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Use of E-Z Pass on MC with trailer

amiles

New member
With the intention of avoiding the hassles at toll booths, I have borrowed an E-Z Pass from a neighbor. I will reimburse him when he receives the bill for my traveling. I will be going through the New England states which I am told have frequent toll stops. I don't have plans to visit this area again in the foreseeable future, thus purchasing one for the long run seems unnecessary, what with monthly fees etc.

Several questions have occurred to me and I thought it likely that folks where these are more commonly used would already have the answers.

1. Will I be violating any law by using a borrowed unit? Car use vs MC use?

2. I will be using it on my R90 towing a Harbor Freight two wheel trailer. As this will be a total of three axles, will the EZ pass as configured (?) or the EZ Pass system be able to detect this and bill me accordingly? If not, is there some means to input this info. Or will towing prevent me from using the EZ Pass?

3. If it turns out that the EZ pass will be workable what sort of mountings/carrying methods have worked for others? I have a Windjammer III on the machine.
Thanks for the help
 
Vehicle Reference Code

One way to avoid to problems would be for your friend to add your bike with trailer to his list of personal vehicles with the EZ pass authority in his state. He can probably do it online in a matter of minutes and he can remove you when you're done. EZ pass checks the vehicle license plates and matches them to a Vehicle Reference Code for that specific personal account. You could get stopped if your bike is not on your friend's account. The easy way would be for him to add you and then take you off when you're done.

This is from the Maine EZ Pass site:

https://ezpassmaineturnpike.com/EZPass/info/faqs.jsp#q40

I simply attached my EZ Pass under my windscreen with a velcro strip and it works fine.


Good luck and have a great trip! Don
 
Some states (like Maine in the example above) distinguish between a motorcycle with trailer and a motorcycle without. Other states (like NY where I live) do not. Check with your friend and see if the state that issued his tag makes that distinction. The tag needs to match the vehicle type.
 
Nh & ma

From NH EZ-Pass site:

I sometimes pull a camper or trailer with my vehicle. Can I still use my transponder?

Yes. In this instance the equipment in the lane is designed to identify that your vehicle is pulling a trailer and you will be charged accordingly. However, if you think this will be a regular occurrence, you should call the Customer Service Center and have them send you a transponder programmed for the vehicle classification you use most frequently. You should never use your transponder in a vehicle type other than the one you initially requested (i.e. Car transponder in a tractor-trailer).

From MA Fast Lane site:

Can I use the transponder I received for my car to tow a trailer?

You may use the transponder from your passenger vehicle to tow a trailer providing that you list the trailer plate number on your FAST LANE account. FAST LANE will automatically count the number of axles and charge your account accordingly. Outside of Massachusetts, you will need to go through a multi-mode lane (one that accepts both cash and E-ZPass) in order for the toll attendant to reclassify your tag for that toll transaction. You may also request a second transponder programmed for the total number of axles for towing a trailer. Remember to keep one of the transponders in a foil pouch to prevent both from reading when you have both of the transponders with you.
 
Also keep in mind that (at least in NY) there is a version of EZ Pass specifically for motorcycles, which is easily denoted with an "M" on the outward facing side. When you use the motorcycle EZ Pass you only pay half of the toll amount.

I have mine mounted on the back of the stock windshield and haven't had any problems. Also, if you go to a full service toll lane, they will give you free mounting tabs, which are high quality 3M velcro. I like using them randomly to secure things other than the EZ Pass and always try to grab a few when I go through a toll. It's like trick or treating for adults since they let you take a handful from a big bucket :thumb
 
I don't know if you plan on going to Newport, RI. We only have one toll in RI and that's going over the Newport (Pell) Bridge. Just read today where the Governor signed a new bill making it a $500.00 fine for skipping through the gate without payin of mis-use of a transponder. I'm not sure on the bike/trailor thing. I will have to check on that. Good luck on your trip. There is much to see, and do in New England.
 
What Don said. Make sure that your tag # is registered to his EZ Pass unit. You/he can do this over the phone. While on the phone I suggest you tell the C/S agent that you will be towing a small trailer and should that plate be registered as well? I'm not sure about that one. They should be able to tell you.

Also, while travelling in Maine at least, you may find that your EZP doesn't read all the time. I don't have my units mounted because I use them in our vehicles as well and not all the bikes have windshields. I've met with mixed results putting the unit in the top of my tank bag. I've tried a number of things including holding the unit in my hand right above the windshield as I go thru the booth and haven't found anything that is 100%. when I called the TPA, the C/S person told me to just keep it with me and proceed thru the toll booth and not to stop because all my plate numbers were registered with the TPA and even if the EZP unit isn't read correctly when the plate camera snaps a pic of the plate, the system will cross it with the valid EZP account and properly debit it. She did strongly suggest that I do keep the EZP unit on the bike somewhere in case the local constabulary was waiting on the other side for cheats. If I got pulled over I could produce my EZP transponder.
 
