AET

The Lee Roy Selmon Crosstown Expressway in Tampa will cease cash toll collection in the autumn. September is the target month for the conversion to all-electronic tolling (AET) by the east-west tollroads's operator Tampa Hillsboro County Expressway Authority (THEA).

58 toll collectors are being laid off.

A study commissioned by the town of York in south Maine argues that all-electronic toll (AET) collection is both the most cost-effective and the most environmentally friendly solution to the longstanding dispute over a new 'gateway toll plaza' on the south end of the Maine Turnpike.

The Golden Gate Bridge (GGB) authority is planning all-electronic tolling (AET) as a major budget balancing measure as well as a way of reducing exhaust emissions and motorist delay. A longterm financial plan shows AET as contributing a $16.3m in savings through FY2019/2020, by far the largest item in a list of "Increased efficiencies through technology." (Attachment p1 to FY2009/2010 Financial Plan for Achieving Longterm Financial Stability)

Major moves toward cashless tolling will be made this year and next, with the largest conversions to all-electronic tolling (AET) on major toll systems in Texas and Florida. In the Dallas area North Texas Tollway (NTTA) plan to collect their last cash tolls before the end of this year. NTTA already has two major all-electronic tollroads operating: President George Bush Turnpike and Sam Rayburn Tollway.

Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick is keen to move quickly to get a "pilot" project for all-electronic tolling (AET) running on the Turnpike. In a radio interview this week he mentioned the possibility of "tests" of all-electronic tolling at the Turnpike's interchange with MA128 (I-95) and also on the Tobin Bridge.

North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) has engaged cash stores operator ACE Cash Express to provide walk-in options for NTTA customers to pay their video toll - local brand is "ZipCash" - invoices. The ACE Express stores and cash machines will also allow north Texas tollroad users to open and load cash-backed transponder accounts locally branded TollTag.
 
Customers will be able to use the ACE Cash Express stores and machines to:

Port Authority New York New Jersey (PANYNJ) will completely replace their existing toll system with one allowing easy conversion to all-electonic toll (AET) collection. The new system will support existing cash collection so the move to all-electronic or cashless tolling can be made separately from the switchover from old to new systems.

Egis say in a statement today that their all-electronic tolling (AET) - they call it "free-flow tolling" - on the Golden Ears Bridge in the Vancouver metro area has worked smoothly through increased Olympic Games traffic so far. They call it "a touch of French expertise around the Olympic Games."

Massachusetts DOT is seeking a new Deputy Director of Statewide Tolling to "transition existing toll collection operations to Open Road Tolling or All Electronic Tolling.”  The move reported first by Hilary Chabot at the Boston Herald pays up to $102k/yr and is open only to state employees.

The tolling deputy director would also assess installation costs, savings from eliminating toll collectors, and likely traffic improvements from free-flow all-electronic tolling.

The Boston Herald reports that Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick and his transportation  secretary Jeffrey Mullan met Jan 28 with Raytheon officials to hear their pitch on the potential for all-electronic tolling (AET).