Despite the tough economic times, I knew Governor Martin O'Malley could never resist the urge to raise some form of tax/fee. With a 2010 re-election date looming, his window of opportunity would likely pass with the close of session in April. Low and behold, O'Malley found his golden parachute. Since an increasing number of motorists have discovered EZ Pass as a way to avoid toll delays, O'Malley now figures everyone will happily fork over an additional $18 a year for this supposed luxury.
Admittedly, I use EZ Pass more so for convenience than necessity. Therefore, I will continue to use the system. That said, I will return my current transponder to the Maryland MVA and order a new one through the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission. As opposed to an $18/year fee, these guys only charge $3. Although it's just a small savings, I figure the $15 is better suited for my use than the state of Maryland's.
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24 comments:
To add insult to injury, state Delegates and Senators get free EZ Pass. That means that the $1.50 a month service charge for their perks will be passed on to those of us who have to pay our own tolls.
Since they get this as a taxpayer-funded freebie, just how sympathetic do you think they'll be to stopping this dead in its tracks?
Not for nothing but I'am sure I heard on one of the news networks yesterday that there's a federal proposal to tax cattle methane (AKA Cow Farts)
I too am a resident of Maryland. In July 2009 they will begin charging a $1.50 a month maintenance fee. I looked over a lot of the E-z Pass state sites and found that many charge for maintenance fees or for a non-refundable transponder fee. Virginia was free for three vehicles but the best one I found was the Peace Bridge E-z Pass in NY. It is free for up to 4 vehicles on one account if you elect to use the automatic credit card charge plan. It starts off with a $25 fee and recharges automatically once your account falls to $10. The Peace Bridge Authority is not part of the New York Transit Authority. The E-z Pass is the same as all the other states and can be used wherever the pass is accepted. Hope that helps someone. I am going to cancel my Maryland account and have applied for a new one through Peace Bridge. We pay enough taxes in Maryland!! www.pbaezpass.com
I also turned in my MD E-ZPass after the MdTA in their infinite wisdom decided to start charging for a service that, not only was saving the state money, but also offered the state significent benefits.
I now have an E-ZPass account with Peace Bridge.
As far as I'm concerned the MdTA, the Sec. of Transportation, John Porcari and O'Malley can suck eggs.
Look also, at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E-ZPass#Account_fees_by_agency
Virginia charges no fee at all for their EZ Pass. No deposit either if you choose ATH payment and back it up with a credit card.
I, too, just applied for EZ Pass from the Peace Bridge Authority. I will be confirming they work tomorrow, and will then return my Maryland devices to avoid this BS tax.
EZPass extra fee in Md. is just one of the thousands examples that if you elect a Democrat you will have less of the money you earned to spend as you see fit. The thousands of fees, licenses, permits, taxes that we pay are all legalized extortion. This is what the 1000 plus Tea Parties were all about! Vote the SOB's out in 2010!!!!! Dennis
Thanks for the info all. I just signed up with the Peace Bridge Authority too. Do I need to go to MdTA to cancel my MD account or can I do it via mail? If I need to go to MdTA, any thoughts on what is most convenient from northwest DC?
I just learned that you don't need to return the transponders. You just need to call EZPass and cancel the account. Also, according to EZPass phone rep, need to cancel by June 26 in order to avoid the fee for July.
www.pbaezpass.com == No Fees
Maryland government is making a big mistake. The govt employees gets the EZpass for free and are charging us $18.00 year. This is not right! I just call MD EZpass and cancelled and called PBAEZPass.com. It will be here soon.
I too just signed up for an E-ZPass from the Peace Bridge Authority (New York/Ontario) and closed my Maryland E-ZPass account.
Hmm, lets see:
Peace Bridge Authority (New York/Ontario):
Initial fee for tag: None
Periodic maintenance fee: None
Minimum balance to establish account: $25
Deposit held on each tag: $10
*If automatic replenishment by means of credit/debit card is chosen, tag deposit is waived.
Versus
Maryland Transportation Authority:
Initial fee for tag: $21
Periodic maintenance fee: $1.50/month per account
Minimum balance to establish account: $25
Deposit held on each tag: $10
I left feedback for the governor & the MTA as well and told all my friends to do the same.
Thanks for this most valuable post.
Jesse
I also just gave Maryland the middle finger and canceled my EZ Pass. I signed up in Mass. It was free too! :)
I just got back from EZ-Pass, Glen Burnie. You must turn in your transponser to close your account.
I called EZ Pass and one of the reasons for the monthly fee, is that a lot of people do not pay. The cost is put on the ones who pay on time and does not abuse the system. Sounds like life.
I was an O'Malley supporter. However, I was stunned by this new tax. I sincerely thank everyone on this blog for the excellent info.
I too have cancelled my MD EZ Pass account and plan to open a Peace Bridge account. My fear, however, is that Peace Bridge (whoever they are) will catch on and do the same at some point.
BTW, I am disturbed by the comment (if true) that Maryland Government employees get EZ Pass for free. This is just another example of the fleecing of America and once again our politicians are behind it.
Power to the People of Maryland; let stick together and continue to expose the corruption this government has brought us.
