Saturday, August 3rd, the International Bridge, Tunnel and Turnpike Association’s (IBTTA) – the worldwide association representing toll facility owners and operators and businesses that serve them – along with the rest of the tolling industry, will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the E-ZPass Interagency Group (IAG). IBTTA Executive Director and CEO, Patrick D. Jones called the creation of E-ZPass twenty years ago, “One of the most transformative events in the history of the tolling industry. Today, twenty years later, it is every bit as important that we as a nation move to nationwide interoperable toll collection systems. E-ZPASS is a shining example.”
The E-ZPass Interagency Group’s (IAG) 20th anniversary comes at a time when the tolling industry as a whole is vigorously working towards achieving nationwide electronic toll interoperability. Nationwide interoperability was mandated by the U.S. Congress in last year’s federal transportation law, Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21). Last week in Denver, IBTTA held a Summit on All Electronic Tolling, Managed Lanes and Interoperability, where transportation leaders announced major advancements in the tolling industry to achieve the goal of nationwide interoperability by the 2016 deadline.
The E-ZPass Interagency Group’s (IAG) goal in 1993 was to implement a regionally compatible, non-interfering electronic toll collection system that would not only satisfy the divergent toll collection and traffic management needs of the seven participating agencies, but would also provide regional mobility and convenience to their customers. Today, E-ZPass is the largest, most successful multi-state interoperable toll collection service anywhere in the world.
“Today, E-ZPass consists of 25 agencies in 15 states, servicing more than 14 million accounts, 25 million tags, and the collection of nearly $7 billion in electronic toll revenues. However, twenty years later our goal remains the same, to improve the efficiency and widespread use of tolling by making it more convenient for motorists,” said E-ZPass Interagency Group Executive Director PJ Wilkins.
