On the stretch of the beltway that I take everyday, They did some renovations to the toll booth. They had 2 EZ-Tag lanes, 3 Exact Change lanes, and 2 Full Service lanes. Now they have 3 EZ-Tag lanes, 2 Exact Change lanes, and 2 Full Service lanes. Now there are more EZ-Tag lanes than Exact Change lanes! WTF is that all about? Man, traffic was backed up big time in the Exact Change lanes, while the flow of traffic though the EZ-Tag lane was not heavy at all. I used to have an EZ Tag, but I hated the billing method. It wasn't a certain day a month, it was very random, based on use. I got rid of it because of that, but now...I might juts have to get back in the EZ-Tag camp because with only 2 lanes now, I am thinking 10 more minutes will be added to my trip to work. Is this the county's plan? Inconvenience the Exact Changers enough until they have to get an EZ Tag? Another thing I hate is the Westpark freeway. Aren't the people who use Exact change paying for this freeway as well? Why are they getting treated like second-class drivers? There is a part of the North belt that is only connected to 249 IF you have a EZ-Tag. If not, you have to exit, ride around on the feeder to get on 249, adding possibly 15-20 minutes to your trip. This is really f'd, IMO. It seems that sooner or later you are going to need an EZ Tag to travel anywhere on the Belt.
My understanding is that the Westpark Tollway is paid for entirely by its users...all EZ Tag users. And the whole point of the Westpark Tollway is to avoid having toll stations slowing you down throughout. They're trying to encourage more EZ Tag use. It's cheaper and faster. Means we have to employ less people to sit in a toll booth all day. And did I mention it's cheaper and faster???
So if you don't have an EZ-Tag, you deserve to have your lanes in the toll booth reduced? Though the non-EZ Tag users are the majority? You end up causing more congestion on the beltway in hopes of selling more EZ-Tags.
it's not a punishment. they're encouraging EZ Tag use. and it's CHEAPER! it's a quarter less each time you go through with an EZ Tag than it is when you pay at the window with change. they're not "selling EZ Tags". the tags themselves are free. i think you put a deposit down that you get back when you turn it back in. but the use of the tag is what you get billed for.
Like I said, I had an EZ Tag. I hated the billing method they used as I wanted a monthly charge, not a random date charge. Also, I had to get 4 refunds from the county within 6 months because they overcharged my EZ Tag 4 seperate times, the system was actually charging my 2 times for one trip through the tollway. So I can go back to having my credit card charged erroneously again or sit in congestion of the beltway. Maybe your experience with the county accounting department has been better than mine, but I would rather not go through the hassle of that again. Just really a big inconvenience either way.
Random story time: I remember the first time I drove on the Beltway with an EZ tag. I had to get off at the Bellaire exit...the exit is EZ tag/Exact Change/Full Service...instead of driving straight through, I slowed down pointed up at the EZ tag and drove on...the attendant probably thought I was a moron but that was funny Sorry about your problem.
I'm just b****ing because I had a very bad experience with my EZ Tag and it seems that the county is forcing me back into using it. Either sit in traffic or buy the EZ Tag. Either exit the belt, sit through lights then get on 249 or just get an EZ Tag and got straight to 249. Hopefully they have fixed the issues they had before.
wait, you have to take the tollway everyday for work and you sit in those tollbooth exact change jams? your paying more money to spend more time in traffic each day? and you think the ez-tag system is one who is stupid here? the billing isn't random - you know how much money gets taken out, you can calculate how much you use each day - it doesn't take a CPA to figure out when they are going to debit again
Thanks for calling me an idiot. I just explained how the county screwed up on my EZ Tag account, actually billing me 2 times in one week. I don't drive that much, no one drives that much. But I am the one that is stupid for not wanting to go back into that, right?
no I understand man mistakes happen, I've been using ez-tag for 3 years now and never had a problem - dealing with f ups is a pain for sure, but what is worse? i would think sitting in traffic to pay .25 more each time is more of a pain I do feel sorry for ya'll stuck in those jams everyday as I wiz right by without even slowing down
Just giving you S#$t man, I just hope that they fixed the EZ Tag system now. Because it definitely was screwed when I used it. That was around the time they found out that the EZ Tag system had been hacked and shut down the site for a month or 2.
I wouldn't even use the Beltway if I didn't have a tag. IMO, the non EZ-taggers have too many lanes as it is.
since i "ratified" his statement i'll answer. no, that's not what i'm saying. i'm saying that i personally would not travel the tollway without an EZ Tag. i never carry change around...and don't always have cash on me either, as i live off my check card. waiting in those lines at the toll booths is a discouragement as well. paying a quarter more to ride through without my EZ Tag wouuld work against it as well.
EZ Tag is my life. Without, I couldnt get around anywhere. Its all about second chances man. Give it another try.
I am going to give it another try, basically because my choice is pretty much made because of facts that I have stated in the thread. It is just to inconvenient not to at this point. I just hope that the problems are worked out, because it was a nightmare at the time. Literally I was checking my account daily to make sure there was no issues. Now, the County was understanding and took care of the issues within a few days, but it was a hassle to have to check to make sure things aren't screwed up.
They WANT people to get sick of waiting in lines... they save MILLIONS each year because of EZTag... and they want it expanded. You save 25 cents a toll booth with EZTag, and you never have to stop or have change/cash... so what the hell are you waiting for?
I love the new Westpark toll road. I just try not to use it every day because that can certainly add up very quickly.
I love living inside the city. I haven't had to even consider taking a toll road in over a year. Toll roads suck. If there's anything our tax dollars should be paying for, it's roads.
