Florida toll roads announce partnership with E-ZPass, used in 16 states

TALLAHASSEE — Florida’s tolling authority is offering a new transponder compatible with the E-ZPass toll system used in 16 states on the East Coast and Midwest, including New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts.

The new transponder, called SunPass PRO, will allow Florida drivers to use one device to process tolls all the way to Maine and as far west as Illinois (Minnesota is coming soon). Current SunPass transponders are only accepted in Georgia and North Carolina.

Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise also announced that E-ZPass customers in other states will be able to use their transponders along the nearly 900 miles of toll roads in Florida.

The interoperability between two of the nation’s largest toll systems has been years in the making.

“Our customers have long sought a solution where they can utilize a single toll account for their travels up and down the coast,” said PJ Wilkins, executive director of the E-ZPass Group, in a statement.

The new SunPass PRO transponders will cost $14.95, plus tax, and is available at stores including Publix and Walgreens, online at SunPass.com, by calling 888-TOLL-FLA or at SunPass customer service centers.

The PRO transponders will work across 35 tolling agencies in 17 other states: Georgia, North Carolina, Maryland, Rhode Island, Indiana, Delaware, Illinois, New Jersey, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maine, West Virginia, New York and Ohio.

E-ZPasses have been accepted along toll roads managed by the Central Florida Expressway Authority, which covers metro Orlando, for several years.

America’s more than 130 tolling authorities were required to accept a single universal transponder by 2016, under a law passed by Congress in 2012. But according to NBCLX, the law carried no penalties, and the collaborations between tolling authorities have been regional, not national.

“Florida’s partnership with E-ZPass is the next critical step toward national interoperability, creating seamless transportation options for Florida residents and visitors alike,” Department of Transportation Secretary Kevin Thibault said in a statement.