In PA, the motorcycle pass is also less expensive than the car ones and they are supposed to be WATERPROOF. We've had success reading leaving it inside a tank bag or even in a jacket pocket.
We sometimes pull a 1 wheeled Uni-Go trailer, which doesn't seem to matter. But it does not require a license plate here.
 
I'm in MA and have three EZ Passes for each of our vehicles. I loaned my son one of the EZ Passes for his out of state vehicle and got a nasty letter in the mail saying that the Pass that was used did not match make/model/LP of the vehicle to which it was registered! So, there is some way that the camera records all plates used in the EZ Pass lane and non-matching plates are automatically culled-out for nasty letters.

If I were you, I'd definitely make sure that the vehicle matches the one registered to the EZ Pass to have some peace of mind.

FWIW,
 
I don't have plans to visit this area again in the foreseeable future, thus purchasing one for the long run seems unnecessary, what with monthly fees etc.

They work pretty much everywhere in the northeast, from Maine to Virginia, west through Pennsylvania - at least - and prolly beyond.

You can put all your vehicles on one pass. No fees in Mass, dunno about where you live.
 
Fees

In Maine there is a registration fee and you have to pay for the transponder device, it cost about $45-$48 total as I remember, then you have to replenish the pass as you use it.

I've used mine in New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Mass, no problem and no waiting in line at the toll booth. In New Hampshire they now have a speed lane, where the road splits just before the toll, you continue at highway speed and their monitors read the transponder unit as you go by at 60-65 miles an hour. It's great and well worth the registration fees IMHO. Don
 
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In New Hampshire they now have a speed lane, where the road splits just before the toll, you continue at highway speed and their monitors read the transponder unit as you go by at 60-65 miles an hour. It's great and well worth the registration fees IMHO. Don

High speed lanes on the NJTP too. Back when all this started, I carried one for Maine and one for Mass - one is so much easier. I wish they worked in Canada too.
 
Funny stories......

First, I've have an EZ pass since Maine went to them from their proprietary "TransPass system" back in 2003 or 2004. In '04 we travelled with two other families from Maine to NC to camp on the Outer Banks. I was the only one with an EZ Pass. Every time we went thru toll booths (ESPECIALLY NJ) my FRS radio would crack with groans from our travel mates that they had to wait while I sailed thru. I told them there was no reason not to have one. I ended up slowing to wait for them to catch up. They got them the next year!

Second, was riding the VStrom to the New England Dragway Saturday. I put the EZPass in my jacket pocket and struggled to get it out and held over the windsheild at the first toll, realizing that the LP on the V wasn't registered to my EZP yet (still didn't read properly so I'll likely get a letter in the mail..... I stuffed it back into my pocket. About 30 minutes later I feel in my pocket which now feels decidedly empty. Yep, for as much trouble as I had getting it out the first time, the darned thing fell out! So I ended up paying the rest of the way. On the way home Monday I stopped at the maine TP office in Portland and picked up another one, made sure all my LP were up to date. Now it stays in my pocket or tank bag.
 
With the intention of avoiding the hassles at toll booths, I have borrowed an E-Z Pass from a neighbor. I will reimburse him when he receives the bill for my traveling. I will be going through the New England states which I am told have frequent toll stops. I don't have plans to visit this area again in the foreseeable future, thus purchasing one for the long run seems unnecessary, what with monthly fees etc.

Several questions have occurred to me and I thought it likely that folks where these are more commonly used would already have the answers.

1. Will I be violating any law by using a borrowed unit? Car use vs MC use?


Your neighbor needs to register your plate on his account for it to be legal. You will not get the MC discount (usually 10%) since you are using a car unit.


2. I will be using it on my R90 towing a Harbor Freight two wheel trailer. As this ]will be a total of three axles, will the EZ pass as configured (?) or the EZ Pass system be able to detect this and bill me accordingly? If not, is there some means to input this info. Or will towing prevent me from using the EZ Pass?


]It won't prevent you from using it. Unfortunately you MAY get billed at the vehicle + trailer rate. Then again, you may pay just the auto rate (depends if they notice).


3. If it turns out that the EZ pass will be workable what sort of mountings/carrying methods have worked for others? I have a Windjammer III on the machine.


Velcro attaching it to your windjammer will work best, but if you don't want to go that route, you can put in tankbag or pocket and pull it out when you get close. Some people put it into the clear map pocket on tankbag but it doesn't always see the unit there.

Thanks for the help

Hope it helps
 
"Velcro attaching it to your windjammer will work best, but if you don't want to go that route, you can put in tankbag or pocket and pull it out when you get close. Some people put it into the clear map pocket on tankbag but it doesn't always see the unit there. "

The Maine turnpike authority doesn't recommend velcro'ing it to the windshield as they can fly off. The recommendation I got was: Register your lp with the EZP folks and keep the EZP in your pocket or on the bike somewhere and drive on thru.
 
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