I-PASS questions

[1992casey]

It looks like I-PASS is a good investment for occasional tollway users. The deposit on a transponder is only $10, and with the cost of tolls cut in half, you'd recoup that investment quickly. More significantly, it's a lot more convenient than fiddling with cash, changing lanes at 70-plus MPH to get to the cash lanes, etc. Also, you can have multiple transponders under a single account and replenish your account automatically, which would simplify payments.

 

My question is that the probability of my using different cars is pretty good. I have two cars, and although I probably don't use the tollway enough to justify it, I suppose that I could get a transponder for each one. But what if a friend comes over and says, "Let's take my car." Would we be able to use a transponder in my possession for the trip?

[Jimbo]

I don't see why not. My company has an I-PASS that all of us use when traveling through Illinois.

[Outlander]

I have an I-Pass and you can add vehicles online after you get the transponder. Currently have three vehicles using the same transponder. Can't imagine driving down there without one.

[fridaysfrontrow]

When you create an account you can add vehicles that can you use it on the Ipass website for Illinois. It is very simple and I think you can add as many vehicles as you want to it. You just need to put the transponder in the vehicle you are using when you pass through the tolls. So you won't need to buy a transponder for each vehicle just buy one and add both of your own vehicles to the list. If you use a friends just make sure you go to the website and add their vehicle information to your account and you will be good to go. I've used the same transponder for 3 different cars and never had an issue. Very good investment.

[1992casey]

Thanks for the responses.

 

When I add a vehicle, is it good to go immediately, or is there a period of time before the addition takes effect?

[Boomer5]

Its changed on the website within 15 minutes or less.

[FVBrewerFan]

Don't you need to pre-fund the Ipass account as well? (In addition to the transponder deposit)

[1992casey]

Yeah, you need to pre-fund. You start out by paying $30: $10 for the transponder deposit and $20 toward tolls.

 

You can set up your account so it automatically replenishes when you're below a certain threshold. You get to pick the amount. "Overdrafts" are covered; you have X number of days to pay, although I believe those tolls are charged at the cash rate.

 

The transponder has different colored lights. One of the lights will warn you when funds are low.

[FVBrewerFan]

Sounds like a better option than what I'm doing now. Sometimes paying tolls, sometimes not...hoping I don't see a fine in the mail one day.

[homer]

My 80 year old dad just bought one for trips to Indiana. He loves it.

 

If you live in the midwest and plan any kind of driving trips east in the next year it's a no brainer.

[Raw Biz]

I bought one but have yet to use it. Was going to use it for the 4th of July series in Cincy this year but we had to cancel.

[WV Brew]

I don't know how it works there but all the states out here in the Mid-Atlantic are now charging monthly fees, even if you don't use the pass. That changes the situation completely and is why I don't have one. When I drive out to Wisconsin, I just avoid all tolls even though it takes longer. I guess being retired helps with that.

[1992casey]

A Google search indicates that some E-ZPass states (e.g. New York and Virginia) have eliminated the monthly fee. Also, E-ZPass rates vary from agency to agency (state to state). There's no restriction as far as which agency that you buy from.

 

The only "hidden" fee that I've found with Illinois' I-PASS is that there's a 3 cent surcharge on tolls paid in Indiana. I-PASS is accepted by 26 agencies in various states. Likewise, E-ZPass is accepted in Illinois.

[LouisEly]

Sounds like a better option than what I'm doing now. Sometimes paying tolls, sometimes not...hoping I don't see a fine in the mail one day.

They give you a seven day grace period to pay them online at illinoistollway.com. No need to pull over to pay the tolls, just hop on-line within seven days, look up your license plate number, and pay it.

[NeedMoreFans]

I have used my IPass on probably 6 or 7 different vehicles, including my in-laws' and my parents' cars. It's really easy to add a car to the account. Also, I have only mounted it in one car and that was because of a long road trip out east. I had it in the glove box getting off the Ohio turnpike and it registered. Not sure if you can do that in Illinois or not, but I have just held it up to the window when I go through a toll.

[MrTPlush]

I-PASS is really nice if traveling through Illinois/Indiana and farther out east. Though I have decided to just avoid tolls when traveling into Northern Illinois. It is usually just as fast/same distance avoiding them. I would rather give the gas pump my money vs. Illinois.

[homer]

I-PASS is really nice if traveling through Illinois/Indiana and farther out east. Though I have decided to just avoid tolls when traveling into Northern Illinois. It is usually just as fast/same distance avoiding them. I would rather give the gas pump my money vs. Illinois.

 

Yeah taking Hwy 41 to Chicago isn't much more time at all. Maybe 15 minutes.

[WV Brew]

A Google search indicates that some E-ZPass states (e.g. New York and Virginia) have eliminated the monthly fee. Also, E-ZPass rates vary from agency to agency (state to state). There's no restriction as far as which agency that you buy from.

 

The only "hidden" fee that I've found with Illinois' I-PASS is that there's a 3 cent surcharge on tolls paid in Indiana. I-PASS is accepted by 26 agencies in various states. Likewise, E-ZPass is accepted in Illinois.

 

Yes, there is. Virginia will only issue passes to Virginia addresses. If you know somebody living in Virginia you could try to get around it that way but you're inconveniencing someone else then.

[1992casey]

Looking at information on E-ZPass, it looks like IPASS is a much more user friendly system. As WV Brew states, most E-ZPass states apply the $1 monthly surcharge. Account management is less flexible. And even little things, like acquiring extra adhesive for mounting the transponder are tougher. In Illinois, you can get more adhesive at any tollbooth manned by an operator.

 

• All About E-ZPass
  
• E-ZPass FAQ

 

Many E-ZPass states don't discount tolls like Illinois does. But that's a function of the toll system's pricing structure rather than the transponder you're using.

