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EZ pass?

Can any body give me a rough idea on the costs of using EZ pass?  Sorry for being vague.  Like costs with just the FT and with a single axle trailer in tow?
Do I need two transponders if sometimes I'm going to be towing and sometimes not?
Where do I get one for the FT?  Locally I can only find them for cars.
In restless dreams I walked alone.
Narrow streets of cobblestone.


'93 U225
Build 4337
'14 CRV Toad

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #1 –
I researched this thoroughly when I went to buy mine.  You can purchase your E Z Pass from any state that uses their system. I found out that many states have a minimum monthly charge unless you use it a minimum number of times each month. The best deal I found was Massachusetts @  E-ZPass MA  There are no monthly fees or minimum requirements, Just a minimum balance $ 10.00 or 20.00 dollars.  I have had this sense 2014 with no issues. ^.^d    They issued me three transponders 1) MOTORHOME ALONE  2) MOTORHOME TOWING 3) TOWED ONLY
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Gerry & Brenda
CHARLOTTE HARBOR, FL
1994 Grand Villa - # 4466
U300 Unihome - 6V92 Detroit
4 speed Allison - Jake Brake

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #2 –
EZ-Pass is state-dependent; you'll want to look at the plans for the state you want your EZ-Pass from.  You will get typically a slight discount on tolls for the state your pass is from (but not in other states).  You will generally need 1 for towing, 1 for not towing (since it's axle-dependent).  For a 2 axle coach towing a 2 axle something, look at the 4H toll rates.  For a tag axle coach towing a 2 axle something, look at 5H toll rates.

If you traverse NYS often, your best bet is the NYS EZ-Pass with the accompanying Thruway Discount Motorhome Plan (an ivory transponder) and Thruway Special Discount Towing plans (a blue transponder).  For both of these, you have to apply by hardcopy or in person with copies of your coach registration.  It took something like 9 weeks of errors to finally get the right stuff for our coach -
don't just simply fax the info and think they'll get it right.  Your best bet is to call, describe the situation and find out which transponders you need (for a tag axle coach, my notes are coach-only Ivory 463 and towing Blue 215)  E-ZPass: Discount Plans - New York State Thruway

If you don't travel in NY much, get whichever state you hit the most tolls in and which doesn't charge for the transponders.  You also can have transponders from different states if needed.  We have NY for the coach/coach+toad and Maine for toad-only.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #3 –
The electronic passes count the number of axles and charge      according to a flat rate schedule. The problem is the rate goes up      quickly with multi axle because it assumes commercial semi/dump      truck which is hauling much more weight (= more road wear). If you      have a tag and are towing 4 down that's a 5 axle charge: For example a 1.00 cash toll is 82 cents electronic for 2 axles,      and 2.00/1.91 for 4 axles, 2.50/2.46 for 5 or more axles.

With E pass/Sun pass in FL you can get a 'volume discount' based      on monthly usage, and electronic passes are cheaper than paying.
I've heard some of the northern pass systems (like NJ/NY) have an      RV toll schedule vs commercial to give you a little break on      pricing - but you have to ask for it.
Its a lot easier and faster now that they have the full speed      lanes in FL...


[deleted entire post quote]
The selected media item is not currently available. Dave Head & Megan Westbrook
Titusville, FL - The Great Outdoors
'98 270 buying this month
Toad is a 2018 F150 XLT

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #4 –
We finally broke down and got the Florida SunPass. We listed the motorhome, F150 that we tow and our Escape that we used to tow, just in case.  Our first use was from the Florida Keys (Homestead) to Ft Pierce everything worked great.
On our drive from Ft Pierce to Wildwood , the sun pass showed us as 4 axles (correctly) then 9 axles and then 5 axles, all on the same drive. Called SunPass May 5 and they said that it would be corrected in 3-5 days, Its now almost a month and we are still going around with them. It seems that they just don't want to refund the over charge.
Dick & Sue
'99 U320, 36'
2015 F150 4x4 Supercrew
M & G with brakeaway system
Blue Ox Avail 10,000# tow bar
Grosse Ile, Mi.

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #5 –
Massachusetts is/has removed toll booths, there is no cash option for tolls, at least not coming in from I84. I believe that will be the future way States will collect all tolls and reduce labor costs. Guess is getting time to get an EZ pass.

Roland
1993 U280 4341
2010 Jeep Liberty
The Pied Pipers

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #6 –
Rolsnd,

No other choices but the EZ pass??  Apparantly they are easy to acquire.
Jim

2002 320
Jim Frerichs
2002 U320 42'

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #7 –
Jim,
They also take a shot of your plate and bill you later.  Not sure if that affects the cost or not.
Just found out Canada's 407 works the same way.
In restless dreams I walked alone.
Narrow streets of cobblestone.


'93 U225
Build 4337
'14 CRV Toad

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #8 –
Am I understanding this correctly (this is timely for us)...

For driving a coach with two (2) axles, and towing four down, that would be four (4) axles total.

To get an EZ-Pass for this setup we would apply for a transponder for the coach that is programed to register four (4) axles (both coach and towed) as it goes through the reader?

Then if using just the coach without a towed, we would have a second coach transponder programmed to register two (2) axles as it goes through the reader?

Then if just using the towed while on a trip, we would have a third transponder just for the towed that is programmed to register two (2) axles as it goes through the reader?


If that is how it works... when you are in the coach, and towing, how do you prevent the toll reader from reading the both the coach transponder programmed for four (4) axles, and the towed only transponder programed for two (2) axles?

