Maryland lost 2k of 560k or 0.4% of E-ZPass accounts in first month with $1.50 monthly fee

Maryland (Toll) Transportation Authority (MDTA) lost 2,090 E-ZPass in July, the first month in which a $1.50 monthly maintenance fee applies. 4,990 customers dropped their accounts and about 2,800 new E-Zpass accounts were opened. At the end of July there were 557k Maryland E-ZPass accounts.

MDTA officials said the losses were less than expected and there has been no sign of decreased E-ZPass usage at toll plazas. Infrequent users are most likely to drop electronic tolling.

AP screws up

An Associated Press report last week got the numbers screwed up and sensationalized the situation saying 19k closed their accounts in July and 40k in total had cancelled since the announcement of the monthly charges in January.

Those were numbers for people raising the issue in telephone or online communication with MDTA customer service, not actual cancellations. Washington Post and Baltimore Sun both apologized to readers for the AP misreport at the weekend.

MDTA pays ACS $2.25 maintenance per account per month and  officials say the $1.50/month fee is an attempt to cover a portion of that expense.

Other states nearby

Near Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and West Virginia have no monthly account fees, so some of those dropping MD/E-ZPass are likely moving their accounts to nearby states.

Pennsylvania has a $3/yr maintenance fee.

Monthly account fees are becoming more common among E-ZPass Inter Agency Group members.

These tollers honor one another's E-ZPass IAG transponder accounts:

    •    Burlington County Bridge Commission, NJ/PA
    •    Chicago Skyway, IL
    •    Delaware Department of Transportation
    •    Delaware River and Bay Authority NJ/DE
    •    Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission, NJ/PA
    •    Delaware River Port Authority, Philadelphia PA/NJ
    •    Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
    •    Indiana Toll Road
    •    Maine Turnpike Authority
    •    Maryland Transportation Authority
    •    MTA Bridges and Tunnels, New York City
    •    Massachusetts Port Authority
    •    Massachusetts Turnpike Authority
    •    New Hampshire DOT Bureau of Turnpikes
    •    New Jersey Turnpike Authority
    •    New York State Bridge Authority
    •    New York State Thruway Authority
    •    Ohio Turnpike Commission
    •    Peace Bridge Authority, NY-Canada
    •    Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
    •    Port Authority of New York/New Jersey
    •    Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority
    •    South Jersey Transportation Authority
    •    Virginia Department of Transportation
    •    West Virginia Turnpike

TOLLROADSnews 2009-08-23