Just in case you missed it or don't have one, the Massachusetts Transit Authority (MTA) is giving each household up to 4 FREE transponders so you can glide through the Fast Lane lanes at toll booths! I'm pretty sure these used to go for about $20 or $25. My mother was kind enough to buy me an EZ PASS as a gift a long time ago (mine is out of NYC, but it works here at the great Massachusetts Fast Lane Lanes! And YOUR Fast Lane Pass will work in other states too! Wow!). Now? They are free!Pretty much how it works is you put in your checking account info (or credit card I think) and the Fast Lane takes out $20 everytime you pop under $10. You can read the fine print on the website HERE. I'll admit, when I first got it I was mad. How dare they CHARGE me for a device that makes them save money! Because that's essentially what they did - the more of these Passes that are out there, the less toll booth collectors they have to pay. But I have to admit, traveling to and fro on I-90 and the bridges in MA has been a lot less stressful thanks to that plastic contraption that hangs out on my windshield. Plus, I look wicked cool with it.
So if you don't have one and have been meaning to get one, click HERE to sign up! I'm not sure if they are always going to be free now or if it's just a promo peiod.
**Editted to say "Fast Lane" instead of "EZ Pass". I'm dumb sometimes and my friend Kara set me straight. Thanks Kara! You say potato, I say EZ Pass...** Oh, and there is a $2 a month service fee, but it's worth it to not sit in traffic!
10 comments:
It's FastLane, not EZ Pass :-) (because Massachusetts couldn't just join the existing EZ Pass network, they had to make up their own and be difficult). You can usually get the EZ Pass transponder for free, and they don't really care what state you live in (case in point... I have EZ Pass, not FastLane). So the true bargain is EZ Pass, once this FastLane promotion is over.
Say what? I'm so confused! ;) I thought "EZ Pass" was the name of the transponder and "Fast Lane" was the name of the road! oops!
I got my EZ Pass from the NY/NJ Port Authority in 2006 and it wasn't free. Have they since changed it?
Either way, both are free so if you are reading this babble, get one! ;)
If you sign up at e-zpassNY.com and use your credit card to pay and automatically replenish (instead of cash or check), there's no charge for the transponder (I just checked, since I got mine in 2001). And, I'm not charged a monthly service fee, either (not sure if that's because I do the credit card thing or not).
Kara rocks! No one should be paying cash at the tolls - anywhere!
I just looked up the terms. Do you get a monthly statement mailed to you? If you do there is a $2 monthly fee. It doesn't look like there is a fee otherwise. I have been meaning to get one but I would only use it a handful of times. I looked into it last year and was being cheap so I may get one if their is no monthly fee. Thanks for posting this :) If I used it every month I wouldn't mind paying a $2 fee.
I really need to do more research before I post these things! I just saw a little board flashing Free Transponders on the highway the other day. I thought "oh yey! A good Bargain Becky post!"
I honestly don't know Lori - my mother pays my almost non-existant use of that thing. She felt bad when I took I-90 to visit her and had to pay tolls (even though it was only like $1.25 each way or something...not exactly breaking the bank).
I'm pretty sure she said in the past there was a fee - but she is pretty old fashioned and never opts out of paperless statements. Also, I'm a really bad listener - so who knows what she said! ;)
My mother wanted me to post her comment for her. She forgot her blogger password (now you know where I get it from...)
EZ-PassNY. You get the transponders for free (up to 5 per account). You set your own replenishment amount (I think the minimum is $20 or $25). Whenever your account goes below $10, they replenish it and your credit card gets charged. EZ-PassNY charges a $1 per month service fee (but it's worth it!)
FastLane transponders are free and have no monthly service charge unlike any EZPass transponder. Both are accepted at all FastLane and EZPass toll booths and available to residents of all states. Make sure you do not sign up for paper statements with FastLane as then there will be a $2 per month charge. Go the automatic way: sign up on line with masspike dot com and use your credit card with automatic refill to avoid any cost.
Anonymous - Thank you for that information! I drove down 90 last weekend and was still SHOCKED at all the people waiting in the cash lanes. Poor souls!
Thanks for all the great info.
Any one have a link that can help me get the free FL transponder? I want to get the free Fast Lane transponder so I can start using the new Inter-County Connecter here in Maryland. The links to NY and Mass lead me back to MD's EZ pass site that tells me I have to purchase the transponder.
Thanks in advance for helping this "newbie".
Mary from Maryland
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