Almost nine months after the NJ Turnpike Authority began varying tolls by time of day and three months after variable pricing hit the Port Authority's Hudson River crossings, the two agencies have more progress to make in communicating the potential for driver savings from traveling outside of rush hours. 
    Since the spurt of radio and newspaper ads and articles surrounding the toll changes at each facility, drivers have been exposed to few regular reminders of the new benefit of off-peak travel. New blue signs at all PA crossings read "Cash $6, E-ZPass discount available." Besides obscuring the amount to be saved, the signs fail to mention that the discount varies by time of day and that car drivers with E-ZPass would save $2, rather than just $1, by crossing the Hudson outside the hours of 6-9am and 4-7pm. The nine electronic signs along the NJ Turnpike are better in this regard. Although sparse on the 148 mile highway and also vague on details, they read "E-ZPass Off Peak Discount Now In Effect" during the hours when car drivers with E-ZPass pay 13% less than their peak hour counterparts. The Port Authority recently told the Campaign it plans to display a similar message near or ahead of toll plazas, but did not give a date. 
    Drivers now looking for a full description of off-peak tolls discounts for cars, trucks, and other vehicles must click over to www.ezpass.com or wait for intermittent informational flyering at toll plazas. Making this information more available is essential for variable tolls to help reduce rush hour congestion. Both authorities must pursue new ways to market the program and present off-peak savings details to drivers when the information is most significant-while paying the toll or reviewing an E-ZPass bill. 
    Members of the E-ZPass Regional Consortium - the PA, New Jersey's toll road authorities, and the Delaware DOT - now say that work is underway to amend the E-ZPass monthly bill to note that a transaction occurred during peak or off-peak hours and the resultant savings from off-peak travel. These and other improvements must be completed soon to give variable pricing a fair chance to prove its effectiveness. 

Implementing Congestion Pricing: Five Tips - February 5, 2001

High Praise for Variable Tolls at E-Z Party - October 9, 2001

MTR search facilityand back issues:

Search our database of all past issues of Mobilizing the Region since Fall, 1994.

Go to indexof all Mobilizing the Region back issues