Look How Far We’ve Come!

Celebrating a Decade of All-Electronic Tolling 

Remember the days of having to wait in line, stop at the Toll Booth, and pay cash for your toll? It’s been exactly 10 years since drivers had to hunt for loose change in their glove box and gosh are we glad those days are over.

A decade ago, (May 14, 2014 at 12:01 a.m. to be exact) The Toll Roads embraced new technology by transitioning to all-electronic tolling (AET), bidding farewell to traditional toll booths and the bottlenecks and congestion drivers had grown accustomed to. It was the dawn of a new era where tolls collected electronically allowed vehicles pass through toll points without slowing down. This was a huge milestone for tolling in California to keep traffic moving smoothly and reducing travel time for all commuters. 

So, what was the buzz all about? Let’s find out…

What is All-Electronic Tolling?

AET uses advanced technology to streamline the toll collection process. Drivers can pass through a toll point at highway speeds and the equipment will read the vehicle’s FasTrak^® transponder or take a photo of the vehicle’s license plates. Drivers without an account can then go visit TheTollRoads.com or use The Toll Roads app to pay tolls online within 5 days of driving the road. AET enhances traffic flow, reduces congestion and provides a more convenient experience for commuters and visitors alike by eliminating the need for drivers to stop or slow at a toll booth. 

Signs of the Times

If you’ve driven The Toll Roads, you’ve probably noticed the purple signs along the roads. The move to purple signage for all-electronic toll lanes started in 1991 in New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. In 2008, the Federal Highway Administration officially supported the use of purple for electronic toll collection signs to facilitate smooth vehicle flow and eliminate driver confusion.

Out on the roads, over 200 new signs were posted with the conversion to cashless tolling, and later, nearly 600 signs were updated and modified to ensure consistency in colors and design with tolling signs throughout the nation.

For drivers without an account, there are signs indicating they can pay tolls online within 5 days at TheTollRoads.com. These signs have a blue background, the official signage color for informational signs.

Cash Payment Today

Even though the cash toll booths have been removed, drivers can pay tolls, replenish their FasTrak accounts and resolve violations with cash. Cash payments can be made in person at The Toll Roads’ Customer Service Walk-In Center or at more than 40,000 participating retailers nationwide via our partnership with PayNearMe. Learn more about cash payment on The Toll Roads here: https://www.thetollroads.com/driving-the-toll-roads/planning-ahead/ways-to-pay-tolls/#cashpayment.

As we celebrate the 10^th anniversary of AET on The Toll Roads, it’s the perfect time to recognize the ongoing efforts to innovate and improve our transportation infrastructure. We always are looking for ways to stay ahead of the curve and continue to leverage technology to further enhance mobility and safety on our roadways now and in the future. 

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