 

Because the option of using tollways arises infrequently for me, I'm much more concerned about convenience than saving money. I choose the route that's likely to be the quickest and sanest. And it'd be nice not to mess with cash.

[TURBO]

Sounds like a better option than what I'm doing now. Sometimes paying tolls, sometimes not...hoping I don't see a fine in the mail one day.

They give you a seven day grace period to pay them online at illinoistollway.com. No need to pull over to pay the tolls, just hop on-line within seven days, look up your license plate number, and pay it.

 

What is the fine if you don't pay it?

[MrTPlush]

Sounds like a better option than what I'm doing now. Sometimes paying tolls, sometimes not...hoping I don't see a fine in the mail one day.

They give you a seven day grace period to pay them online at illinoistollway.com. No need to pull over to pay the tolls, just hop on-line within seven days, look up your license plate number, and pay it.

 

What is the fine if you don't pay it?

 

They send mail to owner of car to pay it and charge approx $5. If you don't pay that in about a month you get another $40 fine or so. After that if it isn't in your state I have heard they can't do a whole lot. However, if it is in the state you are from I hmthink they can do something with car registration/your license. I also heard something about effecting your credit, but not sure about that either.

 

I gotta be honest though I know a lot of people who whip through tolls and never get anything in the mail.

[1992casey]

You need to have three violations in two years before you get notified. At that point, you're required to pay the unpaid tolls plus $20 per violation, although you're given the option of requesting a hearing. If you don't pay within 30 days, a second notice is sent, and the option of a hearing is lost. After another 30 days, the fines increase to $50 per violation. If the fines on the third notice aren't paid, you're subject to referral to a collection agency and being reported to a credit rating bureau. There are also potential driver's license and car registration consequences, but I'm not sure how those could be enforced with out of state drivers.

 

Within the first 30 days, IPASS and E-ZPass customers may have their fines waived if their account is in good standing and one of the following applies:

 

1. The license plate on the violation notice was listed on the I-PASS or E-ZPass account prior to the issue date of the violation notice

-or-

2. The name or address on the violation notice matches the name or address on the I-PASS or E-ZPass account.

 

http://www.illinoistollway.com/tolls-and-i-pass/violations/pay-a-toll-violation

 

It seems that the simplest thing to do is to go online and pay the toll within seven days.

[1992casey]

The transponder has different colored lights. One of the lights will warn you when funds are low.

 

These lights are actually at one of the booths in the cash lanes, not on the transponder. I've never bothered to try to find them. I suppose that it'd do no good to have them in the open road tolling lanes. You'd never see them at 70 mph.

 

At any rate, I-PASS works great, and I highly recommend it, even for very occasional tollway users. Because it was only an additional $10 (refundable deposit), I picked up a second transponder for the second car. For me, that's easier than remembering to move the transponder. It wouldn't have been necessary, though. If you forget your transponder, the system will photograph your license plate and match it up to your account. There won't be any penalties, and you'll still get the discounted rates. The only difference will be that if you log in, the "video tolls" won't show up immediately.

 

As mentioned earlier, changes to your account happen within 15 minutes. When you go online, you can make a payment, add or remove vehicles, add transponders, and change your automatic replenishment amount. The only thing you can't do is change your low balance threshold, which by default is $10. You can do that over the phone.

 

In theory, if you're automatically replenishing and your credit card is up to date, you shouldn't have to make any payments manually. If you somehow manage to "overdraft," you have seven days to deal with it. In the meantime, you won't be penalized, and your tolls will still be discounted. Overdrafts shouldn't happen under normal circumstances, though. If I were to anticipate heavy use, such as a trip that covers several E-ZPass states, I might consider a manual payment just to be sure I'm covered in case of any glitches. While that shouldn't be necessary, posts here indicate that E-ZPass isn't quite as user-friendly as I-PASS.

 

Not every state offers discounts. On the Chicago Skyway, you'll pay the full toll. Plus you'll pay a 3 cent surcharge for using Illinois' system rather than Indiana's. The rest of Indiana might be discounted; I don't recall. But you'll be hit up for three cents for using I-PASS. That still beats stopping and messing around with cash.

 

One other tidbit… if you happen to be carrying more than one transponder in your vehicle, wrap any extras in aluminum foil to keep them from registering at the tollbooths. If you pick up extra transponders in person, they'll do that for you.

[1992casey]

I-PASS updated their website this weekend, and things have been a mess. Of course, this happened at exactly the same time I had planned to use the system outside of Illinois. I wanted to pad my account with extra cash and wasn't able to do so due to the site's planned downtime over the weekend.

 

So I went without adding the funds, and as far as I can tell, all of the states I was in accepted my transponder. But I had to go to each state's website in order to make my best guess as to how much I was charged for tolls.

 

The system is still glitchy. The website wasn't back up consistently until midday on Wednesday. I could get in late at night on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday. The call center was also down until midday on Wednesday. Also, there's a huge delay for tolls to post. Illinois tolls generally post within 20 minutes. My Sunday-Monday tolls posted after about 48 hours. Out-of-state tolls generally post within 48 hours. Mine haven't posted yet.

 

Most importantly, automatic replenishment is broken. For the time being, users should be adding funds manually. There's no word on when this will be working again. The saving grace is that manual replenishments are taking almost immediately.

 

On the plus side, registering vehicles has become easier. All that's needed is the license plate and state. If you transfer your plate to a different vehicle, you don't have to re-register.

 

Also, automatic extensions are temporarily being granted on violations and unpaid tolls. Initially, the deadline to pay was extended from seven to fourteen days, but I think that may have become longer with the unexpected glitches.

[gypcasino]

I'm currently showing a pending charge on my bank account for automatic replenishment.