Chris

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #9 –
Quote from: Numbers –

If that is how it works... when you are in the coach, and towing, how do you prevent the toll reader from reading the both the coach transponder programmed for four (4) axles, and the towed only transponder programed for two (2) axles?

Chris

You put the coach-only and towed-only transponders in their protective foil pouches.  Unlike Texas, which uses adhesive stickers for toll tags, EZ-Pass uses a small plastic box device that you use Duo-Lock to affix to your windshield.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #10 –
Quote from: Moby –
Jim,
They also take a shot of your plate and bill you later.  Not sure if that affects the cost or not.
Just found out Canada's 407 works the same way.

important to note that you can be pulled over and fined for driving you motorhome or big truck on the 407 without a transponder as the camera may not pick up your plate, tailgating your friends as you pass through the camera works too..
Toby a 94 u280
Cummins 8.3
6 speed Allison
Exhaust brake


Adopted by Derek and Annabelle

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #11 –
When it comes to EZ Pass, there are a bewildering number of variations between the states and even within states, within the various authorities that honor the transponders. Therefore, some of the advice that you are receiving here is good within one state or authority, but not another.  See the following:

E-ZPass - Wikipedia

The bad news is that since EZ Pass works all the way west from Maine to Illinois and south to North Carolina (15 states) that's a bunch of different sets of rules and there are dozens of irreconcilable differences from one state to another.

The good news is that in this computer age, whatever the rules are in the state that you purchased your transponder in, reciprocity agreements are in effect across all of the participating states and entities.  And the computer system is REALLY FAST.  It works fast enough in the 70 MPH express lanes, at least in the northeast, that you pass or fail before the next vehicle combination in your lane triggers that reader!  If the registered info in the computer "alerts" on the transponder that triggered it (or failed to trigger it, like a vehicle without a transponder going through an EZ Pass lane), pictures get taken and humans eventually get involved.  So when you pass through a reader, it is just an RFID transducer and the information that is stored in a computer file.  There is no immediate (and might conceivably never be any) reconciliation of actual to filed information (plate vs. vehicle vs. number of axles vs. computed speed between readers, etc.).  If someone snags your transducer, they can use it until you report it missing and no alerts will occur.  So security is lesson #1.  Secure your transducer and safeguard it like a credit card - report it and cancel it quickly, if it goes missing. 

We started with MA Fast Lane (which has now become EZ Pass) when it was first available in the late '80's and we have used coach and multiple cars and motorcycles, without disputes (regarding charges), for over 20 years in the 15 northern tier states.  We have always had (1) transponder per powered vehicle, we have never had a transponder on a trailer, have always "foil bagged" any transponder(s) in any towed vehicle and have never had a "coach plus towed" (separate) transponder. 

The trailers have never been registered in the EZ Pass system in NH and the "coach plus toad" guidance in NH is "foil bag" any transponder in any toad and then the RFID device (transponder) on the powered vehicle will be looked up on the computer.  Then the powered vehicle plus the towed vehicle (car or trailer) combined toll will be calculated based on the NH EZ Pass account information for the powered vehicle and the total number of axles that pass the reader before the next vehicle triggers that reader in that lane. 

Where we have had problems is with the EZ Pass (NH) system getting the account information correct on the powered vehicle.  Cars and motorcycles are fine but the two coaches have been a nightmare of confusion and red tape in the service centers.  Why they don't just use the DMV registration information is beyond me!  So Lesson # 2 is, whatever state you sign up for EZ Pass in, insist that the EZ Pass account information agrees with your vehicle registration, especially in terms of weight, registration plate type and number of axles.

Lesson #3 is, if you have any question about whether your transponder and your account are working properly or not, pull through a slow EZ Pass lane (Wide Load or coin drop or combined EZ Pass/attendant lane, etc) and if you get the green light and no message other than "Toll Paid" or "Thank You" on the small message board, you are good.  If you get a message to call EZ Pass or replenish funds or Pass Denied, etc., act accordingly.  And do that as soon as you can safely attend to it, because multiple "alerts" are not good in your defense.

SunPass in FL is a similar success story.  It is keyed off of vehicle registration information, and was far easier to sign up for than EZ Pass was in the Northeast (EZ Pass collects all new information, in several ways directly contradicting vehicle registration information).  We have a single SunPass RFID transponder that is associated for use with the coach, a car, a motorcycle and two different trailers.  It gets moved from one (powered) vehicle to another as needed and unlike what others have mentioned, we have never had a hiccup on charges. Bike with and without trailer, coach with and without car (or trailer) and car alone and the charges come out right in both slow and 70 MPH Express Lanes.  The only fault that I have in FL is that the charges are about 5 times what they are in the Northeast ($/mile basis).

BTW, there was a Congressional deadline to make EZ Pass and SunPass compatible and joined by October 2016.  SunPass is ready but the 15 state EZ Pass system is not.............so we wait.
HTH,
Neal
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Neal (& Brenda) Pillsbury
'02 U320 SPEC, 4200, DGFE, Build #5984
'04 Gold Wing
'07 Featherlite 24'
'14 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit
MC #14494
Exeter, NH & LaBelle FL
Quality makes the Heart Soar long after Price is Forgotten
 

Re: EZ pass?

Reply #12 –
Please - no political commentary in the forum.  A reported post has been deleted.
Learn every day, but especially from the experiences of others. It's cheaper!  - John C. Bogle

2000 U320 36' non-slide / WildEBeest Rescue
2003 U320