Free sticker tag transponders in Orlando FL

Orlando Orange County Expressway Authority (OOCEA) is likely to follow Florida's Turnpike in offering sticker-tag transponders free. They have already been giving away limited numbers of the E-PASS Minis - as they are called - in special promotions. Staff have proposed free issue of sticker tags be regularized and the board of the authority is expected to formally endorse the proposal when they meet Jan 27.

In the fall OOCEA completed replacement of their hardcase ATA-reading AR2200 readers with Encompass 6 readers that will read both the established ATA transponders and the eGo series ISO 18000 6B type sticker tag transponders that are branded E-PASS Mini.

The established E-PASS ATA protocol transponders previously branded simply E-PASS are now E-PASS Portable. That draws attention to the main difference - that the sticker tag is permanently stuck for its life to a windshield, whereas a hardbodied ATA tag can be moved wherever there is a windshield with a velcro style attachment.

The sticker tags cost $8.50 each under present the Florida state contract with TransCore, but since that contract was signed procurements have occurred of closely related 6C sticker tags at prices below $2/tag. Hardcased ATA-type transponders cost $20.83 each under current Florida contracts.

Hardcased transponders cost motorists $25 each (+$1.63 tax) and require $25 of prepaid tolls for an upfront payment by the motorist of $51.63.

OOCEA have around 510k transponders in use on their 105 mile 169km-long five tollroad network. Of the 800k toll transactions they do on an average day around 550k to 570k (about 70%) are by transponder, the remainder or 30% are cash. Cash collection costs the toller 18c to 20c per transaction, they say, whereas transponder toll collection costs about a third of that or 6c to 7c.

Transponder toll has 23% greater yield

OOCEA pulls in some $206m in tolls (2009FY) so the average toll collected is only 71c.

A cash toll yields only 52c after 19c cost of collection whereas an electronic toll yields about 64c, 23% more.  Many toll authorities choose to drive the lower cost electronic tolling through discounting toll rates for transponder payment as compared to cash.

Orlando however has a single toll schedule regardless of payment mode.

Instead they have tried to drive customers to transponders through implementing open road tolling at their mainline toll plazas and through heavy advertising of its convenience. Last year they signed contracts with Rent a Toll and Highway Toll Administration to handle the tolls of rental car users by video tolling.

Now they hope to encourage a further transponder uptake beyond 70% by giving away sticker tags.

They ordered the first lot of 25k sticker tags from TransCore in March and then ordered 100k more in September.

A survey of customers last October showed a high level of satisfaction with transponder tolling - 91% of those surveyed said they were satisfied with their E-PASS transponder experience.

see http://www.expresswayauthority.com/

TOLLROADSnews 2010-01-23