As the USA takes further steps toward nationwide tolling interoperability, the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) and the E-ZPass Group have announced that transactions through E-ZPass transponders are now accepted on CFX’s Metro Orlando toll roads.
The E-ZPass Group runs the largest toll road network in the world, consisting of toll agencies/companies operating from Maine to North Carolina and west through Illinois, with more than 22 million accounts and 35 million transponders in use. In a move to further their commitment to toll interoperability, CFX is the first and only Florida toll agency to join the E-ZPass network bringing the total number of states served by the system to 17. CFX’s Governing Board approved an agreement with the E-ZPass group last autumn that laid the groundwork for the two agencies to improve the travel experience for E-ZPass customers visiting the Orlando area.
An independent agency of the State of Florida, CFX operates and maintains a regional network of expressways for three million residents of Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole counties and more than 72 million annual visitors to Central Florida. CFX’s 118 miles (190km) long, user-funded system includes 69 interchanges, 14 mainline toll plazas, 74 ramp toll plazas, 335 bridges, and seven named expressways. On average, more than one million toll transactions are recorded daily, 85% of them electronically. CFX operates E-PASS, the first electronic toll collection system in Florida, with nearly 400,000 accounts.
With the addition of CFX to the E-ZPass Group, customers can now use their existing transponder on CFX’s toll roads in Central Florida and Metro Orlando, and will be billed for CFX tolls through their E-ZPass accounts with no extra fees or charges. E-ZPass customers traveling out of network on roads operated by Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise under the SunPass brand will be invoiced for tolls via Florida’s Toll-By-Plate program. Almost half of Florida’s domestic visitors come from E-ZPass states, with about 50% traveling by car. The launch of the partnership between E-PASS and E-ZPass comes ahead of the peak season, when millions of visitors head to Orlando in search of warmth during the cold winter months.
“Our customers wanted portability to the Sunshine State, and now they have it in Metro Orlando, the number-one tourist destination in the USA,” said E-ZPass Group executive director, PJ Wilkins. “There is no pre-registration required since customers are already enrolled. Just don’t forget to take your E-ZPass transponder when planning to travel CFX roads!”
CFX executive director, Laura Kelley, noted, “Orlando is the most visited destination in the United States, so whether traveling here for business or pleasure, we want our visitors to have the same experience that residents enjoy year-round. The launch of our partnership with E-ZPass makes driving in Orlando a safe, convenient choice for drivers.”
