New York State Thruway

[lstone19]

While the delays in posting tolls are indicative of a problem, one mistaken billing is anecdotal evidence, not a pattern. It shouldn't happen but it does.

In the 15 or so years I've had EZ-Pass, I am only aware of two mistaken billings:
1) Illinois (home system) showed a transponder read and then a second later, a video toll (posted from a license plate scan from the violation system)
2) Indiana charged me as a five-axle truck. There's a story in there. Indiana had (don't know if they still do - haven't been on the road in four or five years) gates on the EZ-Pass lanes. Better to delay dozens of motorists than let one vehicle through which didn't scan. So if one didn't, that lane came to a standstill until an employee came out to deal with it. At the mainline plazas, they also had EZ-Pass lanes on both sides of the cash lanes (which did not have EZ-Pass scanners) with the left being designated for cars and the right for trucks. I assumed they marked them like that to separate faster and slower vehicles but perhaps not. So one day, I was approaching the "pay" (as opposed to "get ticket") plaza and I saw a long line at the one car EZ-Pass lane on the left that was not moving so I went to the "truck" EZ-Pass lane on the right. And then about two hours later, got an unexpected alert that my EZ-Pass account had replenished. And checking my account, found I had been charged about $40 for a ~$5 toll. That took a month to straighten out. For all the teething pains NYSTA is having, it does not appear to be as bad as what Indiana did which was clearly for their benefit, not the motorists (such as apparently all cars with EZ-Pass must use only one plaza lane which could be shut down at any moment to deal with a problem and then you just have to wait - so much for EZ-Pass being faster than cash).

[hotdogPi]

Does anyone know if there have been any issues with Massachusetts's bill by mail? I haven't heard a single horror story there.

(If the answer is no, I want a definite answer, not just a lack of responses.)

[SignBridge]

The last trip I took on the Masspike was in the Fall of 2019 and I had no billing issues. Trips in both directions correctly billed on my E-Z Pass.

[vdeane]

When I go to E-ZPass NY, Google Chrome reports a secure connection without having to type in https.

The SSL issue is the Thruway's own site, not E-ZPass NY.

While the delays in posting tolls are indicative of a problem, one mistaken billing is anecdotal evidence, not a pattern. It shouldn't happen but it does.

Actually, it's not just one.  I believe I posted about the other before.  When I was driving home from Christmas, they processed the Capital District mainline gantries before the virtual ticket system to the west, giving me a free ride from 25A-24, even though I didn't use exit 25A.  And with this double billing happening on my way home from Thanksgiving, that means 100% of my round trips on the Thruway so far since the cashless conversion have had a billing issue.  Meanwhile, I never had an issue in the 11 prior years I've had my E-ZPass.  I don't think the timing is a coincidence, especially with the other issues.

[lstone19]

Actually, it's not just one.  I believe I posted about the other before.  When I was driving home from Christmas, they processed the Capital District mainline gantries before the virtual ticket system to the west, giving me a free ride from 25A-24, even though I didn't use exit 25A.  And with this double billing happening on my way home from Thanksgiving, that means 100% of my round trips on the Thruway so far since the cashless conversion have had a billing issue.  Meanwhile, I never had an issue in the 11 prior years I've had my E-ZPass.  I don't think the timing is a coincidence, especially with the other issues.

Point taken. With further thought on it, it did seem that the rollout happened very quickly. Probably too quickly, and probably, and not surprisingly, for political reasons. I suspect they were pushed to roll it out before they were ready and based on some of the comments further up in the topic, before they fully had the 25A issue worked out.

[deathtopumpkins]

Does anyone know if there have been any issues with Massachusetts's bill by mail? I haven't heard a single horror story there.

(If the answer is no, I want a definite answer, not just a lack of responses.)

Local news has run plenty of stories about supposed issues. Most have been no fault of MassDOT's (e.g. countless overdramatic articles about 'outrageous' late fees), but some are legitimate.

A quick Google search turns up:
https://www.boston25news.com/news/fox25-investigates-more-problems-for-drivers-with-states-new-electronic-tolling/500194149/
https://www.boston25news.com/news/25-investigates-drivers-call-new-tolling-fees-extortion/604801046/
https://whdh.com/news/hank-investigates-incorrect-ez-pass-charges/
https://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/02/12/massachusetts-license-plate-confusion-fines-wbz-tv-i-team-massdot/

The biggest issue has been trying to distinguish between all the different specialty license plates which leads to duplicate plate numbers, with most of those cases being out-of-state tolls, but some in-state. This is a big problem with any ALPR system, not just electronic tolling, and not just in Massachusetts.
I'm hoping this exact issue doesn't affect me too - I have a NH specialty plate, but FL SunPass doesn't have it as an option so I had to enter it as a standard passenger plate.

