Sunpass and EZPASS

[kingrichard]

Good day everyone,

I just purchased my first Class A Motor Home.   We plan on driving nationwide but mostly from Maine to Florida.  i have toll Questions.

1) Is SunPass accepted in the Northern states?

2) Is Ez Pass accepted in Florida?

3) Sunpass comes in suction cup module transponder.  Where to mount it on big windshield?

Sunpass also is a stick on window transponder ...where to mount it?

4) EZ Pass is a bar transponder that on cars is mounted on the front License Plate bracket.  Where do you mount it on a Motor Coach?

5) I have 2 axels and 6 tires.   How do i get charged?

Thank you for your comments....... much appreciated.

King Richard

KingCruzer2013@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jleamont]

KingRichard, Welcome to the FMCA Forums!

Sun pass is only accepted in florida as far as I know. Ezpass is excepted I quite a few states.

Here is the list;

https://e-zpassiag.com/about-e-zpass/31-map

Florida is coming soon according to this.

There are three different Ezpass options, windshield mounted 

roof mounted

License Plate mounted (we have this one in the Motorhome)

Depending on the RV Weight you might need a commercial Ez pass, we do.

They make an “RV” Ezpass but it caps out around 14,000 lbs. If you coach weights more when you come into a toll booth it will not read the Ezpass, if it’s a booth with a gate your stuck. 

Here is another issue we ran into. Our Jeep has its own Ezpass. When selecting the coach Ezpass they asked how many total axles in the combination, I told them 4 (2 Jeep, 2 coach). I was told to remove the Jeep Ezpass and put it back in its foil pouch and place it in the glove box. I crossed through a toll booth and the coach was charged for the 4 axles, the Jeep accumulated an additional charge when it read the license plate, so I was charged for the Jeep x2.

After many disputes and arguments with the authority I had to put smart them so I changed the coach Ezpass to a 2 axle commercial and the Jeep pings it’s own as if it went through under its own power. 

We have 2 Ezpass accounts due to the coach weight now. A regular account with the family automobiles and the commercial with the Motorhome. 

The windshield mounting is behind our TV on the windshield, it came with instructions for large windshield vehicles.

[richard5933]

You can get an EZ Pass from any state you like, so shop around. I live in Wisconsin where we don't have EZ Pass at all, and chose to get the pass through Illinois where it's called the I-Pass. Works where ever the EZ Pass works. Some states charge for the transponders, some do not. Illinois does not, which is why I got mine through them.

I believe that the EZ Pass works on the Central Florida Expressway but not on all the Florida toll roads. EZ Pass works for us all the way from Wisconsin to the east coast. I don't travel to Florida so no need for a Sunpass, but I do have a Texas toll tag for use down there. Apparently Oklahoma has their own system which doesn't accept EZ Pass.

One note of importance...

Be sure to set a minimum balance (for automatic refill) which is high enough to cover a day's travel. In some areas the systems will not recognize that your account balance was refilled until the next day, which could leave you with a zero balance for a short while. Happened to us when traveling west from NJ to Wisconsin - the tolls had accumulated through the days down to our $20 refill point a couple of times. Our account did its automatic refill and I got the confirmation email. As we continued to drive our balance was near zero. Then we arrived at the Chicago Skyway bridge, which is run by a private corporation. Their system didn't refresh until overnight, so when we got to the toll booth it would not accept our EZ Pass.

Less learned. Now we do the automatic refill when the balance gets to $100. Some of the tolls on the east coast are high enough that only a couple of them can add up fast.

[manholt]

Joe, when I was in your drive way, 3 weeks ago...I got on web about the EZ PASS & happened to see a link for FL Sun Pass, the Sun Pass is good for 17 States!  

I, as you know, did not pursue the matter any further.  The total toll's we paid from you to NJ to Canada via 87 was less than $30.  The big one was I-76 across PA, 5 axles RV $74.80!!!  Since my Jeep was considered a part of coach, 3X charge for car!

An interesting side note.  Montana, now has a Luxury Tax for any RV over $300,000 = $1,200 to $1,400 per year! 

[rayin]

This is the sad state of a nationwide toll reading system. Apparently each system is "defending its turf", consequently nothing is being advanced.

