‘Toll Ahead (JFK Highway, Maryland)’
courtesy of ‘MPD01605’

The Maryland Transport Authority has reported that 19,000 users requested to close their E-ZPass accounts last month as the new $1.50/month fee went into effect on July 1. The MTA has had over 40,000 requests since January, when the fee was announced.

Officials at MTA insist the dropped accounts are a small fraction of the nearly 560,000 passes still out there, responding to the Examiner by saying the canceled accounts were from infrequent users. They claim the losses are somewhat offset by new accounts, but declined to say how many new ones they’ve received. They were quick to point out, however, that there are still over 70,000 accounts that haven’t been used in over a year. Those inactive accounts cost the state $2.25 each to maintain.

No word on how many of the drivers who canceled went over to states that don’t charge a fee.