vital

Besides the front windshield where it makes your car look ugly, can I put it somewhere more hidden and still allow it to scan at toll?

natman

I keep mine more or less out of sight in front of the ashtray and place it on the dash when entering a toll station. I've forgotten to put it up a few times and it usually gets read nevertheless. Worst case the system reads your license and you have to pay an extra buck.

RXSF

You have to pay extra if it doesn't read? I thought it simply takes a picture of it and then locates your account and deducts the toll automatically?

What I do is I bought a non slip mat about 4 inches by 6 inches, which is for people to put their cell phone I guess? I keep it in the top left corner of my dash by the windshield and just leave it sitting there.

geko29

I put mine behind the rearview mirror on the passenger side, so I can't see it from the driver's seat. Could care less what it looks like from the outside.

In Illinois, they also have transponders that attach to your license plate. This is intended for convertibles and the like, so the transponders don't get stolen. Maybe check and see if that's an option?

RXSF

^^ that is an option, but that is even uglier and even more permanent to me.

Sulu

I have not mounted my Ontario Highway 407 ETR transponder on my windshield in many years now; I don't use the toll highway that much anymore. I keep the transponder in my glovebox and only take it out when I need to use the toll route, placing it on the shelf in front of the central display screen of my ES. Once I am off the highway, I put it back in the glovebox.

tex2670

I can't speak for every agency, but let me tell you how this works in reality with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission.

Yes--they scan your license plate, and if they match up your plate to your account (of course, you have to make sure you remember to update your account if you get a new plate) they can bill your account directly. However, since the PA Turnpike charges per mile travelled, you go through the tolls upon entry and upon exit. The problem is that there is no camera snapping a picture of your entry to the turnpike. So--when you exit, they do match up your plate, but they charge you a flat amount because they don't know where you entered (I've been charged $5 when it has happened to me, but I suspect that they have different charges based on how far they "assume" you traveled, using your mailing address as a measurement). Then you have to submit a form to get a refund if there was an overcharge.

Now--if you are on a highway that just charges a flat amount at the toll barrier, then this clearly isn't an issue.

RXSF

The charges per mile are really an east cost thing. In california, I can say for sure I dont think you can charged with a license read.

natman

I'm not quite sure how to interpret " I can say for sure I dont think you can charged with a license read.", but here's how it works. On the Golden Gate Bridge there are no toll takers or cash tolls. Your options are:

Get a FasTrak box. The sensor will detect it and deduct the charge from your FasTrak account.
Register your plate with FasTrak. They will charge your account based on your plate, but charge an extra $1.
Visitors will have a bill sent to the car registration address associated with the plate.
Rental cars will have the bill sent to the rental car company, but some companies charge outrageous fees if this happens.

https://www.bayareafastrak.org/en/gu...idgeToll.shtml
http://goldengate.org/tolls/faqs.php

RXSF

lol, auto correct. It was supposed to say, "In california, I can say for sure I dont think are charged when your license is read.

Sulu

Ontario's Highway 407 Express Toll Route was the world's first electronically-operated (fully automatic with no toll booths) highway when it opened in the mid-/late-1990s. All vehicles (cars, trucks and buses) entering and leaving the highway have a picture taken of the licence plate and the distance calculated by known location of the entry and exit points; the toll is calcuated by distance and a surcharge (video administration fee) is added to the trip. If, however, the vehicle is carrying a functional transponder, the surcharge is waived; there is a flat fee charged annually to lease the transponder.

The operating company has agreements with other Canadian provinces and American states, and so even out-of-province vehicles are sent a bill if they use the tollway. Rental car companies, of course, add a fee of their own on top of the fee they are charged by the operating company; they have large signs in their rental locations warning drivers that they will be sent a bill if they use the tollway.

Heavy duty vehicles must use a transponder or be charged for a highway traffic offence; I don't know if this includes buses, as Ontario's commuter bus line has regular routes along Highway 407.