FL Turnpike Makes Progress on Toll Interop, but Gaps Persist after Federal Deadline’s Expiration

Sun-Sentinel looks at the long-running, sometimes successful push to national toll interoperability, reporting that, “There’s no end in sight. Although Congress required that all state toll systems be compatible by October 2016, the deadline passed and no new target date has been set. ‘We are unaware of any federal action as a result of the missed [deadline],’ said Chad Huff, with Florida Turnpike Enterprise.” The newspaper focuses on the fact that SunPass and E-ZPass systems are not compatible, adding that “[Florida] Turnpike officials say the state is ready to accept E-ZPass, but the 16 E-ZPass states in the Northeast and Midwest are not ready to accept SunPass. It’s not a technology issue, it’s a bureaucratic issue, Huff said. ‘There are 38 agencies in 16 states that participate in E-ZPass,’ he said. ‘All agencies must be in a position to read SunPass transponders and must agree upon business rules that govern the processing of transactions and reconciliation of toll revenues.’”