Florida's E-ZPass Compatibility Not Easy To Understand

Roadways And Interchanges Only Partly Compatible

However, using E-ZPass in Florida will be tricky, at best, because the compatibility only extends to the Orlando metropolitan area. Even on roads where the E-ZPass will be accepted, key interchanges and roadways will not be compatible with E-ZPass. Adding to the confusion is the reality that sections of some roads will be incompatible, while other sections of the same road will be compatible with E-ZPass. More confusing, still, is that some interchanges, themselves, will also be only partially compatible. That means drivers can use one set of entrance or exit ramps with their E-ZPass, but not another set of ramps within the same interchange. The compatibility issues are detailed in a compatibility map CFX released earlier this month in an effort to ameliorate confusion. At one key interchange, where Florida’s Turnpike meets up with the Central Florida Greeneway (State Road 417), ramps from the Central Florida Greeneway to Florida’s Turnpike will not accept E-ZPass, unless you happen to be traveling south on 417 and want to go south on Florida’s Turnpike. If you are traveling northbound on Florida’s Turnpike and want to go north on the Central Florida Greeneway, your E-ZPass will work in that direction, too. But E-ZPass is not accepted on the other ramps of the same interchange. Florida’s Turnpike is operated by Florida’s Department of Transportation, and the Central Florida GreeneWay is partially operated by CFX and, in part, by FDOT.

CFX E-ZPass compatibility map
CFX released the official E-ZPass compatibility map in August 2018, which shows key interchanges, including I-95 and the Beachline Expressway, as well as Florida’s Turnpike at SR 417, are either not compatible with E-ZPass or only partly compatible.

Florida DOT Lacks E-ZPass Agreement

It is a problem, Hutchings admits, the CFX simply can not overcome without help from the state of Florida, which co-operates many key roadways with the CFX, including the Western Beltway, the Beachline Expressway, the Central Florida GreeneWay, and even the smallest segment of the Holland East-West Expressway that connects with Florida’s Turnpike. Thus, the compatibility issues, because Florida has yet to reach an operating agreement with the E-ZPass Group, the governing body for the nation’s largest electronic toll collection network.
Florida had been on the cusp of such an agreement, in part, in early 2017, said Chad Huff, spokesman for Florida’s DOT. The state was on track to begin accepting the I-Pass transponder, used in Illinois but a part of the E-ZPass network. It would have been a first step toward Florida accepting all E-ZPass transponders. However, a series of unspecified issues has delayed implementation for more than 18 months, so far.

A Florida DOT CCTV view of SR 91 at SR 417
This interchange of Florida’s Turnpike and the Central Florida GreeneWay is one example of a junction that is only partly compatible with E-ZPass. Drivers traveling north on Florida’s Turnpike who want to go north on the GreeneWay may use their E-ZPass, but drivers leaving the GreeneWay to go north on the turnpike may not.

Essentially, that means visitors to Florida who are using an E-ZPass will only be able to drive portions of Orlando’s toll roads using their transponders. Main roads, like Florida’s Turnpike, itself, will not be compatible with E-ZPass at all. For roads where E-ZPass is accepted, if a driver passes the wrong mile marker, they will incur a toll violation, unless they have the cash to pay for the toll. The only other option is to buy a SunPass, which is Florida’s toll transponder, but using both transponders, together, can often lead to duplicate charges, as the CFX roads also accept SunPass.

E-Pass Not Compatible With E-ZPass

Another issue, particularly for local drivers in the Orlando area, is that the CFX toll transponder, E-Pass, will not work on E-ZPass roads, even though the E-ZPass will work on some roads in Florida. Again, Hutchings said it is an administrative issue, not a technological one, that has created the snags, a sentiment shared by Florida’s DOT, Huff told TurnpikeInfo.com.
Florida’s DOT, Huff said, had the technology to read E-ZPass transponders and their data in place in 2017. The problem is in reaching the interoperability agreements with the various agencies of the E-ZPass network.
“Developing compatible business rules across agencies takes significant amounts of time,” Huff wrote in an email to TurnpikeInfo.com. “SunPass and the other Florida brands use the same technology and worked out business rules as electronic tolling was being introduced.”
As of this writing, Florida DOT did not have an update of when E-ZPass may be accepted on other Florida toll roads, outside the Orlando metropolitan area.
DOWNLOAD CFX COMPATIBILITY MAP

Editor’s note: The original version of this story misidentified the E-ZPass Group as the E-ZPass Interoperability Group.

