Clunky Transponders

[MailGuy]

I live in San Diego and have those clunky SBX transponders on my windshield. i called them to see if they were going to go with something smaller and they said not for at least a couple years. I know other areas have moved to a thin sticker. I like that so much better for the new MME. SBX is what is printed on mine but I assume any type of transponder would work anywhere in CA. Does anybody have the sticker kind and who is that with? Thanks.

We have the windshield stickers in Washington. It's about 1/2" by 1 1/4". Hides behind the mirror from the driver's view and I don't even see it. Not obtrusive outside the car either. Two problems: 1) When they added the "Lexus Lanes" here, they made the rule that if you had 3 people in the car it was free (honor system). But to take advantage of it you have to get the considerably bigger transponder that mounts to the window and slides to turn tolling on and off and I already was using tags, 2) WIndshield replacements or selling a car are a slight hassle. I have had at least four replacements since tolling was implemented. If you don't remember to pull the sticker, you have to reverse engineer looking at all the other cars to determine which one you want to report lost so tolls can't be charged. You choose the tag to deactivate by tag # only. This despite having to report your license plate and car model when you activate the sticker. You also have to deactivate the plate separately. Lame...

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[krafty81]

https://thetollroads.com/

The Orange County toll roads sticker. It's free. There are other fee options depending on usage. I guess it's accepted across the state, that's what the FAQ says. I've had it for more than a year. Auto charges your credit card every month for any usage.

https://thetollroads.com/help/faq/407

Don't believe it supports any type of HOV feature.

You may have solved my problem thanks! I don't need HOV feature, just the toll piece. Happy to ditch the awful transponder here in SD!

 

[mikeho]

BTW, I haven't gotten the Fastrak CAV tag to work through the windshield yet, so if any of you figure it out, let me know! I tried putting it against the black dotted area to the left of the rear view window, but I don't think it registered.

 

[krafty81]

BTW, I haven't gotten the Fastrak CAV tag to work through the windshield yet, so if any of you figure it out, let me know! I tried putting it against the black dotted area to the left of t the rear view window, but I don't think it registered.

That is something we need to figure out for sure...

 

[krafty81]

You may have solved my problem thanks! I don't need HOV feature, just the toll piece. Happy to ditch the awful transponder here in SD!

Just ordered the sticker. Goodbye clunky transponder!

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

This all seems so foreign to me. There’s no such thing as tolls or HOV lanes in my state.

There are no such things as divided highways around me, let alone HOV lanes.

Oahu on the other hand, has HOV lanes and an interstate freeway (3 of them in fact). Go figure.

 

[generaltso]

Oahu on the other hand, has HOV lanes and an interstate freeway (3 of them in fact). Go figure.

It must be more of an intrastate unless there's a really long bridge to cross another state.

 

[CHeil402]

That is something we need to figure out for sure...

Here's an option they list for cars with metalized windshields... although I'm not sure how I would feed about a sticker on my headlight from an aesthetics perspective

https://thetollroads.com/headlamp-sticker-transponder-installation-instructions

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

It must be more of an intrastate unless there's a really long bridge to cross another state.

It was actually a national political "stormlette" to get the H-1 in Hawaii. Seems a substantial number of congresspeople were opposed to it because ... no other states. Apparently, it got to the point where the state was threatening to prohibit the collection of Federal gas tax when someone realized that the original justification for the interstate system was quick transportation of military vehicles for defense. Hence the H-1 went to Kanoe AB ultimately (and Pearl Harbor), the H-2 connected Wheeler AAF/Schofield Barracks to Pearl Harbor. The H-3? Apparently, someone realized there was still one unspoiled valley on Oahu without a major road in it, so ...

 

[Kamuelaflyer]

Here's an option they list for cars with metalized windshields... although I'm not sure how I would feed about a sticker on my headlight from an aesthetics perspective

https://thetollroads.com/headlamp-sticker-transponder-installation-instructions

That strikes me as just a bit odd. Then again we left the SFO Bay Area back when Fasttrack was like a brick-sized thing.

 

[mdolan92869]

Here's an option they list for cars with metalized windshields... although I'm not sure how I would feed about a sticker on my headlight from an aesthetics perspective

https://thetollroads.com/headlamp-sticker-transponder-installation-instructions

I tried it on my car, still didn't work. Called the office and talked to one of the reps, he sent me another one to try on the outside of the windshield, very top and center. Didn't work either. The roads near me can bill me by license plate, so I'm not going to put anymore effort into it.

 

[TheSeg]

My first time crossing using my FasTrak Transponder was crossing the Bay Bridge from Oakland to SF. I placed it the same place I did on my Focus: "Under" the rear view mirror to the top-center of the windshield. I didn't get beeps, so it didn't work.

Before my next trip, I was going over the owners manual, and found the reason:

Vehicle Identification
"The device must be placed in the defined areas shown. The remainder of the windshield has a coating that prevents the device from working properly."

My next trip using the FasTrak was crossing the Richmond bridge. I placed it on the driver's side and the beeps happened a charm. Mystery Solved!

I use a boxy transponder and will continue to use one once I get HOV paperwork cleared. I don't know how this effects the sticker transponders (less surface area an issue?).

 

[macchiaz-o]

My first time crossing using my FasTrak Transponder was crossing the Bay Bridge from Oakland to SF. I placed it the same place I did on my Focus: "Under" the rear view mirror to the top-center of the windshield. I didn't get beeps, so it didn't work.

Before my next trip, I was going over the owners manual, and found the reason:

Vehicle Identification
"The device must be placed in the defined areas shown. The remainder of the windshield has a coating that prevents the device from working properly."

My next trip using the FasTrak was crossing the Richmond bridge. I placed it on the driver's side and the beeps happened a charm. Mystery Solved!

I use a boxy transponder and will continue to use one once I get HOV paperwork cleared. I don't know how this effects the sticker transponders (less surface area an issue?).

This is not in the PDF owner's manual (first printing). Really nice to see that the online HTML manual is already being updated! I expect we'll see periodic updates of the PDF, also.

The solution you found was also discussed here: https://www.macheforum.com/site/threads/ez-pass-transponder-interference.3463/

BTW the sticker transponders work fine up there, too. Unlike with my past vehicles, I don't feel the bump texture of the frits. So they may be sandwiched in between the laminated glass layers?

Ron Heiser took notice of this omission in the documentation and got it updated for us.

 

[HuntingPudel]

Oh man , I miss the pylon “barrier”. Having driven on the bridge many times before and after the zipper, it was pretty wild that the pylons were determined to be adequate safety measure.

Heh I hated driving in the left-most lane on the GG Bridge Back then.

 

[krafty81]

Ordered my sticker transponder a month ago, still not received! HOV sticker same - they have not even cashed my check!

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