Having a transponder I've never used toll-by-plate, but the AETS conversion did lead to significantly longer E-ZPass processing times. Used to be near enough instantaneous, now it takes up to a week for transactions to show up.

[02 Park Ave]

On my journey to Cornwall yesterday, it appeared that work had started yet on toll booth removal at neither the Harriman nor Woodbury plaza.

[cl94]

On my journey to Cornwall yesterday, it appeared that work had started yet on toll booth removal at neither the Harriman nor Woodbury plaza.

Both of these are very low priority. Only traffic between the north and Exit 16 actually has to pass through booths, and that's not a particularly heavy pair of movements.

[jmacswimmer]

Does anyone know if there have been any issues with Massachusetts's bill by mail? I haven't heard a single horror story there.

(If the answer is no, I want a definite answer, not just a lack of responses.)

I had an E-ZPass toll miscalculated the last time I was on the Mass Pike:

Entering at Sturbridge and continuing into Boston, I was expecting the Sturbridge-Weston portion to be tolled as follows for my out-of-state E-ZPass:
ENTRY: 83   EXIT: 120  AMOUNT: $2.00

Instead, it was split up into 2 overlapping charges:
ENTRY: 83   EXIT: 109  AMOUNT: $1.40
ENTRY: 104   EXIT: 120  AMOUNT: $1.40

Since this only amounted to an $0.80 overcharge it didn't seem worth the time & energy to fight, but it certainly struck me as an odd way for the system to mess up (taking the correct reads from each gantry but then combining them incorrectly).

[Rothman]

Does anyone know if there have been any issues with Massachusetts's bill by mail? I haven't heard a single horror story there.

(If the answer is no, I want a definite answer, not just a lack of responses.)

I had an E-ZPass toll miscalculated the last time I was on the Mass Pike:

Entering at Sturbridge and continuing into Boston, I was expecting the Sturbridge-Weston portion to be tolled as follows for my out-of-state E-ZPass:
ENTRY: 83   EXIT: 120  AMOUNT: $2.00

Instead, it was split up into 2 overlapping charges:
ENTRY: 83   EXIT: 109  AMOUNT: $1.40
ENTRY: 104   EXIT: 120  AMOUNT: $1.40

Since this only amounted to an $0.80 overcharge it didn't seem worth the time & energy to fight, but it certainly struck me as an odd way for the system to mess up (taking the correct reads from each gantry but then combining them incorrectly).

Great.  Another flub to look out for.

[Alps]

Does anyone know if there have been any issues with Massachusetts's bill by mail? I haven't heard a single horror story there.

(If the answer is no, I want a definite answer, not just a lack of responses.)

I had an E-ZPass toll miscalculated the last time I was on the Mass Pike:

Entering at Sturbridge and continuing into Boston, I was expecting the Sturbridge-Weston portion to be tolled as follows for my out-of-state E-ZPass:
ENTRY: 83   EXIT: 120  AMOUNT: $2.00

Instead, it was split up into 2 overlapping charges:
ENTRY: 83   EXIT: 109  AMOUNT: $1.40
ENTRY: 104   EXIT: 120  AMOUNT: $1.40

Since this only amounted to an $0.80 overcharge it didn't seem worth the time & energy to fight, but it certainly struck me as an odd way for the system to mess up (taking the correct reads from each gantry but then combining them incorrectly).

That's the sort of thing the agency really does need to know about. Their gantries should be synched in time so that even if one is delayed in reporting, the report gets inserted in the correct frame, so to speak.

[shadyjay]

Drove the Thruway from Exit 8 up to Exit 17 today, my first trip since AET went live.  I will see how long it takes the transaction to be posted to my EZ-Pass account.

I did notice all the blue signs advertising the Thruway Advisory Radio were tarped over.  Is the HAR being phased out? 

[vdeane]

It took about four days for my virtual ticket system charges south of Albany to appear for a recent clinching trip, which is much more reasonable than intra-upstate trips are.  Figures that they favor downstate.

Regarding the HAR... I just noticed that the page on their site is gone.  And now that I think about it, I don't recall seeing the sign for it on the Northway as of late.  Uh oh.  How do they expect people to know about conditions?  Use their phone while driving?

