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When different areas each develop their own version of specific electronic capabilities in different places, their interoperability can be…complicated. Case in point, toll transponders. Here are some examples of the issues that have popped up:

E-ZPass

E-ZPass is available up and down the I-95 corridor from Maine to North Carolina and as far west as Illinois. Thanks to interoperability made available in recent years, it can also be used in Minnesota and Florida. But you can’t use it in, for example, Utah. Or California. And even though it can be used everywhere else on the eastern seaboard, it can’t be used in South Carolina. Or lots of other states. And they’re not quite done with interoperability in Georgia, either.

Florida’s various transponders

SunPass, SunPass Mini, SunPass PRO, E-Pass and LeeWay, are the 5 (and it used to be 6! O-Pass combined forces with E-Pass) toll transponders in Florida (because one transponder made specifically for Florida wasn’t enough?). Save for SunPass PRO (it’s newer); they were non-compatible with E-ZPass systems for years (but could be used in Georgia and North Carolina). That’s since changed, and there is some interoperable:

• SunPass PRO – Interoperable with E-Z Pass, as well as in GA, KS, OK and part of TX (see below for KS, OK and TX’s passes)
• SunPass Mini – Works in NC, GA, KS, OK and parts of TX but NOT with the E-ZPass system
• LeeWay – Interoperable with Georgia PeachPass, North Carolina QuickPass, KY RiverLink, IL I-PASS, KY Riverlink E-ZPass, KS K-Tag, OK Pike Pass, TX Toll Tag and E-ZPass

The KS-OK-TX triad

For YEARS, Kansas’ K-Tag, Oklahoma’s Pikepass and Texas’ TollTag, Tx Tag and EZ Tag were only able to be used in all 3 states but none of them were interoperable with any other transponder system. That’s now changed; they can be used in  Florida as well. But not all toll roads in Florida. Just some of them. Big whoop.

The states with NO interoperability

These states use transponders and/or other systems that are only usable in that particular state and do not have interoperability with any other state’s toll system because that’s convenient #rolleyes.

• Alabama uses Freedom Pass
• California uses FasTrak
• Colorado uses ExpressToll
• Louisiana uses Geaux Pass
• South Carolina uses Palmetto Pass
• Utah uses ExpressCard
• Washington uses Good To Go!

I think you get the point.

Oh, and the rest of the states, like Hawaii, Connecticut, etc.? They don’t have toll roads. Yay them!

Why don’t they all work with each other?

Excellent question.

In 2012 the government gave toll operators a 2016 deadline to make their systems compatible. It didn’t happen. So nowadays it just happens by piecemeal. Happily, another piece of the puzzle was put into place not long ago.

E-Pass, which is one of the aforementioned toll transponders out of Florida, now offers something called Uni. It’s completely compatible with the E-Z Pass group, which means it can be used in 19 states.

The Uni offers the following:

• One account, one invoice no matter where you drive in the 18 states
• No account fees
• Movable from car to car
• Works with rental cars and on motorcycles
• Pays for parking at Orlando International Airport

AND, unlike E-ZPass, it can be purchased on Amazon.com. Click here for more info or to open an account.

Just heads up that if you do invest in a Uni and travel to those states with little or no interoperability, you’ll still need to figure out a way to pay their tolls (to their credit, most still accept cash, or do a bill-by-plate thing).

What about toll apps?

There are a handful of toll apps out there, which usually work via pay-by-plate technology. We wrote about them a while back. At the time, most didn’t cover very many states, and there was a “per toll” service fee (the one that also charged a monthly fee no longer appears to be in business).

(By the way, there is a transponder, called Bestpass, which works with 100% of toll roads. But it’s only for trucks)

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