E-Z Pass isn’t always so easy
I’ve been using an E-Z Pass transponder for many years. There are quite a few toll roads near me, and it makes using them much easier.
But suddenly, the other day when I was out on a drive, I noticed my transponder wasn’t working. The light wasn’t turning green as I went by. I couldn’t figure out why.
I checked my account online. All was in order. My credit card information was updated. There was money in the account. And so I tried calling the E-Z pass information number – and got a helpful message saying I was number 102 in line.
That’s not a typo. Number one hundred and two.
Could there really be over one hundred people waiting patiently to speak to an actual person? I can understand waiting if you’re up to something like number five in line, but anything above that seems bizarre.
So I thought it might be a glitch, and decided to call back the next day. Well, the next day I was number 110 in line. Not an improvement.
I ended up emailing them and being told that my transponder had probably given up the ghost from old age, and that I would need to bring it in to exchange it. That was a bit of a trip, but not too bad. You’re charged for a new one, by the way.
I forgot to ask about that 100+ wait line. I was just so happy to get it all fixed.
I know some people don’t like to use E-Z Pass because they don’t like to be tracked. But these days you’re being tracked whether you use it or not. Every time you pass a toll booth (although they’re not all booths anymore, of course), some sort of record is kept, at least of license plates.
I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords – although come to think of it, they’re not so new anymore.
Wow – the Toll tags in Texas are a small strip mounted to inside of your windshield, up near the top so it can be read as you go through of the many toll lanes. Just a small physical strip with no batteries or hardware.
JOHN H:
That’s what they are here, too. They all have a shelf life, though. Mine was almost 10 years old.
In PA it’s toll by plate, supposedly cheaper with Easy-pass but never signed up for it. Actually detest using a road I have to pay for. actually, it’s a bureaucracy you pay for with thousands getting full monetary retired benefits. So I only take it when I absolutely have to.
And also almost every time I do get a scam message I owe them for a past missed bill but if I pay $50 immediately it will cover it.
I, for one,
welcome
our new insect overlords.
although, come to think of it,
they’re not so new anymore.
Gerard might have expressed it this way, but it would have been longer.
Poetry, nonetheless.
I don’t have an EZ pass, and typically just drive through the camera lanes and let them send me a bill if they get my plate. You’d be amazed at the number of times they miss it, and so far they haven’t gotten any of my motorcycles even once, in the 18 years I’ve lived in New England.
Rhetorical question; once the cost of construction is paid off, does the fee use for toll roads ever end?
John H.: “the Toll tags in Texas” …
Has Texas toll billing been smooth sailing for you?
I’m in central Texas, and the toll system has notoriously been a billing fiasco for YEARS.
I *think* that’s true in other Texas toll areas, too.
When I travel around, I take pains — and time — to avoid toll roads.
Are you just lucky? … OR do you have a secret??
We actually had one that did that here in CO. It was the Denver/Boulder Toll Road. Now I think they have tolls in the Express Lane.
Geoffrey: “Rhetorical question; once the cost of construction is paid off, does the fee use for toll roads ever end?”
Lol!
In fact,Texas at one time had “contracts” that stated the tolls would last only X number of years. I.e., until its construction had been paid off.
For the last few extensions on toll roads, those promises are GONE from the contracts, and from the news.
At least they quit lying.
A tad off topic, but maybe worth noting how illiterate our Literati have become, and I quote from today’s WSJ, citing Trump: ” I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” he posted on Truth Social. “Time is running out—48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them.”
Reign, huh?
Clearly neo needs a Multipass:
–“The Fifth Element”, “Leeloo Dallas Multipass” (00:05)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bF5ft-oOWU
A clip so good it became a meme.
Re: “…all Hell will reign down on them”
That’s the real Donald himself:
______________________________
Remember when I gave Iran ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD! President DONALD J. TRUMP
–Donald J. Trump, @realDonaldTrump
https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/116346816254869135
______________________________
Perhaps Trump is a Who fan, who got a bit confused:
______________________________
Love, reign o’er me
Rain on me, rain on me
–The Who, “Quadrophenia — Love, reign o’er me”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DhLsC2FpDZk
______________________________
The most sublime song Pete Townshend ever wrote.