Gas Price Report For August 27, 2018

Gas price trend for week of August 27, 2018

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Gas prices ticked up during the past week, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in large part due to sharp rises in costs across the Rocky Mountain states and east into the Midwest. As a result, the nation’s average gas price ticked up by about a half penny per gallon to settle near $2.83 per gallon this week. The E.I.A. fuel price survey, generally released every Monday, shows a three-cent price increase across the Rockies and the Midwest survey regions. Those increases dragged the U.S. average gas price higher, despite one and two-cent price declines across the entire East Coast and Lower Atlantic regions.   The cost of diesel moved upward by about two cents per gallon, according to the E.I.A. That jump pushed the average price of diesel to about 3.23 per gallon this week. This week’s average fuel prices for all regions are shown below, as gathered from www.eia.gov.

E.I.A. Gas Price Survey

08/13/18 08/20/18 08/27/18 week ago year ago
U.S. 2.843 2.821 2.827 values are up 0.006 values are up 0.428
East Coast (PADD1) 2.803 2.777 2.764 values are down -0.013 values are up 0.427
  New England (PADD1A) 2.882 2.863 2.851 values are down -0.012 values are up 0.463
  Central Atlantic (PADD1B) 2.927 2.910 2.903 values are down -0.007 values are up 0.468
  Lower Atlantic (PADD1C) 2.703 2.670 2.653 values are down -0.017 values are up 0.404
Midwest (PADD2) 2.748 2.730 2.760 values are up 0.030 values are up 0.453
Gulf Coast (PADD3) 2.586 2.568 2.569 values are up 0.001 values are up 0.413
Rocky Mountain (PADD4) 2.944 2.963 2.994 values are up 0.031 values are up 0.526
West Coast (PADD5) 3.329 3.307 3.310 values are up 0.003 values are up 0.407
  West Coast less California 3.132 3.118 3.110 values are down -0.008 values are up 0.436

E.I.A. Diesel Price Survey

08/13/18 08/20/18 08/27/18 week ago year ago
U.S. 3.217 3.207 3.226 values are up 0.019 values are up 0.621
East Coast (PADD1) 3.219 3.207 3.219 values are up 0.012 values are up 0.596
  New England (PADD1A) 3.265 3.261 3.267 values are up 0.006 values are up 0.649
  Central Atlantic (PADD1B) 3.387 3.380 3.385 values are up 0.005 values are up 0.627
  Lower Atlantic (PADD1C) 3.091 3.076 3.094 values are up 0.018 values are up 0.566
Midwest (PADD2) 3.139 3.129 3.153 values are up 0.024 values are up 0.587
Gulf Coast (PADD3) 2.990 2.981 3.004 values are up 0.023 values are up 0.576
Rocky Mountain (PADD4) 3.358 3.349 3.364 values are up 0.015 values are up 0.647
West Coast (PADD5) 3.714 3.706 3.719 values are up 0.013 values are up 0.809
  West Coast less California 3.425 3.423 3.433 values are up 0.010 values are up 0.627
  California 3.942 3.929 3.945 values are up 0.016 values are up 0.950

*PADD stands for Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts. Charts from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/

Gas Price Report For August 20, 2018

Gas price trend for week of August 20, 2018

Fort Lauderdale, FL – The nation’s gas prices took another dip during the past week, according to the latest weekly price survey from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The E.I.A. price survey shows the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas fell over two cents per gallon to $2.82. Prices fell across nearly every region, save for the Rocky Mountains, which bucked the national trend and rose by nearly two cents per gallon. Elsewhere, prices fell across a range from one-and-a-half cents across the West Coast, sans California, to well over three cents per gallon in the Lower Atlantic states. The cost of diesel trickled down about a penny per gallon, according to the E.I.A., about half the pace of regular gas. The E.I.A. reports the national average cost of diesel is now about $3.21 per gallon. This week’s average fuel prices for all regions are shown below, as gathered from www.eia.gov.

