Answers to the whens, hows and wheres of new tollway sticker tags
Why does my friend have a tollway sticker and not me? Does it go inside or outside the windshield? What about rental cars?
You have questions and we have answers one year into the Illinois tollway’s shift from hardcase transponders to I-PASS sticker tags.
The agency has 9.7 million active transponders, including the sticker tags, and has distributed more than 1.3 million of the new devices since February 2024.
“Following the launch of I-PASS in the early 1990s, the tollway has continually adopted new tolling technology as electronic toll collection has evolved,” spokesman Dan Rozek said. “The transition from transponders to sticker tags is the latest step in that evolution.
“Tollway customers with existing I-PASS accounts are not expected to switch to sticker tags until their current transponders expire.”
Here are some answers to common questions asked by readers.
Q. Other people have received stickers in the mail. Where’s mine?
A. “The tollway is sending replacement letters with I-PASS sticker tags out to customers when their transponders are due to expire. This is similar to letters sent to customers when it was time to swap out their old transponders at a customer service center or Jewel-Osco store but we now include the sticker for greater convenience,” Rozek said.
Q. If one household has multiple transponders, will you get the stickers at the same time?
A. “Customers will receive a letter from the tollway including a new I-PASS sticker tag from when each transponder is set to expire, similar to the past process for replacing transponders. Customers can opt to voluntarily swap out all their transponders at the same time for new sticker tags by ordering online or via the mobile app, but it is not required,” Rozek said.
Q. Now that stickers are circulating, are there any issues or tips I-PASS customers should know about?
A. You only need one sticker per vehicle, which should be permanently installed on the interior windshield. The stickers are not transferable, meaning it won’t work if you peel one off.
“To ensure the most accurate scanning, place your sticker tag on the interior windshield in the black-dotted section, located where the rearview mirror attaches to the windshield. If there is no black-dotted section, place the sticker tag on the interior windshield behind the mirror,” Rozek noted.
Q. What about rental cars?
A. “At this time, customers can continue to use functioning movable I-PASS transponders to receive a discount,” Rozek said.
However, “customers with I-PASS sticker tags can temporarily add rental car license plates to their I-PASS accounts but will not receive the discount rate after five video tolls are recorded in a month. No additional fees or fines will be charged in this case.”
Q. I like my transponder. Can't I keep it?
A. “Customers can continue to use their existing transponders until they reach the end of operational life. Most transponders are expected to continue to work for two years beyond the expiration date printed on the transponder,” Rozek explained.
Also, please don’t throw your old transponder into the trash. Recycle it instead. For recycling locations, go to search.earth911.com and look under “lithium batteries.”
Q. How much is the savings on stickers and where will that money go to now?
A. “I-PASS sticker tags cost less than transponders to manufacture, package and distribute, resulting in savings to the tollway of about $8 per unit. The savings resulting from the transition to sticker tags allows the tollway to maintain operational costs. Additionally, customers do receive the benefit of having their $10 transponder deposit refunded into their prepaid I-PASS toll accounts,” Rozek said.
One more thing
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