E-ZPass and passive transponders

[Pink Jazz]

It seems that many toll agencies are switching to passive transponders for electronic toll collection, since they are cheaper than active transponders, harder to steal, and don't require batteries.  However, the E-ZPass system continues to refuse to switch to passive transponders, preferring to stick with its traditional active transponders.

I wonder, why wouldn't E-ZPass want to switch to passive transponders if they have significant benefits?  This is one of the reasons that is hindering national interoperability.

[briantroutman]

As it stands now, the downsides are predominantly on the user's end: Your transponder is lost or stolen? You are responsible for the fraudulent charges up until the theft is reported, and you are responsible for the cost of replacement. Your transponder battery dies? They'll match up the plate number with your account, and if your car wasn't registered, you will pay the violation.

On the other hand, with an installed base of millions of users across the 25 agencies that use the system, the E-ZPass providers would have to spend many millions on new toll collection equipment, maintain duplicate passive and active collection systems during a transitionary period, and coordinate the distribution of millions of new transponders–even if the users pay for the devices themselves.

As I see it, there's no motivation for the E-ZPass member agencies to switch to a superior system as long as consumers bear the costs of the old system's shortcomings.

[Scott5114]

The only reason I see EZPass switching technologies is if they're doing it to merge with the K-Tag/Pikepass/TxTag group. And that's probably not a big enough reason to switch.

[Brandon]

As I see it, there's no motivation for the E-ZPass member agencies to switch to a superior system as long as consumers bear the costs of the old system's shortcomings.

Is it a superior system?  The stickers aren't all that good from what I've seen.  The cannot be transferred from vehicle to vehicle.  A new one must be purchased (which is what those agencies that use them do, make you buy the sticker transponder) fro each vehicle or if you get a new vehicle.  It also means you cannot use them in a rental vehicle.  I'd call it an inferior system based upon that, and call the E-Z Pass system (including I-Pass) superior.

[1995hoo]

The sticker can sometimes be transferred. I can confirm from personal experience that Florida's SunPass Mini can be fastened to the windshield using tape and will work just fine; this means I could take it off the windshield and tape it in another car (I'd be sure to register that other car to my SunPass account). I did this based on advice from members of this forum in 2011 or so. I presume if one sticker tag will work that way, most or all of them will, though it's only an assumption because the SunPass and an E-ZPass are the only transponders I have.

(My comment relates solely to how it works and does not take into account possible agency policies about how you're supposed to use your device. I thought about replacing both transponders with an NC QuickPass, but I didn't like the terms and conditions so I stuck with what I had.)

[jeffandnicole]

Is it a superior system?  The stickers aren't all that good from what I've seen.  The cannot be transferred from vehicle to vehicle.  A new one must be purchased (which is what those agencies that use them do, make you buy the sticker transponder) fro each vehicle or if you get a new vehicle.  It also means you cannot use them in a rental vehicle.  I'd call it an inferior system based upon that, and call the E-Z Pass system (including I-Pass) superior.

Exactly my thinking.  What makes the stickers superior?

Your transponder is lost or stolen? You are responsible for the fraudulent charges up until the theft is reported, and you are responsible for the cost of replacement.

Who steals EZ Passes?  If the EZ Pass was stolen and used, chances are that toll agency can just look up the transaction via electronic tape.  Someone will call to say their EZ Pass was stolen.  They can easily review the tape, see the vehicle that went thru the toll plaza, see the license plate on the car with the stolen EZPass, and at minimum, send them a bill for the toll.  And that's a best case scenario.  Technically, they can either site them for stealing the EZ Pass, or possession of stolen property. 

It's also up to the agency whether they charge for a new EZ Pass.  EZ Pass transponder costs in general have come way down.  Some agencies charge for new ones; some wave the fee if you're using a credit card to replenish the amount.  Stolen EZ Passes may or may not be replaced for free, depending on the circumstances.  But for the reason cited above, EZ Passes aren't a very commonly stolen item.

On the other hand, with an installed base of millions of users across the 25 agencies that use the system, the E-ZPass providers would have to spend many millions on new toll collection equipment, maintain duplicate passive and active collection systems during a transitionary period, and coordinate the distribution of millions of new transponders–even if the users pay for the devices themselves.

New Jersey already did this with the first wave of transponders.  When it was determined that the batteries were failing as a lot of non-reads were started to occur, they proactively sent subscribers replacement devices, and included an envelope for subscribers to return their old devices.  The current ones have a much longer life span.  There was no cost to the subscriber.

Even with the current equipment, the technology is constantly evolving.  And more of an issue - the equipment that was installed years ago is out of date, and parts are limited.  There was a story just the other day that the flip dot signs the NJ Turnpike Authority uses are no longer made.  New displays use LEDs.  The Turnpike uses them as some plazas, and the old equipment is being used for spare parts on the remaining signs.  So spending millions to upgrade the equipment is not only fairly normal, it is probably already occurring.