E.I.A. Gas Price Survey

08/06/18 08/13/18 08/20/18 week ago year ago
U.S. 2.852 2.843 2.821 values are down -0.022 values are up 0.461
East Coast (PADD1) 2.802 2.803 2.777 values are down -0.026 values are up 0.474
  New England (PADD1A) 2.890 2.882 2.863 values are down -0.019 values are up 0.500
  Central Atlantic (PADD1B) 2.930 2.927 2.910 values are down -0.017 values are up 0.476
  Lower Atlantic (PADD1C) 2.699 2.703 2.670 values are down -0.033 values are up 0.483
Midwest (PADD2) 2.773 2.748 2.730 values are down -0.018 values are up 0.481
Gulf Coast (PADD3) 2.590 2.586 2.568 values are down -0.018 values are up 0.450
Rocky Mountain (PADD4) 2.924 2.944 2.963 values are up 0.019 values are up 0.509
West Coast (PADD5) 3.342 3.329 3.307 values are down -0.022 values are up 0.421
  West Coast less California 3.146 3.132 3.118 values are down -0.014 values are up 0.477

E.I.A. Diesel Price Survey

08/06/18 08/13/18 08/20/18 week ago year ago
U.S. 3.223 3.217 3.207 values are down -0.010 values are up 0.611
East Coast (PADD1) 3.222 3.219 3.207 values are down -0.012 values are up 0.590
  New England (PADD1A) 3.271 3.265 3.261 values are down -0.004 values are up 0.645
  Central Atlantic (PADD1B) 3.393 3.387 3.380 values are down -0.007 values are up 0.624
  Lower Atlantic (PADD1C) 3.093 3.091 3.076 values are down -0.015 values are up 0.557
Midwest (PADD2) 3.151 3.139 3.129 values are down -0.010 values are up 0.562
Gulf Coast (PADD3) 2.995 2.990 2.981 values are down -0.009 values are up 0.573
Rocky Mountain (PADD4) 3.361 3.358 3.349 values are down -0.009 values are up 0.635
West Coast (PADD5) 3.717 3.714 3.706 values are down -0.008 values are up 0.823
  West Coast less California 3.432 3.425 3.423 values are down -0.002 values are up 0.637
  California 3.943 3.942 3.929 values are down -0.013 values are up 0.968

*PADD stands for Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts. Charts from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/

Gas Price Report For August 13, 2018

Gas price trend for week of August 13, 2018

Fort Lauderdale, FL – The national average cost of gas dropped about a penny per gallon during the past week, according to the latest weekly fuel price survey from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. The weekly E.I.A. report shows the nation’s average gas price, for regular unleaded, is now about $2.84 per gallon. The Midwest led the nation in overall regional price declines, where the average cost for gas dipped well over two cents per gallon. Midwest price declines were highest across Ohio, where the average price per gallon plunged over ten cents. Meanwhile, drivers across the Lower Atlantic and Rocky Mountain states were hit with the most noticeable price increases, according to the E.I.A. The cost of diesel was moderately lower in all regions this week, helping lead the national average cost of diesel down a little more than a half-penny per gallon. The E.I.A. reports the national average cost of diesel is now about $3.22 per gallon. This week’s average fuel prices for all regions are shown below, as gathered from www.eia.gov.

E.I.A. Gas Price Survey

07/30/18 08/06/18 08/13/18 week ago year ago
U.S. 2.846 2.852 2.843 values are down -0.009 values are up 0.459
East Coast (PADD1) 2.790 2.802 2.803 values are up 0.001 values are up 0.476
  New England (PADD1A) 2.884 2.890 2.882 values are down -0.008 values are up 0.504
  Central Atlantic (PADD1B) 2.923 2.930 2.927 values are down -0.003 values are up 0.473
  Lower Atlantic (PADD1C) 2.680 2.699 2.703 values are up 0.004 values are up 0.485
Midwest (PADD2) 2.767 2.773 2.748 values are down -0.025 values are up 0.449
Gulf Coast (PADD3) 2.593 2.590 2.586 values are down -0.004 values are up 0.441
Rocky Mountain (PADD4) 2.913 2.924 2.944 values are up 0.020 values are up 0.518
West Coast (PADD5) 3.349 3.342 3.329 values are down -0.013 values are up 0.464
  West Coast less California 3.156 3.146 3.132 values are down -0.014 values are up 0.523