Agency Name
First 3 digits of Tag number
Website Name
Toll Free Number
Peace Bridge Authority
013
www.pbaezpass.com
866-522-6080
Atlantic City Expressway 022
www.ezpassnj.com
888-688-2285
Delaware I-95
022
www.ezpassde.com
888-397-2773
Delaware River Bay Authority 025
www.ezpassdrba.com
866-372-2382
Delaware River Port Authority 009
www.ezpassnj.com
888-688-2285
Delaware SR1
022
www.ezpassde.com
888-397-2773
Garden State Parkway
022
www.ezpassnj.com
888-688-2285
Maryland Transportation Authority
016
www.m-tag.com
888-321-6824
Massachusetts Turnpike 021 www.mtafastlane.com
877-627-7745
Metropolitan Transportation Authority
004,005
www.ezpassny.com
800-333-8655
New Jersey Turnpike
022
www.ezpassnj.com
888-688-2285
Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission
006
www.paturnpike/ezpass
877-736-6727
Port Authority NY/NJ
008
www.ezpassny.com
800-333-8655
West Virginia Parkways Authority
024
www.wvturnpike.com
800-206-6222
Virginia Department of Transportation
010
www.smart-tag.com
877-762-7824
Maine Turnpike Authority 028
www.maineturnpike.com
888-682-7277
New Hampshire Department of Transportation
026
www.nhdot.com
877-643-9727
Illinois State Toll Highway Authority
015
www.illinoistollway.com
800-824-7277
Indiana Toll Road
030
www.indianatollroad.org
888-496-6690
Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority
032
www.ezpassritba.com
877-743-9727
Apparently, MD has a contract that pays the vendor $2.50 per month per account rather than a flat fee for x number of cars crossing a toll plaza. They do not seem to understand that less ezpass users mean they will have to have more toll takers which cost more money. Perhaps other jurisdictions have a better deal with EZPass. I use it for convenience not because I'm a heavy user. I assumed the cost of leaving $25 on deposit would provide revenue for MD so it was a win/win. I fear that all will start charging this maintenance fee if they start getting a lot of out of state apps. I can't tell you how mad it made me that I must now pay to pay a toll for a bridge that my tax dollars paid to build and maintain already. I cancelled and will go elsewhere until they too start charging a fee. Anyone know who owns EZPass.
It looks like you don't have to return the ez-pass. I canceled online over a week ago and haven't had a chance to mail it back and this is a response I just received.
"The request to close the account has been received. There is no need to return the device, but please be sure to discard the device per the proper means. Any funds remaining once closure has completed (approximately 30 buisness days) will either be credited to the credit card on file, or sent via check to the address on file. If there are funds due to E-ZPass MD, you will be notified via letter to the address on file."
I just received the same message saying that no need to return the device. It's funny that the original email two days ago said that I need to return the transponder. Not sure which one is the correct one.
To add further insult, even though I cancelled my account, MTA still charged my account $1.50 which then caused the account balance to drop below $10 so they charged my credit card $25 in mid-July. Now I'm still waiting for my refund. Urghh! What a scam to keep $$ in the coffers, and even add to it improperly, for as long as possible
Well I called a few EZ Pass agencies in a few States. Turns out that you can get an EZ pass in any state and it will work on any toll road that accepts EZ Pass. Anyone who pay any fee for EZ Pass should call Indiana I Zoom (which is in the EZ Pass family). They will send you as many transponders as you want free. And there are NO FEES if you use a credit card and a checking account as a back up.
Phone 1-888-iZoom90(1-888-496-6690)
I just don't understand the logic of putting fees on something that saves the State money and manpower. If enough of EZ Pass uses switch, I think the State will get the message..
EZ Pass commuter..
I am also not happy with the Md EZ pass service fee ,so I wrote to the Deputy Executive Secretary for Md EZ pass asking to consider a per toll convince charge option be considered for those of us who don’t use this service enough to justify this cost. I was thinking that it would be a simple tweak to just code my transponder number to add a 25 cent per toll charge. He said they would be losing money at that. That’s true if you pay a bank a ATM or Credit card service fee. Maybe we just cut the middle man out which is the bank. Here is what we discussed:
Mr Bartlett writes:
I guess I am having a little trouble trying to figure out how your idea would be administered and how it would make sense from a business perspective. We already have many, many existing E-Z Pass users with existing E-ZPass transponders that will be paying the monthly account fee. It sounds to me that you are saying for those persons who elect not to pay the monthly fee, we should instead charge an additional 25 cent service fee on top of the regular toll. I believe there would be additional software changes and expense associated with the need to be able to distinguish between the transponder accounts that pay the monthly account fee and those that do not but instead use your suggestion of an additional 25 cent service fee per toll transaction.
Right now it costs the Authority approximately $2.25 per month to maintain each E-Z Pass account, for which we are only charging a $1.50 per month account fee. In order for there to be equity between those who pay the monthly account fee and those who would use the 25 cent service fee approach that you suggest, the 25 cent service fee customer would need to generate at least 6 tolls per month in order to recoup the $1.50 amount. At less than 6 tolls per month, the Authority would be providing a greater subsidy per month for the infrequent user than the monthly service fee user. At more than 6 tolls per month, using your approach, the 25 cent service fee user would end up paying an amount greater than the monthly account fee.
Accordingly from both a fairness and a business perspective I do not see how the 25 cent service fee approach would be beneficial.
Thanks for your suggestion and input.
Harold Bartlett
Deputy Executive Secretary
New Jersey Charges 1.00 per month for their EZ Pass. They always have. They have justified it as a means to help pay down their stratospheric transpotation debt. I live in Maryland, but have used a NJ EZ Pass for the past 8 years because they were one of the first states to offer the program. Now that I see the number of free states, i'm going to switch! Thanks!
Thanks for the great ideas -- Md. take enough of my money already.
-- Southern Marylander
I canceled my MD EZpass account two months ago and still have not received my refund. Is anyone else having this problem?
Also, those of you that got the EZpass from elsewhere, did they mail it to you in Md? Free?
from where?
thanks
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