boat/trailer?
    A: When towing, you can use the SunPass lanes. The toll for additional axle(s) will be calculated and deducted from your account balance during subsequent use.

Though it does not explain how exactly this works. Presumably they must have some means other than the tag itself of IDing the type of vehicle passing through the toll plaza.

I know Texas has cameras that recognize the shape of the vehicle at their ETC gantries; I assume Florida either does the same or counts axles.

[RobbieL2415]

I got my EZ-Pass from the NYS offices, since only NYS-issued transponders will get you discounted tolls on Thruway Authority roads and MTA B&T crossings.

Worth noting, though, that if you are not a NYS resident, you will get a PANYNJ tag and corresponding $1/month fee if you sign up through NY's website. If you want a NY tag with no fee and don't live in NY, you either need to borrow the address of someone who does to sign up, or purchase one in person at a location that sells "On-the-Go" transponders.

If you don't plan on using any MTA crossings, it's not worth the hassle since they're the only agency in NY that engages in transponder discrimination.

Massachusetts, as has been pointed out, is the ideal state otherwise since they have no monthly fee and no deposit. Illinois has no monthly fee and a refundable $10 deposit.

Hmm.  I signed up online and my transponder says it was issued by MTA B&T.  And I've never seen a service fee on any of my statements in the three years I've had it.   

[wxfree]

I've studied some of these matters and how they're handled in Texas.  It's likely that some other states do some of the same things.

In a passive sticker system, how do you handle situations where you don't want to use the pass?

When the Austin area toll roads had cash collection, if you paid at the toll booth your tag account was not charged.  I did this once, throwing two quarters into the basket to see what would happen.  The light display said "Thank You" and my account was not charged.  Since they no longer have cash collection, this is no longer an issue.  If you remove your tag, they'll match your license plate to your account and charge it instead of sending a bill.  There is still cash collection in the Houston area, I'm not familiar with it but it probably works the same way the Austin roads did years ago.

If you don't want to use your TollTag to pay tolls and parking charges at DFW and Love Field, you can turn off those options on the NTTA web site.  Your tag will be read and ignored, and you can pay some other way.  You can turn off its ability to pay TxDOT or HCTRA tolls.  You can even turn off its ability to pay NTTA tolls and get bills in the mail, instead.

Presumably they must have some means other than the tag itself of IDing the type of vehicle passing through the toll plaza.

There are two answers to this question in Texas.  The old-fashioned public toll roads charge according to the number of axles.  This is a new policy, and the public entities are free to set their own tolling policies.  Under each toll point there's equipment that counts the axles.  The concession agreements were written before axle-based charging became standard statewide.  Since those agreements are stuck in time, the privately managed roads, SH 130 and the concession managed lanes, use vehicle classes defined in the agreements.  A large two-axle truck pays more than a pickup pulling a single-axle trailer.  Again, this is automatic.  They use some kind of equipment to count axles and measure the height and width.  I'm not certain how the TxDOT managed lanes charge for use.

The sticker type tags aren't an attempt to re-invent the wheel, they're just (perhaps) a better wheel bearing.  If we're going to have to use one type of technology (which is not a certainty), it should be the best (whatever that is), not necessarily the oldest.  If we come up with something better, cheaper with a higher read rate, we would want to be able to upgrade to it, and not be stuck because we're determined to stick with the first generation of wheel.

[1995hoo]

To go back to the OP's question, in my mind the analysis would look to how much time I might save at toll plazas, rather than how much money I might save on reduced toll rates, and then I'd consider whether the cost of the transponder is worth it to save that amount of time. I have no idea how much time E-ZPass would save on the trip the OP describes. I don't think it's reasonable just to say "it won't save time on ticket system roads" because in my experience it definitely does save time on busy ticket system roads, such as the Jersey Turnpike or the Thruway, but as I say, I have no sense for what sort of traffic to expect on the OP's trip.

Aside from the time factor, I just really hate waiting on line to pay tolls, and I hate digging around for money while I'm driving, especially at night (the Garden State Parkway tolls were among the most annoying in my view).

[MikeTheActuary]

To go back to the OP's question, in my mind the analysis would look to how much time I might save at toll plazas, rather than how much money I might save on reduced toll rates, and then I'd consider whether the cost of the transponder is worth it to save that amount of time. I have no idea how much time E-ZPass would save on the trip the OP describes. I don't think it's reasonable just to say "it won't save time on ticket system roads" because in my experience it definitely does save time on busy ticket system roads, such as the Jersey Turnpike or the Thruway, but as I say, I have no sense for what sort of traffic to expect on the OP's trip.

