Comments on: E-ZPass is Too Much Trouble http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/2009/06/20/e-zpass-is-too-much-trouble/ (It's not defined!) Mon, 21 May 2012 23:23:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Blair http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/2009/06/20/e-zpass-is-too-much-trouble/#comment-4410 Blair Sun, 23 Aug 2009 18:27:17 +0000 http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/?p=1308#comment-4410 True, they do pay a fee to the credit card companies. But that's been present all along. And this at least gives them a way to accept credit cards, you can imagine the chaos if they tried to accept them directly at the toll booth. This is similar to <a href="/blair/zero/2009/08/17/one-more-straw/" rel="nofollow">T-Mobile's rate hike</a>; they're charging twice for a cost that was present all along. True, they do pay a fee to the credit card companies. But that’s been present all along. And this at least gives them a way to accept credit cards, you can imagine the chaos if they tried to accept them directly at the toll booth.

This is similar to T-Mobile’s rate hike; they’re charging twice for a cost that was present all along.

]]> By: Joseph http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/2009/06/20/e-zpass-is-too-much-trouble/#comment-4409 Joseph Sun, 23 Aug 2009 17:27:48 +0000 http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/?p=1308#comment-4409 I am not 100% sure whether E-Z Passs actually saves the state money or not. While it is true that they are able to hire less toll collectors, on the other hand, since E-Z Pass users pay be credit card, they now have to pay a fee to Visa/Mastercard. On the other hand, they now have $35 of yours in advance which they collect interest on. So it is really hard to tell if they are actually making money on E-Z Pass vs. people who pay with cash. I am not 100% sure whether E-Z Passs actually saves the state money or not. While it is true that they are able to hire less toll collectors, on the other hand, since E-Z Pass users pay be credit card, they now have to pay a fee to Visa/Mastercard. On the other hand, they now have $35 of yours in advance which they collect interest on. So it is really hard to tell if they are actually making money on E-Z Pass vs. people who pay with cash.

]]> By: Blair http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/2009/06/20/e-zpass-is-too-much-trouble/#comment-4396 Blair Thu, 06 Aug 2009 02:56:31 +0000 http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/?p=1308#comment-4396 Unfortunately, that's not the way it's been shaping up the past few years. Particularly when state budgets are tight -- then EZ Pass becomes a "luxury item" and the states feel no qualms about imposing a fee for the privilege. (Suddenly all the talk about it being more efficient and environmentally friendly just evaporates....) My first EZ Pass was with New Jersey. Sometime in 2002 or 2003, there was a scandal about state highway money being mismanaged or misappropriated or otherwise misspent and they were moderately open about the EZ Pass fees being one of the ways they planned to make up for it. That's when I switched to Maryland. The claim I've seen on various message boards (and I have no idea whether the claim is true) is that Maryland has to pay some sort of monthly maintenance fee per account and supposedly the new fees are supposed to cover that. But... I've also noticed that EZ Pass has different fees in different states. So I do agree that there is a benefit to shopping around. I hadn't heard about Indiana, but Pennsylvania is a relative bargain at $3 per year. Unfortunately, that’s not the way it’s been shaping up the past few years. Particularly when state budgets are tight — then EZ Pass becomes a “luxury item” and the states feel no qualms about imposing a fee for the privilege. (Suddenly all the talk about it being more efficient and environmentally friendly just evaporates….)

My first EZ Pass was with New Jersey. Sometime in 2002 or 2003, there was a scandal about state highway money being mismanaged or misappropriated or otherwise misspent and they were moderately open about the EZ Pass fees being one of the ways they planned to make up for it.

That’s when I switched to Maryland.

The claim I’ve seen on various message boards (and I have no idea whether the claim is true) is that Maryland has to pay some sort of monthly maintenance fee per account and supposedly the new fees are supposed to cover that.

But… I’ve also noticed that EZ Pass has different fees in different states. So I do agree that there is a benefit to shopping around. I hadn’t heard about Indiana, but Pennsylvania is a relative bargain at $3 per year.

]]> By: Tommy D http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/2009/06/20/e-zpass-is-too-much-trouble/#comment-4395 Tommy D Thu, 06 Aug 2009 00:33:57 +0000 http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/?p=1308#comment-4395 Well I called a few EZ Pass agencies in a few States. Turns out that you can get an EZ pass in any state and it will work on any toll road that accepts EZ Pass. Anyone who pays any fee for EZ Pass should call Indiana I Zoom (which is in the EZ Pass family). They will send you as many transponders as you want free. And there are NO FEES if you use a credit card and a checking account as a back up. Phone 1-888-iZoom90 (1-888-496-6690) I just don't understand the logic of putting fees on something that saves the State money and manpower. Pass this message around. If enough of EZ Pass uses switch, I think the State will get the message.. EZ Pass commuter Well I called a few EZ Pass agencies in a few States. Turns out that you can get an EZ pass in any state and it will work on any toll road that accepts EZ Pass. Anyone who pays any fee for EZ Pass should call Indiana I Zoom (which is in the EZ Pass family). They will send you as many transponders as you want free. And there are NO FEES if you use a credit card and a checking account as a back up.
Phone 1-888-iZoom90 (1-888-496-6690)
I just don’t understand the logic of putting fees on something that saves the State money and manpower. Pass this message around. If enough of EZ Pass uses switch, I think the State will get the message..

EZ Pass commuter

]]> By: Blair http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/2009/06/20/e-zpass-is-too-much-trouble/#comment-4331 Blair Thu, 25 Jun 2009 03:13:14 +0000 http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/?p=1308#comment-4331 They've got that one covered too. You can't close the account without a pin number that I lost years ago. They’ve got that one covered too. You can’t close the account without a pin number that I lost years ago.

]]> By: Steve http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/2009/06/20/e-zpass-is-too-much-trouble/#comment-4327 Steve Wed, 24 Jun 2009 04:01:07 +0000 http://dactylmanor.org/blair/zero/?p=1308#comment-4327 Wow! It looks like they covered just about everything. The only one missing is a charge for closing your account; I'm sure it is quite expensive to set the account status to in-active and delete your credit card information from their system :) Wow! It looks like they covered just about everything. The only one missing is a charge for closing your account; I’m sure it is quite expensive to set the account status to in-active and delete your credit card information from their system :)

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