That’s interesting, Neo. I got an EZ pass years ago from the Illinois tollway when I was making frequent visits to Chicago from Iowa, and hung on to it out of laziness when I moved to Louisville. When my first transponder was retired I was able to exchange it because I was making a planned trip to Chicago. It then got a new lease on life when Louisville built two toll bridges over the Ohio (downtown and on the east end) so I’m glad I hung on to it. Earlier this year I got one of the RFID strips from EZ Pass and the transponder was deactivated. I got my strip through the mail, and decided to get one for our other car as well since they are free from the IL tollway folks
One of several advantages to living in the west (Denver), we don’t do toll roads out here.
I hate toll roads with a passion. Thankfully, we have none in this area. There were a couple of toll bridges when I was much younger, but even they were only a dime.
Thanks for this PSA, Neo. I guess my transponder may not be very far behind yours.
Geoffrey Britain on April 4, 2026 at 6:57 pm:
“… once the cost of construction is paid off, does the fee use for toll roads ever end?”
why does it have to be a rhetorical question? If things are on the up and up (and they appear to be around Orlando, but I could be misled) and the controlling agencies are generally open as to how and when and where and for what expenses are being incurred, it makes sense to continue using the fees to pay for ongoing operational costs and maintenance, plus for planning and expanding a well designed system that (more or less) tracks the development of new/additional commerce and residential enclaves, etc.
The core idea is that the users and beneficiaries of commerce pay for the services and benefits they receive from faster and more reliable transport and travel. The tracking aspect of using transponders, etc., is a risk or reduction to full liberty, but the trade off is using coin/bill lanes and collection machines or staff. This is essentially a subset of the concept that developers should pay for the additional social impacts their businesses create for schools, police, roads, etc., and then pass that cost along to their buying customers. I don’t know what the current amount is, but a while back it might cost $13K in impact fees to get a building permit for a new house.
Some systems provide discounts for volume usage, and that would be harder to achieve without the automated registration of a specifically accounted vehicle and customer.
Some famous person said “there are no solutions, only tradeoffs”.
R2L,
We make frequent trips to Orlando where one of our daughters lives. We have EZ pass as a left over from living in New England and FL accepts it. May have to check our transponder given Neo’s experience.
Anyway, we always use the toll roads in that area. The few bucks spent is well worth avoiding the aggravation of dealing with I4 traffic. And now she lives in Winter Garden so we jump on 429 (toll) in Sanford and avoid all of middle Orlando. I arrive relaxed rather than stressed…worth every penny.
I have the equivalent of EZ-Pass for Washington State. About eight years ago, my account started getting charged for impossible drives. For example, charged going westbound on the Le Petomane Thruway near one exit and ten minutes later getting charged eastbound near an exit miles away. That sort of thing.
So I called up the state office that deals with that. They wouldn’t tell me exactly what was wrong, but they said they “fixed” it and indeed it never happened again: it was settled by that one call. Putting two and two together, I suspect it was a problem with their license plate reader, and that their “fix” was to blacklist my plate number because it’s easily confused with other ones. I have not had the courage to test this by removing my flex pass, but since I usually have passengers I have the flex pass normally in the HOV position, but from what I understand that does not turn it off.
I got a second car a year ago. Wanted to get a second transponder and add it to the account. In my case, it’s been 3 years since I went through a toll, and there’s no near term likelihood. It’s in case I go on the Pike, over the Tobin, or to Logan. Windows had crashed on my computer and been restored, in the process losing any passwords stored in the browser and not recorded elsewhere or memorized. It turned out there was no combination of info I could supply that would allow me to log on to do anything with my account. Serial number on the transponder. Email address. Name and all. So I mailed a form. Nothing. Since I never use it, it’s not a big priority, and under the old system you could just move the transponder to the other car. They recently eliminated that. At this point I’d even close the account, get my $20-something back, and start a new one if I decide I need it. I’ve decided I need to go in person to a service center. None are anywhere near me. The local one might be East Boston. On the other side of tolls…
Patrick W: You have the E-470 toll road in the Denver metropolitan area
Here in Norcal we have the bridges but we also have express lanes with more popping up all the time, that charge unless you have 2 or 3 occupants.