A DRIVER has blasted an automatic pass system after she was hit with an unexpected fine of over $1,700.
It comes as a system used by drivers throughout the eastern half of the US has come under fire for causing issues for motorists, whether it’s dead batteries in Rhode Island or a software glitch in New York.
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The EZ-Pass is an electronic system drivers can sign up to that automatically collects toll charges and other driving fees.
But the system recently experienced a glitch in New York causing a disruption in the system’s auto-replenishment – the process where funds are automatically added to a driver’s toll account when the balance gets low.
This glitch has caused accounts to stop replenishing, meaning drivers unknowingly lacked the funds to cover tolls – meaning unpaid tolls have accumulated, leading to violations and fines.
One woman recently took to Facebook to complain, having received 29 unexpected toll violations from the New Jersey Turnpike Authority totaling over $1,700 in fines.
These violations occurred because their NY EZ-Pass transponder failed to pay tolls, all because of the auto-replenishment glitch.
She said: “NYEZPass had a software upgrade glitch last month that wiped out auto replenishments.
“I just received numerous toll violations in the mail from NJ Turnpike Authority for unpaid tolls.
“When I logged into NJEZPass, it showed 29 violations with over $1,700 owed.
“I tried calling NJ EZPass several times to address this and waited an hour, all to no avail.”
Drivers using EZ-Pass systems are being urged to periodically check their account balances and replenishment settings – just to ensure everything is functioning properly.
The glitch serves as a reminder of the risks associated with relying on automated systems for financial transactions, especially when multiple states and agencies are involved.
Meanwhile, drivers in Rhode Island have also faced sudden charges due to the batteries in older transponder devices being dead, local news outlet WPRI reported.
Officials at the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) have issued a warning that such transponders have a battery life of about 10 years meaning units issued in 2008 or 2009 are now failing.
“If you have one from 2008, you’ve gotten your money’s worth out of it,” RITBA Executive Director Lori Caron Silveira said, urging drivers to get their devices checked and possibly replaced to avoid unexpected fines.
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“We’re now seeing a big jump in terms of how many of our customers are coming here or going to AAA and saying, ‘I think my battery is dead and I’d like to have my transponder tested,'” Silveira said.
Motorists can visit RITBA’s Customer Service Center in Jamestown and battery testers are also available at various AAA locations.
If the battery is dead, replacing it costs just $10 – a much smaller charge than unexpected fines.
Furthermore, anyone who’s been hit with a $6 bill from RITBA should make sure their transponder is mounted correctly and that their account is in good standing, RITBA said.
It’s also worth checking to see if their vehicle is registered with the state.
RITBA has extended the grace period for tolling invoices, since their Customer Service Center is currently overwhelmed by calls regarding a recent text scam.
This means drivers now have until July 31 to resolve any tolling issues.
Sun US Motors has reached out to the New Jersey Turnpike Authority for a comment.
NEW YORK CONGESTION TOLL
NEW York has become the first major US city to introduce a form of congestion pricing:
- Starting January 5, 2025, most vehicles will have to pay a $9 congestion toll in parts of New York City.
- The affected area is everything south up to and including 60th Street in Manhattan, where Central Park starts.
- Only the FDR Drive, on the east side of the island, the West Side Highway, on the west side, and the Hugh L Carey Tunnel which connects them at the southern tip, will be excluded from congestion tolls, provided you don’t exit them into Manhattan at or below 60th Street.
- The idea is to reduce congestion in Manhattan, improve air quality, and fund the MTA.
- The toll affects the majority of cars, SUVs, small vans, and pickup trucks.
- Vehicles eligible for the toll must have an E-ZPass, which will charge them $9 once per day.
- That toll will go down to $2.25 during overnight hours.
- Peak traffic hours are between 5 am and 9 pm on weekdays, and between 9 am and 0 pm on weekends.
- Drivers without an E-ZPass will be mailed their bills and will have to pay more – $13.50 for peak hours and $3.30 overnight.
- Motorcyclists will pay half what cars pay – $4.50 – during peak.
- Buses and trucks, depending on their size, will pay more.
- Exceptions include certain emergency vehicles, school buses, the disabled who are unable to take public transport, and those who transport them.
- Low-income drivers who pay the toll 10 times a month can apply for a 50% discount on trips they take for the rest of the month.
- Passengers in taxis and for-hire vehicles will have a per-trip surcharge added to their fares, working out at 75 cents for people taking taxis, green cabs, and black cars, and $1.50 for Uber or Lyft passengers.
