Pennsylvania
Related: About this forum2 PA Turnpike interchanges to go cashless
Turnpike officials have put the brakes on a plan set in motion during former Gov. Tom Corbett's administration to convert the cross-state highway to a cashless, all-electronic tolling system.
Instead, the commission will start a pilot program next year in which two busy interchanges on opposite ends of the state the Beaver Valley Expressway and the Delaware River Bridge in Bucks County are converted to the cashless system.
Drivers must use E-ZPass or have their license plates scanned by interchange cameras and pay a monthly bill mailed to them.
75 percent of turnpike transactions involve E-ZPass ... E-ZPass lanes can process hundreds more cars per hour than toll collectors (in) cash lanes
http://triblive.com/state/pennsylvania/8819413-74/toll-cashless-turnpike#ixzz3n1g3CC5r
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)I hardly ever use toll roads any more, but still have the EZ pass "just in case". The last time I went to PA it saved me at least an hour in wait times and the tolls were discounted.
There's 25 bucks in the account that can sit there forever until I use it, and if I do use it I can put more in from my phone.
Divernan
(15,480 posts)I particularly appreciate the convenience in rainy/snowy/cold weather.
Number9Dream
(1,558 posts)In addition to EZ Pass, for at least 50 years, the Garden State Parkway has had booths in which you can simply toss change into funnel baskets. They work great. No toll people required. Leave it to PA to forego the simpler, proven technology. The Garden State Parkway is superior to the PA turnpike in every way.
TreasonousBastard
(43,049 posts)or have 35 cents handy. I assume the toll is higher now, but fishing around for tokens is still more of a PITA than EZ Pass. And you can't use the the tokens on the Turnpike.
Ever miss the basket and either the bar doesn't go up or you get a bill in the mail? I remember a lot of those wooden bars stacked up at most booths-- could not really have been that good for the parkway authority.
Number9Dream
(1,558 posts)The GSP has many EZ Pass lanes at every toll plaza. However, throwing quarters into a basket is easier than scanning license plates and having to return bills with an additional 50 cent stamp. There are no tokens anymore. There haven't been wooden bars for ages. They have exact change lanes, as well as non-exact change lanes, receipt lanes, etc. If you manage to miss the huge basket, you blow the horn and keep moving... no bill in the mail.
yellowcanine
(35,692 posts)MadrasT
(7,237 posts)That is an awful lot of change you'd need to toss in a basket.
(Just one example, many tolls are much higher.)
Number9Dream
(1,558 posts)No argument that EZ Pass is more convenient than cash, but if you don't have an EZ Pass and want / need to pay cash, the PA Tpk intends to bill you by mail including a hefty fee for doing so. One toll booth with a cash basket would be a convenience for out of state drivers and infrequent Tpk users.
I drive both the PA Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway. The cost to take the PA Turnpike on a round trip from the Lehigh Valley to Lansdale was $7.80 (~54 miles) as of 9/26. The cost to take the Garden State Parkway from exit 127 to exit 63 (round trip ~128 mi) was $6.00 as of 9/13. Most of the NE extension of the PA Turnpike is four lanes of poor condition concrete. A fender bender happens and only one lane left open. Listen to Lehigh Valley traffic reports - the Turnpike is frequently delayed. The Garden State Parkway has multiple lanes, express lanes, local lanes, and was recently widened between Toms River and Forked River. If there's a fender bender, there are still multiple lanes open. The GSP has nice rest stops every thirty miles or so. The GSP is a much better bargain.
Erich Bloodaxe BSN
(14,733 posts)I've driven across Pennsylvania before to go from Ohio to New York and environs and back before, and I wouldn't have an 'EZ pass' or expect a monthly bill. Or would I just be free to use them without paying, since I'm guessing you can't be extradited across state lines for missing a toll...
yellowcanine
(35,692 posts)depending on the agreements between your home state and the state where the toll was assessed, the vehicle registration could be "frozen", meaning you could not renew the registration until the ticket was paid, with penalties.
yellowcanine
(35,692 posts)And if one is riding a motorcycle it is a safety issue. No more risk of losing your footing on oil slicks in the toll booth lane while you fumble for change in your pocket.