[Flyer78]

Were the transmitters located at the toll plaza admin buildings? (Wouldn't explain the Northway)... Just curious if they could have been a collateral loss...

[shadyjay]

Northway probably only had Thruway HAR a few miles north of Int 24 so that motorists SB had access to what was happening on the Thruway. 

I find it odd that the signs are tarped and not removed. 

I did see the Thruway app they want you to download.  It supposebly "talks to you" but that's a lot of moves for someone just trying to find traffic info, and a lot of time with your eyes off the road.  I guess traffic info, amber alerts, etc could just be shown on the VMS signs. 

[vdeane]

Yeah, that sign on the Northway was SB about a mile north of exit 2 so travelers approaching the Thruway could get any alerts.

[shadyjay]

My Thruway trip on 1/21 was posted to my account on 1/26, showing correctly as entry-Woodbury Toll (the mainline) and exit-Newburgh (I-84).  This was a few days after the Newburgh-Beacon Bridge toll was posted to my account.  I have EZ-PASS through Mass.  Prior to getting my EZ-PASS, I never had a problem with toll-by-mail on the Mass Pike... but the extra charges for tbm made me want to get the EZ-PASS.  It is so much easier now and more convenient. 

[SignBridge]

Convenient was when we just used to pay cash back in the 1980's and didn't have any of this complicated b/s. But yeah, the toll-plaza traffic jams on holidays and weekends were a problem. I guess I didn't appreciate that 'cause I usually travelled mid-day/mid-week.

[D-Dey65]

The only complaints I've had about E-Z Pass anywhere is not being billed when I know I should've been. It seems these malfunctions occur whether you have a transponder or not.

[MASTERNC]

The only complaints I've had about E-Z Pass anywhere is not being billed when I know I should've been. It seems these malfunctions occur whether you have a transponder or not.

It's rare but it happens.  Only time I've experience it is when traveling on the I-95 Express Lanes in Maryland on a holiday evening after a thunderstorm (thought maybe the storm had knocked something out).  It was only 50 cents but I was never billed.

[74/171FAN]

The only complaints I've had about E-Z Pass anywhere is not being billed when I know I should've been. It seems these malfunctions occur whether you have a transponder or not.

It's rare but it happens.  Only time I've experience it is when traveling on the I-95 Express Lanes in Maryland on a holiday evening after a thunderstorm (thought maybe the storm had knocked something out).  It was only 50 cents but I was never billed.

Ironically, I just noticed this today for a trip I took over the Hatem Bridge (US 40) in Maryland back in December.  All of my other tolls (even my earlier Harbor Tunnel toll that day) came through just fine.

[Jim]

I find it amusing that at least some traffic reports are still saying things like "no problems at the 24 tolls".

I've been through the area a few times in the last week.  There is definitely some confusion among those unfamiliar with the area on where to go due to the lack of advance signage.  I saw a pickup truck come to a complete stop in the left lane just up the onramp to 87 south after the split, apparently trying to figure out how to get back to take 90 west.  Fortunately traffic was light, the roads were dry, and I don't think it ended up causing an accident.

[deathtopumpkins]

Drove the Thruway from Albany to PA and back over the last 2 days, and made a few observations:

All the mainline plazas were gone except Ripley (which I was the only one to slow down at all from highway speed to go through). This is very nice indeed!

The weave at 24 is awful now. I think it would help in the interim to separate the lanes from each ramp with at least a double solid line, if not a buffer, and provide advance signage for which lane to be in, so no one should ever need to make more than 1 lane change in the weave area. MassDOT did exactly this at old Exit 11A (I-495) on the MassPike.

Is it just me or should the signs before each AET gantry that instruct motorists without E-ZPass have a question mark after the E-ZPass logo? Presently they read "NO E-ZPASS - CALL **866" (or whatever the number is). As written the sign implies E-ZPass is not accepted and if you were hoping to pay with it you should call the number. I like to think people are more intelligent than that, but I do wonder if they've gotten calls along those lines before...

[roadman65]

As a toll collector in Florida I can say many won't see the sign and follow their GPS as many think that device is the almighty and could care less what route they are alone than read other other important signs.

[roadman65]

 X-(I see at Suffern by photos on East Coast Roads they eliminated the Tappan Zee Bridge name by using smaller font and narrow spacing to fit the entire Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge name on the area once made for Tappan Zee Br.
https://www.eastcoastroads.com/states/ny/inter/i287/photogal/east