That’s couch-cushion money at first glance, but adds up if you travel toll roads frequently.ĭo your research first, and know your own driving habits: even those fees might balance out.Įditor's Note: This article originally appeared on Consumerist. For example, the tolls from my house to Consumer Reports headquarters run $11.80 if I pay cash, but $11.21 with an E-ZPass. Some states charge a monthly fee for the tag, but offer discounted tolls. Whether this is a good idea for you depends on where you live, where you drive, and whether your local highway system offers discounts on certain routes to holders of their own tag. Once the amount in your account dips to something like $10, then the credit card is charged, bringing your account back to the set minimum. NOTE: All states require a “pre-paid” amount, usually around $20 to be placed on your credit card.
I live in Maryland, obtained 3 devices from Massachusetts, and had them in less then a week. At the other end of the spectrum, Massachusetts charges neither of these fees. For example, Maryland charges a non-refundable fee of $21 per transponder, and a $1.50 per month account maintenance fee. This is important to know because each state charges a different amount for the exact same device. This attraction is extremely popular and gets booked up fast. Remember that your pass must be valid at the time of your reservation. But what most people don’t know is that you don’t have to buy the EZPass in the state you live. Pre-book your visit on the Empire State Building’s website. Most people will purchase EZPasses through their home state. The same EZPass device you put in your car can be used on highways in over a dozen states in the northeast. The toll is then automatically applied to your credit card. EZPass is the device that is linked to your credit card, and once placed in your windshield, allows you to drive right through a toll booth without stopping. The opening of a new highway in the Maryland suburbs outside of Washington DC will probably drive many, many citizens in the area to purchase the toll road EZPass. Jonathan, a Maryland resident who is the proud new owner of three FastLane devices from Massachusetts, writes:
Whether this is a good idea or not depends on where you live, and on where you drive.
What not all consumers know is that you don’t have to buy your pass from the state where you live, and you can save money by ordering from across the border. It’s all a compatible system, but different states set their own fees to issue the transponders and maintain your account. Now you can use your E-ZPass in toll-zapping booths in 14 states, a vast road-trip zone stretching from Virginia to Illinois to Maine. The zone of state toll systems that are part of E-ZPass now stretches far beyond the New York metropolitan area where it began.
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