The Cape May County Bridge Commission aims to convert its spans to a 100% E-ZPass system of toll-taking by next April 1, even as some county residents raise questions about aspects of the changeover.
Residents who took advantage of a discount for buying toll tickets are now asking if those tickets will be any good when the commission makes the transition. Others expressed concern with being able to work with an all-electronic system, with the payment requirements for E-ZPass and with the future of bridge toll-takers and drawbridge tenders.
When told that readers had asked the Herald about the toll tickets they’d purchased, Kevin Lare, Bridge Commission executive director, said the commission stopped selling books of toll tickets on July 31, six months after the decision to convert to the all-electronic system.
Lare said the commission would be launching a buy-back campaign shortly to reimburse holders of unused toll tickets. Ticket holders now have about six months to use any of the tickets, as they and cash payments will continue to be accepted until the changeover.
He said the commission’s goal is April 1, 2025, as the starting date for the all-electronic tolls.
Lare said the percentage of drivers using tickets to pay tolls is less than 1 percent of toll collection, or 0.55%.
He said the move to all-electronic collection has been something the commission has been considering for quite a while.
“The migration to AET [all-electronic tolls] has been developing for several years,” he said. “There will be substantial operating cost savings, which will help lessen the financial dependency on the county.”
Some of that cost is employee-related. Lare said the commission would eliminate about two-thirds of its part-time collector/bridge tender workforce. He said the commission would retain tenders to operate the drawbridges, and the retention would be based upon seniority.
The Herald received one phone call from a senior citizen, who was concerned about subscribing to E-ZPass. She said she and her husband did not have a home computer, but she did have access to a computer at the public library. Lare said the commission planned to provide in-person assistance to help people sign up to use E-ZPass.
He said that, currently, about 89% of the bridge commission’s customers already use E-ZPass, which he said was a very high percentage, so the large majority of drivers will not be affected by the change.
Those who wish to learn more about E-ZPass should visit www.ezpassnj.com, which has a “Frequently Asked Questions” section. One caller to the Herald was concerned about putting enough money into their E-ZPass account to avoid violations.
The E-ZPass system requires a credit card to be on file and will charge the customer’s card approximately $25 whenever the balance runs low. That number could be adjusted if the customer is a heavy toll user. There is also a monthly $1 fee for E-ZPass.
Anyone who signs up for E-ZPass will be able to use it in other states.
The E-ZPass website cites various benefits of the system, including not needing cash or coins, as well as moving through tolls faster.
But going through tolls with an all-electronic system without having E-Zpass could result in penalties. Generally, drivers have the option of mailing in the toll in those cases, but there is no guarantee the customer won’t be charged an administrative fee of up to $50.
The change to the all-electronic system on the commission’s spans will affect all five of its bridges, the Ocean City-Longport Bridge, Townsends Inlet Bridge, Corsons Inlet Bridge, Middle Thorofare Bridge and Grassy Sound Bridge.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or 609-886-8600, ext. 128.