Updated: New toll app offers alternative to E-ZPass transponder
A Washington, D.C. area company is now offering an alternative to battery-powered transponders.
The Uproad app for IOS and Google aims to give drivers the ability to use all toll systems around the country. Uproad pays tolls, sends drivers alerts and allows users to calculate the cost of a road trip before beginning their drive.
In January, Uproad added Delaware. It now has several states in the E-ZPass system on the East Coast.
The app can now pay tolls on four roads in Delaware, including the Delaware Memorial Bridge, Interstate- 95, SR-1 and US-301.
James Salmon, spokesman, for the Delaware and Bay Authority at first reported the app would not work on the bridge. It later turned out that neither the DRBA or the Delaware Department of Transportation have formally endorsed the app.
Uproad has signed up toll road systems in other states, including California.
In making a case for its app, Uproad cited a survey that indicted that 43 percent of those polls want to pay tolls without the need for transponders or cash and to receive more detailed billing and the ability to add multiple vehicles without a transponder for each one.
Uproad is negotiating with toll operators to allow nationwide use of their app.
So far, Florida a popular spot for Delaware travelers has not signed up for Uproad.
Kathryn Kiritsis,director of product marketing responded to the following questions regarding the app.
Q. Do you have an estimate on when states like Florida, Georgia and Kansas would be added to your system?
A. We are working towards nationwide coverage by the end of the year.Currently, you can pay for tolls in 11 states, and we plan to add another state every few weeks. With one app account, you can now pay tolls in these states: CA, DE, IL, IN, KY, MD, NJ, NY, OK, TX, and VA. Our Trip Calculator provides national coverage, allowing you to estimate toll costs across the U.S.
Q. Does this system allow you to get frequent traveler and commuter discounts?
A. It depends on the location of travel. We are continually negotiating with Toll Agencies to get the best toll rates for Uproad members.
Q. How long has the system been in operation in the EZPass area?
A. Since December 2020.
Q. How reliable is your system? I ask because transponders and toll operators have their issues.
A. We run several verifications on each toll transaction to ensure accuracy. As with any technical system, an issue could always occur, and in these rare cases, we work to resolve it directly with our toll agency partners so our customers don’t have to.
Q. Does this system allow you to get frequent traveler and commuter discounts?
A. It depends on the location of travel. We are continually negotiating with Toll Agencies to get the best toll rates for Uproad members.
Q. How reliable is your system? I ask because transponders and toll operators have their issues.
A. We run several verifications on each toll transaction to ensure accuracy. As with any technical system, an issue could always occur, and in these rare cases, we work to resolve it directly with our toll agency partners so our customers don’t have to.