California’s upgrade to new technology for electronic toll collection will allow FasTrak® transponders to take the form of a sticker that can be simply adhered to the inside of a vehicle windshield to collect tolls. All California toll bridges, toll lanes and toll roads will begin using the technology in 2019.
The adhesive bandage-size sticker costs significantly less than the battery-operated hard-case transponder currently used to collect tolls electronically in the state. With introduction of this new technology, the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA), operators of The Toll Roads in Orange County, CA (State Routes 73, 133, 241 and 261), will be passing the cost savings to its FasTrak accountholders, by ending the current monthly account maintenance fee.
“The monthly account maintenance fee, originally instituted to help cover the administrative costs associated with maintaining a FasTrak account, is something our customers commonly grumble about and has been a barrier to FasTrak account sign-ups,” said Ed Sachs, Chair of the Foothill/Eastern Transportation Corridor Agency and Mayor of Mission Viejo. “The new FasTrak sticker transponders will reduce operating and storage costs, and the great news is that we will pass those savings back to our customers through the elimination of the monthly fee.”
“The new technology reduces operating costs and enabled us to review all our programs and make improvements for our customers.” said Fred Minagar, Chair of the San Joaquin Hills Transportation Corridor Agency and Laguna Niguel Councilmember. “The removal of the monthly maintenance fee, the new earned-discount program and the ability to use all toll facilities in California adds benefits and will improve the customer experience.”
The Toll Roads will begin distributing FasTrak sticker transponders to new and existing accountholders, at no charge, in June 2019. Hard-case transponders with switches to self-declare ridesharing on LA Metro’s I-10 and I-110 ExpressLanes will be sold to customers after July 1, 2019.
In October 2019, The Toll Roads will rebrand and enhance nearly 650,000 ExpressAccounts®, which utilize photos of license plates to collect tolls, to FasTrak accounts that will match current ExpressAccount payment plans. FasTrak sticker transponders will be distributed to all ExpressAccount customers, which will allow access to all tolled bridges, lanes and roads in California. Today, ExpressAccounts can only be used to pay tolls on The Toll Roads (State Routes 73, 133, 241 and 261) in Orange County.
The new technology and account updates are specifically designed to simplify payment options and address the common requests heard from customers. The FasTrak sticker transponder is small and unobtrusive and as of October 2019, The Toll Roads’ 1.3 million accountholders will be able to use all toll facilities in California.
The Toll Roads will also launch a new frequent driver discount program in July 2019. To be eligible, customers will need a Pre-Paid FasTrak account issued by The Toll Roads. A discount of $1 off each toll transaction will be earned if $40 or more is spent by the account in the previous month driving the 73, 133, 241 and 261 Toll Roads. With this program, a Pre-Paid FasTrak customer commuting to and from work five days a week will save a minimum of $40 a month.
The Toll Roads’ FasTrak accountholders will be notified about changes to their accounts in Spring 2019 and will be issued FasTrak sticker transponders in June. New policies for FasTrak customers will go into effect July 1, 2019. The Toll Roads ExpressAccount customers will be sent information about new benefits and FasTrak sticker transponders by October 1, 2019.
For more information about The Toll Roads and current account options, visit thetollroads.com.
The Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) are two joint powers authorities formed by the California legislature in 1986 to plan, finance, construct and operate Orange County’s 67-mile public toll road system. Fifty-one miles of the system are complete, including the 73, 133, 241 and 261 Toll Roads. TCA continues to meet the region’s growing need for congestion-free transportation alternatives.