E.I.A. Diesel Price Survey

07/30/18 08/06/18 08/13/18 week ago year ago
U.S. 3.226 3.223 3.217 values are down -0.006 values are up 0.619
East Coast (PADD1) 3.223 3.222 3.219 values are down -0.003 values are up 0.595
  New England (PADD1A) 3.274 3.271 3.265 values are down -0.006 values are up 0.640
  Central Atlantic (PADD1B) 3.390 3.393 3.387 values are down -0.006 values are up 0.626
  Lower Atlantic (PADD1C) 3.096 3.093 3.091 values are down -0.002 values are up 0.564
Midwest (PADD2) 3.156 3.151 3.139 values are down -0.012 values are up 0.569
Gulf Coast (PADD3) 2.997 2.995 2.990 values are down -0.005 values are up 0.580
Rocky Mountain (PADD4) 3.361 3.361 3.358 values are down -0.003 values are up 0.658
West Coast (PADD5) 3.720 3.717 3.714 values are down -0.003 values are up 0.837
  West Coast less California 3.437 3.432 3.425 values are down -0.007 values are up 0.637
  California 3.945 3.943 3.942 values are down -0.001 values are up 0.993

*PADD stands for Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts. Charts from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/

Gas Price Report For August 6, 2018

Gas price trend for week of August 6, 2018

Fort Lauderdale, FL – Gas prices inched their way upward during the past week, but many drivers may not notice much change in the price at the pump. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded went up less than a penny per gallon, and the average U.S. gas price remains the same at about $2.85 per gallon. Prices were fairly flat in many regions. However, drivers on the East Coast and in the Rocky Mountains were hit with about a penny per gallon price hike, and drivers across the Lower Atlantic region paid about two cents extra at  the pump this week, according to the E.I.A. Prices dipped by about a penny per gallon on the West Coast. The cost of diesel was primarily flat for truckers in most regions, although the E.I.A. reported that prices fell marginally in nearly every region. The price movement was hardly enough to change the national average cost of a gallon of diesel, which remains about $3.23. This week’s average fuel prices for all regions are shown below, as gathered from www.eia.gov.

E.I.A. Gas Price Survey

07/23/18 07/30/18 08/06/18 week ago year ago
U.S. 2.831 2.846 2.852 values are up 0.006 values are up 0.474
East Coast (PADD1) 2.776 2.790 2.802 values are up 0.012 values are up 0.466
  New England (PADD1A) 2.875 2.884 2.890 values are up 0.006 values are up 0.506
  Central Atlantic (PADD1B) 2.907 2.923 2.930 values are up 0.007 values are up 0.460
  Lower Atlantic (PADD1C) 2.668 2.680 2.699 values are up 0.019 values are up 0.478
Midwest (PADD2) 2.739 2.767 2.773 values are up 0.006 values are up 0.489
Gulf Coast (PADD3) 2.573 2.593 2.590 values are down -0.003 values are up 0.436
Rocky Mountain (PADD4) 2.934 2.913 2.924 values are up 0.011 values are up 0.534
West Coast (PADD5) 3.358 3.349 3.342 values are down -0.007 values are up 0.500
  West Coast less California 3.165 3.156 3.146 values are down -0.010 values are up 0.558

E.I.A. Diesel Price Survey

07/23/18 07/30/18 08/06/18 week ago year ago
U.S. 3.220 3.226 3.223 values are down -0.003 values are up 0.642
East Coast (PADD1) 3.217 3.223 3.222 values are down -0.001 values are up 0.609
  New England (PADD1A) 3.269 3.274 3.271 values are down -0.003 values are up 0.653
  Central Atlantic (PADD1B) 3.389 3.390 3.393 values are up 0.003 values are up 0.642
  Lower Atlantic (PADD1C) 3.087 3.096 3.093 values are down -0.003 values are up 0.579
Midwest (PADD2) 3.142 3.156 3.151 values are down -0.005 values are up 0.608
Gulf Coast (PADD3) 2.993 2.997 2.995 values are down -0.002 values are up 0.585
Rocky Mountain (PADD4) 3.369 3.361 3.361 no change 0.000 values are up 0.688
West Coast (PADD5) 3.718 3.720 3.717 values are down -0.003 values are up 0.869
  West Coast less California 3.436 3.437 3.432 values are down -0.005 values are up 0.685
  California 3.943 3.945 3.943 values are down -0.002 values are up 1.013

*PADD stands for Petroleum Administration for Defense Districts. Charts from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. https://www.eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/