E-ZPass Agencies to Solicit Proposals for Next Generation Technology

ATLANTIC CITY, New Jersey —The E-ZPass Interagency Group (IAG), a consortium of 23 transportation agencies offering E-ZPass in 12 states, announced today that it plans to issue a Request for Proposal for the next generation of electronic toll collection on March 21st. The Request for Proposal was developed and unanimously approved by all member agencies after more than a year of discussion and negotiation. It will be administered on behalf of IAG members by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bridges and Tunnels.

IAG Executive Director James Crawford said that the decision to solicit proposals for new technology was driven by the legal requirements of member agencies to periodically review and re-bid contracts, as well as the desire to keep pace with the latest technology opportunities.

“It is generally good public policy and good business to revisit the technology marketplace to ensure that we continue to offer E-ZPass customers the best available product at the best price,” Crawford said. The “IAG’s primary mission has always been to create and maintain compatibility between agencies, so that E-ZPass customers can continue to enjoy the convenience of electronic toll collection on all member facilities simply by establishing a single account with a single agency. Our mission will remain the same, even as we consider new technology options,” he said.

In 1994, the original seven members of the IAG selected Mark IV Industries Inc. to provide the common technology that would assure compatibility at each of the toll facilities. Those seven members signed virtually identical but separate contracts with Mark IV. Since that time IAG membership and E-ZPass popularity has grown dramatically. Today, there are 23 member agencies operating in 12 states. More than 10 million active E-ZPass accounts have been established and more than 17 million E-ZPass tags are in use. E-ZPass users make up an average of 64% of the traffic volumes across all of the IAG-member facilities, and by all accounts, they are satisfied with the product. Surveys conducted by individual agencies typically show customer satisfaction rates exceeding 95%.

The Request for Proposal will be issued on behalf of all IAG members to encourage system consistency and compatibility and each of the member agencies will be expected to enter into separate agreements with the selected contractor. The selected contractor will be required to offer substantially identical contracts to all current and any future IAG member.

The Request for Proposal will be advertised in the nation’s top daily newspapers and in a variety of industry publications. Copies of the Request for Proposal can be obtained after March 21st by visiting the following website and clicking on solicitation number:07IAG-2782. Proposals are due July 18, 2008.

The current members of the IAG include: the Maine Turnpike Authority, New Hampshire DOT, Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, New York State Thruway Authority, New York State Bridge Authority, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bridges and Tunnels, New Jersey Turnpike Authority, South Jersey Transportation Authority, Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, Delaware River Joint Toll Commission, Delaware River Port Authority, Delaware River and Bay Authority, Delaware DOT, Maryland Transportation Authority, Virginia DOT , Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, the Indiana Toll Road. Massachusetts Port Authority, West Virginia Parkway Economic Development Authority, Buffalo and Fort Erie Public Bridge Authority, Burlington County Bridge Commission, and the Chicago Skyway Concession Company.
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