Aside from the time factor, I just really hate waiting on line to pay tolls, and I hate digging around for money while I'm driving, especially at night (the Garden State Parkway tolls were among the most annoying in my view).

I think for the OP's proposed trip, while I have no recent knowledge of what kind of toll-generated congestion will be faced on that itinerary, I find it difficult to imagine a scenario where it makes sense to get a transponder.  (Perhaps if the trip were such where every second mattered, or if it were a trip that would be taken 2 or 3 times a year...)

I got my EZ-pass when I found that I was having to sit in a line of traffic at a toll barrier more than a couple of times a year.  I have little patience for lines, however, so the calculus would probably be somewhat different for someone else. 

Also, at that time, we didn't have the high-speed lanes on any of the EZ-pass toll facilities.  The introduction of that capability also would impact the calculus for me.  (I do sorta miss keeping a roll of Garden State tokens in the glove compartment, however.)

When I got my EZ-Pass, there was no question that, at least on the toll roads/bridges/tunnels I was likely to use, having a transponder would probably save a little time.  Maybe only a fraction of a second if traffic volume was low, but frequently a couple of minutes at high-volume times.

I'm not certain that's necessarily the case any more...or if it is, it might depend on where one travels.  For example, I travel the MassPike between Boston and Sturbridge or Springfield with some regularity.  Depending on when I get on the road westbound, I have noticed that frequently, when entering the MassPike from Route 128 in the late afternoon, it's significantly faster to just take a ticket, rather than to queue to go through an EZ-Pass lane.

[vdeane]

As for the issue of trailers, the FAQ on SunPass' website says:

5. Can I pull a boat/trailer?
    A: When towing, you can use the SunPass lanes. The toll for additional axle(s) will be calculated and deducted from your account balance during subsequent use.

Though it does not explain how exactly this works. Presumably they must have some means other than the tag itself of IDing the type of vehicle passing through the toll plaza.

Interesting... definitely different from E-ZPassland where the tag is hardcoded to a particular vehicle class, and using it for a more expensive class triggers a violation.

Come to think about it, the "remove tag when someone is borrowing vehicle" scenario will only apply until everyone goes AET.  But that still leaves rental cars.

The sticker type tags aren't an attempt to re-invent the wheel, they're just (perhaps) a better wheel bearing.  If we're going to have to use one type of technology (which is not a certainty), it should be the best (whatever that is), not necessarily the oldest.  If we come up with something better, cheaper with a higher read rate, we would want to be able to upgrade to it, and not be stuck because we're determined to stick with the first generation of wheel.

Sure looks like a re-invention to me!  Instead of using E-ZPass when adding electronic tolling, which presumably would have required little work as the design of the tags and readers had already been done, they went ahead and invented a new system that wasn't compatible with the existing one.

Here's the thing.  Getting E-ZPass to go with the newer sticker tags is a non-starter.  I can't see E-ZPass changing tag technology across over a dozen agencies just because some states didn't bother to become an IAG member back in the day.  Even camera recognition for interoperability won't work as some agencies don't put cameras on entrance lanes, only exit lanes, and some booths still have gate arms.

[Brandon]

To go back to the OP's question, in my mind the analysis would look to how much time I might save at toll plazas, rather than how much money I might save on reduced toll rates, and then I'd consider whether the cost of the transponder is worth it to save that amount of time. I have no idea how much time E-ZPass would save on the trip the OP describes. I don't think it's reasonable just to say "it won't save time on ticket system roads" because in my experience it definitely does save time on busy ticket system roads, such as the Jersey Turnpike or the Thruway, but as I say, I have no sense for what sort of traffic to expect on the OP's trip.

Aside from the time factor, I just really hate waiting on line to pay tolls, and I hate digging around for money while I'm driving, especially at night (the Garden State Parkway tolls were among the most annoying in my view).

Speaking from an Illinois perspective, it's about both time and money.  Here, I-Pass tolls are half the price of cash tolls, and allow one to use the ORT lanes on the tollways rather than exiting the tollway for the cash toll at the toll plaza.  More often than not, the ORT lanes have 3+ lanes of free-flowing 60-75 mph traffic.  The cash lanes usually only have one booth open with anywhere from zero to six vehicles in line.

[Brandon]

As for the issue of trailers, the FAQ on SunPass' website says:

5. Can I pull a boat/trailer?
    A: When towing, you can use the SunPass lanes. The toll for additional axle(s) will be calculated and deducted from your account balance during subsequent use.

Though it does not explain how exactly this works. Presumably they must have some means other than the tag itself of IDing the type of vehicle passing through the toll plaza.

Interesting... definitely different from E-ZPassland where the tag is hardcoded to a particular vehicle class, and using it for a more expensive class triggers a violation.