The EZpass Group has more information. As Richard said, I- pass from IL seems to be the best state to deal with, and interacts with more states than any other. I investigated this a few years ago (2014), and IL seemed to offer the best "bang for my buck".

[rossboyer]

I have the I-pass from Illinois. You have to post a deposit and set a minimum to redeposit. They do not charge a monthly fee as some others do.  Good for most states east of Illinois like EZpass. Also have the one for Oklahoma. They don’t save much, but it is a lot easier going through vs  the narrow toll booths in a motor home. One pass covers the motor home and my towed auto, counted as 4 axles. 

[wayne77590]

Wow! Having read this subject on other forums there is quite a controversy over many items regarding EZPass.

For what it is worth: Last year we decided to take an East Coast trip and went to Florida, Disney World, and then up th East Coast.  We had no problems with the North Cariolina EZ Pass which I ordered through the phone system. It worked in all the states listed on their web site. The portable transponder was $7.50 and it also came with a stick on transponder.  I placed the portable transponder in the center bottom of the motorhome windshield.

In conversation with the NC EZPass authorities it was stated to not use the stick on. The TOAD would be read and charged by the MH transponder. When the car is disconnected and used for sight seeing just take the portable transponder out of the MH and place it in the car.  Worked for me.

Very very recently I communicated with the NC EZPass authorities because I noticed that my account had the MH as 2 axles. I have a tag axle also. When I queried them by email. Here is that communications:

"Thank you for contacting the NC Quick Pass Customer Service Center Support Team. We appreciate your time and effort in contacting us.  We would be happy to assist you with your inquiry. No, this will not be a problem. The system will adjust to the axle weight.

If you wish to contact a Customer Service Representative for further assistance, please call the NC Quick Pass Customer Service Center at 877-769-7277.
Thank you,
NC Quick Pass Customer Service

** Please do not reply to this message. This is an automatically generated notification**
-------------------------
Original Message:
I noticed in reviewing my account that the transponders listed are for two axles. My Winnebago, which uses the hard case transponder has three axles.  I did not seem to have any problem last year traveling the toll roads.

Is this going to be a problem?

Thanks you."

My suggestion is to use the North Carolina EZPass system. It covers 17 or 18 states and the one transponder worked in all of them,

[manholt]

I would have gotten it, when I was in PA., but it gets mailed to your home (per Joe)...we will be in Texas end of Aug!  

[jleamont]

22 minutes ago, manholt said:

I would have gotten it, when I was in PA., but it gets mailed to your home (per Joe)...we will be in Texas end of Aug!  

For the few tolls you hit, the savings wouldn’t have out weighted the hassle or potential hassles.

[manholt]

I totally agree!  I-76 was the biggest hit.  I-87 was no big deal.  We'll see in Aug going back home from NS.

[wildebill308]

I got my EZ-Pass in New Hampshire at a walk in office. I was going to get one before we left Texas but didn't start soon enough. (They were going to mail it to me in Texas) So when friends told me about the walk in office when we were visiting that is what I did. They gave me one for the motorhome and one for the CR-V and told me to put the toad one in the foil envelope when towing. The CR-V is billed as a trailer at a lower rate when being towed. There is no charge when not using my EZ-Pass, if I have a positive balance it will be refunded if I close the account.

Just so you know Congress passed a law saying "NATIONALPASS multi-protocol tag will meet the federal deadline requiring that all U.S. electronic toll collection systems be interoperable by October 1, 2016."

We see how well that is working. I have heard many excuses but the most common is geting the chip and chip readers to work

https://www.nationalpass.net/

I haven't had any problems and driving through the open lanes beats stopping at the toll booths.

Bill

 

[jleamont]

I have had several over charges, charges at weren't ours, you name it they have messed it up!

Last year we were in NM and we were pinging charges in OH on the coach, took me 3 months to get our money back. I asked them for the photo of the license plate that charged the tolls, and that was the end of the dispute. Since it auto replenishes off of my credit card, I got a text for the replenish, thought it was odd since we hadn't been through that many tools that would require a replenish and sure enough.

