SunPass
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SunPass is an electronic toll collection system in use by the State of Florida and was originally created by the Florida Department of Transportation's Florida's Turnpike Enterprise. The system uses Amtech active RFID windshield-mounted transponders manufactured by TransCore along with lane equipment designed by several companies including SAIC and TransCore. SunPass is fully interoperable with E-Pass (from the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority), LeeWay (from Lee County toll bridges) and Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX) toll roads. SunPass Plus may also be used at the Orlando International Airport to pay for parking. There are plans for other major Florida airports to utilize the SunPass system for parking fees.
[edit] General
SunPass-Only toll lanes on most toll roads in Florida allow a vehicle to proceed through the tollbooth at speeds of up to 25mph (40km/h). This is a safety guideline, not a technological limitation, and violation may be subject to a speeding ticket and associated fine. Most mainline toll barriers on the Turnpike system have been, or are currently being reconstructed with Open-Road Tolling (ORT) SunPass-only lanes that handle highway speeds. E-Pass-Only lanes in the OOCEA system have a speed limit of 35 mph (60 km/h), though the mainline toll barriers will all have dedicated lanes capable of full-speed automatic toll collection at up to 65 mph (105 km/h) by 2009. Most toll booths in the Orlando area have already upgraded to this open road tolling technology.
In the summer of 2008, the next generation in electronic tolling technology becomes available to the public with the introduction of SunPass Mini. SunPass Mini is also known as a sticker tag because the tag, which is about the size and thickness of a credit card, must be mounted on the windshield of the vehicle to work properly. It is not portable and cannot be transferred from vehicle to vehicle.
SunPass Mini is a passive transponder and does not require batteries as do the current hard-case transponder models in use throughout Florida.
The new sticker tag technology has been adopted by every toll agency in the state. Current SunPass, E-PASS and LeeWay technology does not become obsolete with the implementation of the new transponders; instead, the ETC lanes on all facilities will be equipped with dual protocol readers.
The existing hard case (portable) SunPass transponders will continue to be available for customers who prefer the light and audible tone options and the portability offered by the existing transponder.
On initial roll-out, the SunPass Mini price will be $4.99 plus tax. Customers that purchase the new sticker tag and complete the registration process, including opening an account with a minimum $10 balance, will automatically receive a $4.99 rebate, in effect making the new transponder free.
SunPass hard-case transponders will continue to be available ($25 US plus sales tax) and customers must establish a minimum opening account of $25 US to fund their tolls. Unused toll fees are only refunded if the user closes the account or takes advantage of a money-back guarantee.
The SunPass electronic toll-collection system as well as the other related ETC systems in Florida are currently not compatible with E-ZPass or other ETC systems outside of Florida. Non-Florida ETC transponders (including E-ZPass) will not work in Florida tollbooths.
