New E-ZPass Sticker Could Replace Tags in New Jersey

New E-ZPass Sticker Could Replace Tags in New Jersey

Drivers across South Jersey who rely on E-ZPass to get to the Shore may soon notice a major change in how tolls are collected.

According to a report first broken by CBS News, New Jersey could eventually replace the familiar plastic E-ZPass transponders mounted to windshields with extremely thin, battery-free stickers.

E-ZPass was developed in the late 1980s as toll agencies across the Northeast looked for ways to reduce traffic congestion at busy toll plazas.

In 1987, several agencies formed the E-ZPass Interagency Group to create a shared electronic toll collection system that would allow drivers to pay tolls automatically while continuing to move through toll lanes.

The system officially launched in 1993 on the New York State Thruway and quickly expanded to major highways including the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway.

Drivers were issued small plastic transponders that attach to the inside of a vehicle’s windshield and use RFID technology to communicate with overhead antennas at toll lanes, automatically deducting the toll from a prepaid account.

Over time, E-ZPass expanded across much of the eastern United States and is now used in about 20 states, becoming one of the most widely adopted electronic toll systems in the country.

The new technology is currently being explored by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, which plans to begin testing the system sometime around May.

For anyone traveling from South Jersey to destinations like Philadelphia, the Garden State Parkway, or even heading north after a weekend in the Wildwoods, the change could eventually affect how tolls are paid across the state.

Testing Could Begin Soon

The Turnpike Authority plans to start by installing the stickers on many of its own vehicles as part of a pilot program.

Instead of using the traditional battery-powered RFID transponders drivers are used to, the new system would rely on barcode technology embedded inside the sticker. Toll equipment would scan the RFID as vehicles pass through E-ZPass lanes.

If the test goes well, the sticker system could eventually replace the plastic transponders that have been used across New Jersey for decades.

While E-ZPass will be testing them in New Jersey, Florida has already been using them for a few years.

Their toll services, SunPass and E-PASS have been working great for years.

A Potential Cost Saver for the State

Officials say one of the biggest reasons for exploring the new technology is cost.

Kris Kolluri, executive director of the New Jersey Turnpike Authority and CEO of NJ Transit, explained that the batteries inside current E-ZPass tags typically last between eight and ten years. Once the battery dies, the transponder must be replaced.

That replacement process adds up quickly.

Kolluri said the state spent roughly $4.6 million this year alone purchasing replacement tags.

The new stickers would cost about $1.25 each, which could reduce the overall cost to under $700,000 for the same number of units.

Because the stickers do not rely on batteries, they would last indefinitely and only need to be replaced if a driver gets a new vehicle.

More Secure, But Less Flexible

The new system would also change how drivers manage their E-ZPass devices.

Unlike the plastic transponders many drivers keep in their car today, the stickers would be permanently attached to the windshield. If someone tries to remove the sticker, it breaks apart and becomes unusable.

Officials say this would make the system more secure since transponders can currently be stolen if a vehicle window is left open.

The downside is that drivers would not be able to move the sticker from one car to another. Anyone who sells their vehicle or starts a new lease would need to request a new sticker from E-ZPass.

So what do you think?