Come to think about it, the "remove tag when someone is borrowing vehicle" scenario will only apply until everyone goes AET.  But that still leaves rental cars.

Maybe that's true in New York, but in Illinois, it typically does not trigger a violation.  It may trigger a higher toll from the high-speed cameras on the ORT lanes.

[jeffandnicole]

If you have a regular car EZ Pass and you drive thru with additional axles (such as with a trailer), it should trigger an exception, but they would just readjust your toll to whatever the rate would be for such a vehicle.

As for the OP, as long as you get a pass that doesn't have any fees, it probably won't hurt to have one even if you only use a toll plaza a few times a year. It really depends on the toll plazas you use and when you use them as to the congestion you may experience.

So many people are using EZ Pass now that congestion as toll plazas tend to be minor or non existent. The Delaware Memorial Bridge has 2 toll lanes shut down for construction and the Walt Whitman Bridge has 4 lanes shut down for construction with no real impact on rush hour traffic. But go thru an off time when only two cash lanes are open, and you may sit for a few minutes. Or, you can get behind a person without money or wants directions or just likes arguing with a toll collector, and just that one car will keep you sitting there for a while!

When there's congestion at plazas, it's really due to something downstream from the plaza. The only plazas that tend to cause their own congestion anymore appear to be the ones on I-95 in Maryland, mainly due to poor signage and lane configurations.

[Duke87]

Come to think about it, the "remove tag when someone is borrowing vehicle" scenario will only apply until everyone goes AET.  But that still leaves rental cars.

Makes rental cars more of an issue, actually, since the option of avoiding the agency's fees by paying cash will no longer be available.

Knowing the way these things work, though, I anticipate this issue would be resolved "let them eat cake" style - i.e. it won't be, you'll just have to pay the fee to pass through any tolls or shunpike around them.

At any rate, I don't think EZPass is going to switch to reading passive stickers anytime soon, nor do I expect other agencies will start issuing active hard cases if they don't already. That said I can totally see agencies offering (perhaps charging extra for) a "dual mode" tag that works with both passive and active systems. NC in effect already has this.

[PurdueBill]

Come to think about it, the "remove tag when someone is borrowing vehicle" scenario will only apply until everyone goes AET.  But that still leaves rental cars.

Makes rental cars more of an issue, actually, since the option of avoiding the agency's fees by paying cash will no longer be available.

Knowing the way these things work, though, I anticipate this issue would be resolved "let them eat cake" style - i.e. it won't be, you'll just have to pay the fee to pass through any tolls or shunpike around them.

At any rate, I don't think EZPass is going to switch to reading passive stickers anytime soon, nor do I expect other agencies will start issuing active hard cases if they don't already. That said I can totally see agencies offering (perhaps charging extra for) a "dual mode" tag that works with both passive and active systems. NC in effect already has this.

Rental car toll service rates are outrageous most of the time when they charge an amount for every day of a rental if you hit one toll one day.  It's a pure cash grab.  I've been fortunate to manage to use my own transponder on rental vehicles in NH, MA, NY, OH, IN, and IL and save the trouble and cost (adding the license plate of the rental temporarily, of course) but still been slammed for transactions I never even incurred like last year on the infamous E-470 in Colorado (tolls outrageous, Avis's service fee outrageous as well) which I had to fight and have refunded.  (No, I wasn't going through toll plaza after toll plaza at 3:30am!)  Pure toll-by-plate with no E-ZPass possible is a disaster for those driving rental vehicles who would have no choice but to surrender to usury by the rental car company and its toll payment vendor.

If it's possible to have a transponder for a vacation trip, it is nice to avoid backups.  I don't know how many times I've rolled through the state line plazas on the Ohio Turnpike and Indiana Toll Road nearly unimpeded while passing by long backups of people waiting to pay at one and pick up a ticket at the next.  If you were frequently traveling between small plazas where there are only a couple toll lanes total and the open one is always combo E-ZPass/attended, the transponder may save little or no time. But long-distance travel or using IL Tollway/Garden State Parkway type facilities with barriers every so often, the backups to stop and pay can add up.  Getting a transponder could be worth it if the cost were favorable.

[thenetwork]

Thanks to those who responded.  I have decided that for where my trip may take me, the difference in EZ- vs. Non-EZ-Pass tolls will be very minimal in the long run.  Where I am going, I have several easy alternatives around the tolls if I have extra time to "shunpike". 

If I were to be traveling on more toll roads (i.e the PA Turnpike) and spending more than $25-30 in tolls then it would make more sense.  Same thing if I was working in a job where I might be anticipating travel to several EZ-Pass areas over the course of a couple of years.

