New York, NY - November 18th, 2013 - MTA Bridges and Tunnels reached a milestone as the 250,000th E-ZPass On-the-Go tag was sold in a toll plaza cash lane at one of its seven bridges and two tunnels. The sale means a quarter of a million drivers have used the new option to switch to the savings and convenience of E-ZPass instead of fumbling for cash and change at tollbooths.
“The numbers are in and the results are clear: Selling E-ZPass On-the-Go tags in the cash lanes of MTA Bridges and Tunnels is a big hit with drivers, who can immediately start getting a discount on their tolls while reducing toll plaza delays for all motorists,” said MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Jim Ferrara. “Occasional travelers and vacationers are embracing the ease of buying these pre-packaged E-ZPass On-the-Go tags, making everyone’s drive better.”
Sales in cash lanes reached the 250,000 milestone Friday, November 15. The tags can be purchased in cash lanes for $30, plus the price of the current trip. If linked to a credit or debit card, it can be used to pay up to $30 in tolls. There is a $10 tag deposit if it is not linked.
On-the-Go tags must be registered within 48 hours of their first use, or the tag is deactivated. This can be done on line at www.ezpassny.com or by calling a toll free number at 1-800-333-TOLL (8655).
Accounts can be replenished automatically through a credit/debit card, Pay Per Trip using the ACH system where the amount is deducted from a bank account once the trip is taken, at one of three area walk-in centers or using the MTA Reload Card, which allows drivers to refill accounts with cash at any of the 2,500 Visa ReadyLink locations throughout the region. The MTA Reload Card is not a credit card; it simply identifies the account for the cash reload.
On-the-Go tags were first sold in cash lanes in a pilot project at the Henry Hudson Bridge in June 2011, and the pilot was expanded to the MTA’s other eight crossings in March and April of 2012. The pre-packaged tags are sold in cash lanes at all MTA crossings except the Henry Hudson Bridge, where a pilot all-electronic cashless tolling pilot is underway.
The MTA sold 11,445 E-ZPass On-the-Go tags in October, up 21% from the same month one year earlier. Sales were strongest on weekends, especially on Saturdays, indicating they are most popular among occasional bridge and tunnel users rather than regular commuters.