I'm such a snitch

[mikea]

Hey, Scott, I tipped this story. It would have been nice if Hilkevich had answered my email
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-tollway_16aug16,1,127592.story?coll=chi_tab01_layout

Remember when I called and wondered why my iPass didn't work? The CSR answered like none of them work and said just to make sure they had my license plates.
I didn't mind getting free rides, but sometimes I needed the gates to open.

I see on my account that they have charged me, months later for trips using "VTOLL," meaning they see my plate on the camera. The web site also says that I could be fined after a time for having an invalid transponder.

I just called and got a 2nd iPass transponder. The same rep told me to exchange the broken one at the tollway oasis, which means I have to be on the @#$%^%^&!!! tollway Mon-Fri from 8 to 5, which I'm not normally.

 

[EdFred]

Does it take pictures of the front or rear plate if you go through without paying?

 

[ScottM]

Does it take pictures of the front or rear plate if you go through without paying?

Yes.


I have ridden through the toll booths without my transponder a few times because I forgot and just hoped that they would charge me. I have registered all three cars plates on the ITA's website. But I will have to check my account tonight to see what they are up to.

As for having to go the the iPass shop that is complete BS. My spousal unit placed the transpoder on the truck of the car and then drove off leaving it somewhere on the ground. We called that evening and they sent us a new one.

 

[KennyFlys]

Don't they realize it's the low-income, under-acheivers who will suffer if they have to pay those fines?!?!

The toll authority for Jawjuh 400 used to have a walk-in office in Buckhead. They closed it and moved to a high-rise office tower downtown. It was always available by mail but now transactions are strictly by mail and internet. Statements are strictly online now.

 

[EdFred]

It takes pictures of BOTH the front and rear?

 

[mikea]

Does it take pictures of the front or rear plate if you go through without paying?

I think they have video cameras pointed both ways so you one-platers don't get a bye.

BTW, they have the technology to automagically parse the plate number from the video now. Chicago has parking enforcement vans with 4 cameras on the roof that scan parked cars so they can boot wanted cars that are LEGALLY parked. This vendor is prolly using the same or a similar system to catch toll violators.

 

[EdFred]

Time to mount my license plate in a strategic location next time I drive through Chicago. Oh wait, I am NEVER driving through there again. But if I do, I will mount it on the inside of my truck bed.

 

[ScottM]

It takes pictures of BOTH the front and rear?

yes......

 

[vontresc]

I still find it amazing that they can charge so much for such a craptacular road/parking lot.

Pete

 

[SCCutler]

North Texas Tollway Authority has been using a system called "ZipCash" on some tollways, so if you do not have a TollTag (original name for the "EZ-Pass" or "EZ-Tag," which was invented here, thank you very much as if I had anything to do with it), you can still drive through and they will record your plate, and automatically generate a bill periodically.

They must have been happy with it, because they announced two days ago tha they are going to stop accepting cash completely, going to ZipCash and TollTag only. About 400 employees affected.

 

[mikea]

North Texas Tollway Authority has been using a system called "ZipCash" on some tollways, so if you do not have a TollTag (original name for the "EZ-Pass" or "EZ-Tag," which was invented here, thank you very much as if I had anything to do with it), you can still drive through and they will record your plate, and automatically generate a bill periodically.

They must have been happy with it, because they announced two days ago tha they are going to stop accepting cash completely, going to ZipCash and TollTag only. About 400 employees affected.

Being that this new contractor is are in Richardson, it may be them.

What I wanna know is if they can read your plates and charge you, why do they need the whole transponder thing?

 

[ScottM]

No Vtoll's on my account.

 

[SCCutler]

Being that these guys are Richson, it may be them.

What I wanna know is if they can read your plates and charge you, why do they need the whole transponder thing?

First off, the tolls when you have the transponder are a nickel a segment less.

Secondly, the TollTag's been around for a very long time (over ten years now), and the accounts are backed by credit cards.

Also, now, a TollTag not only works for the tollways (and the tunnel under Addison Airport!), they also work for entry into, exit from and payment for parking at DFW and Dallas Love Field Airports.

They also work (now) on the Houston-area tollroads, which are under control of a different agency, but the two outfits have created reciprocity.

Not that I ever intend on driving to Houston again!

 

[mikea]

I still find it amazing that they can charge so much for such a craptacular road/parking lot.

Pete

Part of the craptacular comes because they have to use up all of the money from all of quarters and give it da guys dat somebody knows, so it's constantly under construction. They're adding lanes up north so they'll have lanes and ramps closed all year.

BTW, that's after the vast majority of the toll money goes to cover the cost of collecting the toll money.


Besides, we need the lanes for all of the Illinoisians who clog it up going up to Wisconsin on Friday night and coming back on Sunday night, as well as you cheeseheads going to and from home. I've been amazed lately that it's the Wisconsin platers going the fastest.

 

[ausrere]

They also work (now) on the Houston-area tollroads, which are under control of a different agency, but the two outfits have created reciprocity.

Not that I ever intend on driving to Houston again!

And on the new tollroads in Austin.

 

[t0r0nad0]

They're going to raise the tolls here in Houston starting 9/3

 

[mikea]

They're going to raise the tolls here in Houston starting 9/3

When they put in the "Open Road Tolling - Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor" they raisded tolls from 40 cents to $1 and $2 for those without transponders. Hadda pay for them, ya know.

 

[ScottM]

When they put in the "Open Road Tolling - Rod R. Blagojevich, Governor" they raisded tolls from 40 cents to $1 and $2 for those without transponders. Hadda pay for them, ya know.

Close. He just raised them for cash to double what you pay with the transponder. So the .$40 toll became $.80 to those who still were putting coins in the machine.

 

[vontresc]

Well they have to pay for those open road toll palaces somehow. Just why do the damn toll botth have to be so friggin fancy?!?!

Pete

 

[silver-eagle]

Damned governments are out to find additional revenue. Don't they understand OUR revenue generators are finite resources also? The whole transponder thing is a real gimmick. It cuts jobs (right, manager now has to fire his family member), generates revenue on roads (which have been paid for 100 times over), and provides for funds to repair them (MY @$$). New York City is considering charging people to bring their vehicle into the city like PARKING FEES isn't enough of a consideration.
It is another TAX. Pure and simple. TAX TAX TAX.

 

[gprellwitz]

Damned governments are out to find additional revenue. Don't they understand OUR revenue generators are finite resources also? The whole transponder thing is a real gimmick. It cuts jobs (right, manager now has to fire his family member), generates revenue on roads (which have been paid for 100 times over), and provides for funds to repair them (MY @$$). New York City is considering charging people to bring their vehicle into the city like PARKING FEES isn't enough of a consideration.
It is another TAX. Pure and simple. TAX TAX TAX.

Heck,the federal govinmint is looking to give them hundreds of millions of dollars to IMPLEMENT the solution so they can charge us to drive into town!