As I see it, there's no motivation for the E-ZPass member agencies to switch to a superior system as long as consumers bear the costs of the old system's shortcomings.

There's numerous upsides to EZ Pass Transponders, including the easy ability to transfer it between vehicles.

As others have noted, the stickers have numerous shortcomings.  Since most people will actually stick them to windshields rather than tape them, if they use a different car, they can't take the sticker with them.  If you buy a new car, you can't use the electronic toll lanes until you get a new sticker.  With EZ Pass transponders, you just take it with you, and use it on the ride home if you want.  In EZ Pass land, in my experiences, part of the dealer's checklist when someone trades in an old car is to look and see if there's an EZ Pass in there.  And that's another issue - how do you disable a sticker?  What's to prevent someone taking your car from using it in a toll lane?  If you haven't disabled that sticker, YOU will be on the hook for that charge!

Even something simple like having an accident - now you need a rental.  With EZ Pass, just toss it in.  With stickers, now you have to add misery to your rental experience, and go thru the cash lanes or avoid the tolled highway all together.

In my opinion, EZ Pass-like transponders are actually the superior system.

[oscar]

The hard-case transponders come in switchable versions, allowing carpoolers to use for free a road like northern Virginia's I-95/495 HOT lanes where all vehicles must have transponders. Not sure how you do that with a sticker.

One other disadvantage of a sticker is potential incompatibility with stickers from other states. The TxTag on my truck came with a stern warning not to use any other transponders (sticker or otherwise) at the same time. You could tape either the TxTag or other sticker to make it removable, as 1995hoo does with his SunPass, but it's easier for me to dismount and wrap in aluminum foil my E-ZPass when I and my truck are in Texas. (Neither the TxTag on my truck, nor the SunPass in my car, interferes with my E-ZPass transponder, so maybe TxTag is blowing smoke on other devices interfering with its stickers.)

[briantroutman]

I should have said "...a (supposedly) superior system."  I don't have a reason to think it's superior–I was just accepting the OP's premise for the sake of argument.

But my point stands, and I think many of you would agree, that the E-ZPass consortium doesn't have a compelling reason to switch technologies, and to the contrary, there's an inherent incentive not to switch.

[1995hoo]

Regarding Oscar's comment about switchable devices, I know the Miami-area HO/T lanes offer no such option. Instead, you must register as a carpool. I have no idea how they handle it if you're registered as a carpooler but want to drive solo one day. The switchable device seems far more user-friendly, though of course it makes cheating easy.

[lordsutch]

The interference thing on sticker tags is a non-issue. I've had a TxTag and Sunpass on my windshield for several years, and never had a problem. Just be sure to separate them a bit (I have one on the left of my rear-view mirror and one on the right). The TxTag even survived a windshield replacement - the guy just carefully removed the tag from the broken windshield with a razor blade and stuck it on the new one.

Honestly the SunPass approach addresses most of the potential problems with sticker tags: you can temporarily add a rental car or friend's car to your account, even without a tag, and you can buy several stickers for the price of a portable tag if you do have multiple vehicles. Sell your car? Remove the sticker, put it on the new one, and update the vehicle info online.

And if someone steals your E-Z Pass registered car, even without the tag, and runs a toll, you're going to get blamed anyway unless they take off your license plate too, so I don't really see any advantage to a portable transponder in that scenario.

With the right billing software and backend, the only genuine disadvantage of sticker tags is the lack of switchability for HOT lanes and the like. Georgia has worked around it with software (you can set a schedule or manually switch in advance of a specific trip), but for those customers you could also make a physically-switchable transponder, by puting two passive transponders in a box and physically moving an RF shield so only one transponder is "visible" at a time, for exempt/tolled switching. The design is more complex with 3 or more modes but not terribly so.

[dfwmapper]

In Texas, NTTA doesn't charge for replacement sticker TollTags (or for the original for that matter, just an initial deposit in the account that tolls are debited from). It's also possible to change the plate associated with the tag and drive around without a sticker, and the video system will charge the account at the tag rate. They do billing for the new HOT lanes that have been built around the Metroplex, and they have an online page and smartphone app where you can activate HOV mode (supposed to be done 15 minutes before you actually enter the lanes).

[Pink Jazz]

In Texas, NTTA doesn't charge for replacement sticker TollTags (or for the original for that matter, just an initial deposit in the account that tolls are debited from). It's also possible to change the plate associated with the tag and drive around without a sticker, and the video system will charge the account at the tag rate. They do billing for the new HOT lanes that have been built around the Metroplex, and they have an online page and smartphone app where you can activate HOV mode (supposed to be done 15 minutes before you actually enter the lanes).

You just read my mind, didn't you.  I was thinking the same idea, where you can use a smartphone app linked to your account to activate HOV mode, rather than using an active transponder with a physical switch.