[Sykotyk]

To me, the biggest decision would be time-savings. This is especially true around Chicago (I-294) and the northeast (GW Bridge, MTA tolls, Mass Pike, NJTP, and the various bridges/tunnels of MD). GW is especially true. If for some reason you want to go through there instead of around, the left lanes for EZPass are much faster than the cash lanes.

As for your trip, if you give us a general route planned, we can recommend good shunpiking. US30 through Indiana and Ohio is a favorite. As is US20 (though slower), or taking I-94 to IN49 to US30 to US31 to US6 east to Napoleon (or US30 to Fort Wayne to US24 to Napoleon) to Fremont, to US6 northeast to OH-2, or follow US20 southeast (more towns, despite 4-lane).

My preferred route through Chicago-PA/I-80 would be I-94/IN49/US30 all the way to I-71 to I-76 to I-80. Especially since Ohio finally finished that stretch by US68 years ago.

[sbeaver44]

I know the MTA engages in transponder discrimination, but I haven't heard anything on the Thruway Authority doing it (aside from commuter plans that don't really count; IMO if one has to meet residency or number of trips qualifications, it's not transponder discrimination if you limit the special plan to in-state tags).  Most people will just say "NY does transponder discrimination" because the MTA does, not bothering to care that NY actually has 5-6 toll authorities that deal (or will deal, in the case with the Thousand Islands Bridge Authority) with E-ZPass, and each has their own tags and policies.

Well, for starters unless the interoperability rollout gathers a lot of pace over the next 3 months, E-ZPass won't do you any good on the Kansas Turnpike. (In general, E-ZPass' approach to interoperability to date seems to have been "try to convince states to join E-ZPass and use our obsolete, nonstandard tags, and if not don't work with them at all.")

That said, since most of your travel will be on ticket system routes (i.e. the Indiana and Ohio turnpikes) EZ Pass won't probably save you much time at toll booths relative to the time/hassle of getting one in the first place, and I doubt you'd rack up enough of a discount to make it worthwhile monetarily. But if you do get a tag, see here; Illinois seems to be the best deal at present in terms of avoiding maintenance fees and refunding your deposit on transponder return, of the states on your itinerary.

Personally, I like E-ZPass the best.  If one is pulling a trailer here, they just swap out their regular E-ZPass for the one that's issued for the trailer.  In sticker territory, that's not possible (unless you do that scotch tape trick, which sticks me as a messy way to do things).  I guess you have to pay the trailer rate for all trips down there.  Also, it works well with closed ticket systems, which IMO are the best system (it logs were you get on and where you get off on the bill, so no matter the length of your trip, you're only invoiced once for a toll - nice and elegant; contrast that with barrier systems, where you'll get invoiced for every single exit you pass... SLOPPY!).  Why should someone's make-work attempt to re-invent the wheel force the IAG that invented toll interoperability to change?  IMO, it should be everyone else adopting E-ZPass, not the other way around.

I have a PA Turnpike transponder, which costs $3/year.  NY Thruway and Port Authority give me the discount, MTA does not.  Ohio, Illinois, and Indiana give the discount, which is nice, especially in Illinois where it is 50% (except for the Chicago Skyway -- separate entity).

I don't remember if the NJ turnpike gives me a discount, haven't traveled it in my own vehicle recently enough.

I believe to open a PA turnpike account, you just need the $41 "go kit" which is $35 of value, $3 annual fee paid up-front, and a $3 service fee to the seller; these you can get at grocery stores and Walmart, etc in PA.  Not sure how it works long-distance.

[jeffandnicole]

The NJ Turnpike gives an offpeak discount to all EZ Pass users.

[realjd]

Though it does not explain how exactly this works. Presumably they must have some means other than the tag itself of IDing the type of vehicle passing through the toll plaza.

Yes, they use sensors mounted on the gantry that scan the side of the vehicle from above. IIRC they use LIDAR to count the number of places the vehicle profile contacts the ground plane which is the same as the number of axels.

[cl94]

Though it does not explain how exactly this works. Presumably they must have some means other than the tag itself of IDing the type of vehicle passing through the toll plaza.

Yes, they use sensors mounted on the gantry that scan the side of the vehicle from above. IIRC they use LIDAR to count the number of places the vehicle profile contacts the ground plane which is the same as the number of axels.

Most systems are much simpler. NYSTA has manual axle counters (the black thing in the road) at all locations other than the express lanes at Woodbury.  Several other states use similar devices.

[Duke87]

The NJ Turnpike gives an offpeak discount to all EZ Pass users.

The official toll schedule explicitly says "Discount Rate Applies to New Jersey E-ZPass Account Holders Only."

I can personally confirm I have never gotten a discount with my NY tag.