In summary, while toll by plate does share some Pros with toll by transponder, the Cons of Truck Tolling by Plate add up for motor carriers and toll authorities:


PROS


• Toll by plate, like toll by transponder, costs the toll authority less than the old manual toll transactions and toll booths.


• Toll by plate, like toll by transponder, supports “open road tolling” to customers – saving time and hassle and improving safety.


• Toll by plate is useful for the infrequent toll road customer, as there is no need to establish an account. • Toll by plate may capture any vehicle with a license plate. • With toll by plate, there are no upfront costs to the customer.


CONS


• Toll by plate results in substantially higher charges than toll by transponder. • Toll by plate can lead to improper billing when license plate numbers are mismatched with vehicle registrations.


• Toll by plate charges are not immediately visible to the user, who may wish to monitor expenses and challenge inaccurate charges.


• Toll by plate charges are less likely to be collected, leading to higher fees to make up for the loss.


• Toll by plate introduces the possibility of receiving multiple toll invoices for a single trip on the toll road, as each toll transaction between two plazas creates a separate invoice.


• With toll by plate, additional fees and fines are added if toll invoices are not paid on time.


Toll by plate may represent a significant improvement over toll booths and manual toll transactions. But toll by transponder is more advanced than toll by plate in most respects. The Minnesota DOT study confirms the logical result:


“Transponder use typically increases over time as motorists become familiar with the toll system and the benefits of transponder payment. Transponder use is also typically higher for heavy commercial vehicles.”


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