[meleconn]

we have a new to us 2014 45 tiffon allegro bus  50000 lbs  2 axle + tag   + tow car

we use sunpass on all our personal & commercial vehicles traveling from fl to maine this summer in next 2 weeks, do we need to get an ez pass also ? if so should we get a commercial one for bus ?

any thoughts ?   thanks

[meleconn]

ps........ vehicles......all our sunpasses are for 2 axle

[richard5933]

2 hours ago, meleconn said:

we have a new to us 2014 45 tiffon allegro bus  50000 lbs  2 axle + tag   + tow car

we use sunpass on all our personal & commercial vehicles traveling from fl to maine this summer in next 2 weeks, do we need to get an ez pass also ? if so should we get a commercial one for bus ?

any thoughts ?   thanks

You don't need a commercial EZ Pass, just one suitable for your RV. You can get it from any state, so shop around. I have mine through Illinois even though I live in Wisconsin - they offer free transponders. https://www.getipass.com/

I can't advise regarding the number of axles being reported. I'd go with the category which most accurately represents your coach. The I-Pass (IL version of EZ Pass) just goes by the number of axles/tires.

[meleconn]

ok thats a start thanks

[dickandlois]

2 hours ago, meleconn said:

ok thats a start thanks

Think you will need to mention 5 axles. The catch is they charge the same amount for the tow car weight as the 50,000 Lbs of the Coach when the 2 are connected.

Might want to ask questions regarding this one.

Rich.

[jleamont]

I agree with Rich. Make a call and be clear of the coach axles and it’s weight. It’s ok where there is no gate, if the tool booth has a gate and the Pass doesn’t match the load coming over the scale it will not open.

The police come over lights blazing, traffic is backed up, horns blowing, it gets awkward.

NJ is prone for this issue. As Herman says “I’ve got the shirt to prove it”. 

[wildebill308]

Well back to what I posted June 28. Meleconn you might want to read it. I seriously doubt that a sunpass will work north of North Carolina. Someday but not yet.

I haven't had any bad charges and I keep checking.

Bill

[urbanhermit]

Sunpass:  There is one toll road that bypasses Niceville, FL from north to east which we travel occasionally that has unmanned stations.  We don.t have Sunpass, which is what it uses.  We blow through, it takes a picture of our license plate, and we get an invoice through the mail a few weeks later with a copy of the photograph and a demand for the toll plus, I think, $1.50 administrative fee.  This is normal business, not a violation.  I don't know what would happen if our TOWD obscured the plate on the coach, though on ours I don't think it would.  We've only been through on a motorcycle (and got "caught" riding the white line in the hopes that would be outside the camera range -- it wasn't.) 

Question:  How does EZpass know the weight of the vehicle?

 

 

[jleamont]

46 minutes ago, UrbanHermit said:

How does EZpass know the weight of the vehicle?

When you come into the toll lanes it weighs your axle one at a time.

[urbanhermit]

12 hours ago, jleamont said:

When you come into the toll lanes it weighs your axle one at a time.

 !!   Had no idea there were scales.  I don't think Sunpass does.  Have no experience with EZpass.

[johnarch]

Unless EZ Pass has changed they do not weigh your vehicle at toll booth. You purchase the transponder for the type of vehicle it will apply to.

I have 3 different passes - RV / car / motorcycle. They also offer one for a vehicle that is towing. Just don't leave your car or motorcycle transponder

on that particular vehicle while towing or you'll get billed twice. EZ Pass will ask # of axles when you get the transponder. In NYS you can get the

transponder from the internet or a rest area. NYS is currently transitioning to no toll booths and only EZ Pass. If you don't have an EZ Pass - a pix of plate

is taken and a bill sent to your home.

[richard5933]

In order for EZ Pass to weigh your vehicle while on the road they'd need hundreds of scales all over the system. Many states use high-speed tolling with multiple toll "booths" in the traffic lanes. In Illinois they do that, as well as on all the exits. They do not have scales on them all.

It is my understanding that when you register the vehicle with EZ Pass you have to provide the specifics for your vehicle. They don't physically check. But, get it wrong and get caught and I'm sure there is a hefty fine.

[jleamont]

So I thought the same and when my old transponder (lower weight class) stopped working on the new coach I called them and was advise the reason it wasn't working, "your RV is too heavy for the rating of the EZpass, there fore it will not read, we get an error on our end".