North Texas tollway question

[nathanm]

Bringing this back from the dead because it has come to my attention that MAP-21 requires that all electronic toll collection systems in the US be interoperable by July, 2016. Sad that it takes federal law to get any real forward movement on this.

Maybe it will also force OTA to drop the minimum balance requirement somewhat.

[Conan71]

Bringing this back from the dead because it has come to my attention that MAP-21 requires that all electronic toll collection systems in the US be interoperable by July, 2016. Sad that it takes federal law to get any real forward movement on this.

Maybe it will also force OTA to drop the minimum balance requirement somewhat.

Is $15 a serious hardship for people with a Pike Pass?  At least I think that's when mine auto-charges. 

[saintnicster]

Is $15 a serious hardship for people with a Pike Pass?  At least I think that's when mine auto-charges. 

Mine shows that a refill happens at $10.  Probably the bigger issue is that it will pull $40 at time.

It mentions that you have to call if you want to change anything besides the CC on the website, so I wonder if you can change the amount that it bills.

[nathanm]

It mentions that you have to call if you want to change anything besides the CC on the website, so I wonder if you can change the amount that it bills.

The charge happens when you're at $10 and they bill $40 at a time, minimum. And the minimum opening balance is $40 as well. It's less a problem than just annoying. If you pay by cash or check, they start haraunging you when your balance reaches $15. If you don't want to/can't give them as much as they want, they charge you $2 per transponder for having the gall to pay them less than $40 at a time. With SunPass you can set the recharge amount in increments of $5 from $10 up to whatever and set their rebill to happen as low as $5. FTA does not require that you deposit any amount at all to open an account, just pay for the tag (which you have to do here in Oklahoma as well). The stickers are effectively free there, as you get $5 in your account when you activate the sticker you pay $5 for. You also get $5 when you buy a portable transponder, IIRC, so the effective cost of those is only $20.

Oh, and they don't screw you if the tag fails to read. If the vehicle is on your account, you pay the same rate regardless of whether the tag reads successfully or not. And they still haven't deactivated the old transponders they had a replacement campaign over some years back, nor did they make people pay for their replacements. And when they do deactivate a transponder, they don't also remove the vehicle from your account and open you up to a nice $200 toll evasion ticket without bothering to give you a date on which the transponder will be deactivated. Basically, they're more customer friendly in almost every way.

Before SunPass, E-Pass, and the other Florida toll authorities had interoperability, they all were more like OTA with high fees and general customer unfriendliness. Competition in toll collection is apparently a good thing.

[sgrizzle]

The minimum balance on PikePass is a lie.

My auto funding source expired so I called to put a new one on. Their computer system was down. I went online but you can't set up a new renewal source, only make one-time payments. So I've just been making one-time payments for the last 3-4 years. I only do like $20 at a time, and I usually wait until it's empty to put anything in. The tag still works, even if you're in the negative.

[rdj]

The minimum balance on PikePass is a lie.

My auto funding source expired so I called to put a new one on. Their computer system was down. I went online but you can't set up a new renewal source, only make one-time payments. So I've just been making one-time payments for the last 3-4 years. I only do like $20 at a time, and I usually wait until it's empty to put anything in. The tag still works, even if you're in the negative.

Yep, same way for me.  I don't even have an auto-funding source on file.  Back when I first signed up they didn't require it.

[sgrizzle]

Yep, say way for me.  I don't even have an auto-funding source on file.  Back when I first signed up they didn't require it.

[nathanm]

Good to know they aren't quite as bad as they claim to be.

[patric]

Customers are expected to be able to start using their Pikepass tags in Kansas by the end of the year.

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has a similar agreement with the North Texas Tollway Authority, which operates three tolls roads: the Dallas North Tollway, the George Bush Turnpike and the Sam Rayburn Tollway.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/oklahoma-kansas-agree-to-toll-tag-pact/article_b68a25dc-6c64-5dd9-8867-20e005c3f342.html

[saintnicster]

Customers are expected to be able to start using their Pikepass tags in Kansas by the end of the year.

The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority has a similar agreement with the North Texas Tollway Authority, which operates three tolls roads: the Dallas North Tollway, the George Bush Turnpike and the Sam Rayburn Tollway.
http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/oklahoma-kansas-agree-to-toll-tag-pact/article_b68a25dc-6c64-5dd9-8867-20e005c3f342.html

Err, what about those of us that have both?

[sgrizzle]

Err, what about those of us that have both?

Get rid of one?

[heironymouspasparagus]

Err, what about those of us that have both?

Get to pay twice.

[TheTed]

So apparently they can find you. I just got a bill for several visits from October 2012 through April 2013. And they found me even though I've moved twice since then.

Awfully strange that I'm just getting billed for this now.

[Townsend]

So apparently they can find you. I just got a bill for several visits from October 2012 through April 2013. And they found me even though I've moved twice since then.

Awfully strange that I'm just getting billed for this now.

Late fees?

[Hoss]

So apparently they can find you. I just got a bill for several visits from October 2012 through April 2013. And they found me even though I've moved twice since then.

Awfully strange that I'm just getting billed for this now.

That's likely a credit check..not really a check, but the agencies have products to find you by address without it showing as a hit on your CR.