Port Authority Green Pass program

[robertm]

Originally Posted by r2d2rd

I live in Jersey and got a NY green ez pass. No problems.

I don't think it is related to where you live. It is dependent upon the issuing authority of your EZ Pass tag. Mine was issued by NJ and they have no discount plan. If your tag was issued the the Port Authority then they will give you a green tag.

Please let us know if you have a NJ tag or not. I am hoping one day NJ tag holders will not be second class PA citizens.

Rob

[SparrowHawk60]

We need an update to this post! What's the story with linking the Green Pass programs together? Has anyone managed to get this done and have it work correctly?

[Bababooey]

When I cross any of the PANYNJ bridges or tunnels during off-peak hours, I am charged $4.00 for the toll instead of $6.00.

The only negative of having an EZPass issued through the Port Authority is the fact that, unlike the NYS Thruway Authority and MTA Bridges & Tunnels, they charge a $1.00 per month "administrative fee".

I recently traveled on the New York State Thruway from Albany to Harriman, and after I received my EZPass statement, I noticed that I was charged the regular toll. Previously, I was told by the brain dead nit-wits at the EZPass Service Center that my Green Pass account would be linked so I would get the 10% discount on the NYS Thuway, but I guess that I was lied to!

I have recently moved back to the NYC Metropolitan Area after living upstate for 5 years, so at least I can drive in the HOV lane on the Long Island Expressway during rush hour!

Fortunately, I won't be traveling on the facilities of the NYS Thruway Authority very often, so the fact that my Green Pass was never linked is no longer an issue!

[Boo]

Originally Posted by Bababooey

The only negative of having an EZPass issued through the Port Authority is the fact that, unlike the NYS Thruway Authority and MTA Bridges & Tunnels, they charge a $1.00 per month "administrative fee".

Holy cow, I never knew that. Don't remember ever seeing that $1 monthly charge mentioned on the websites or applications. In any event, it's not right. I too am angry about it.

[Boo]

Originally Posted by Bababooey

The only negative of having an EZPass issued through the Port Authority is the fact that, unlike the NYS Thruway Authority and MTA Bridges & Tunnels, they charge a $1.00 per month "administrative fee".

Baba,

I just remembered my PIN so I saw my EZPass statement for my PA Green Pass Tag for the first time. Yup. Had $1 a month charged to it for "Account Service Fee".

Did some research on the net. Turns out that the PA may have been one of the first of the EZPass issuing agencies to charge this $1 a month fee. But I hear other agencies (maybe all of them?) have followed suit. I found this 2005 article in the NY Times saying that the MTA was going to start imposing the same fee:

Metro Briefing | New York: M.T.A. To Charge E-ZPass Service Fee - New York Times

Then I checked one of my old MTA EZPass statements from 2005-2006, and sure enough, it had the $1 a month Account Service Fee too.

Still think the whole thing stinks. Not necessarily because of the fee itself. But more because of the lack of notice and the switch and bait aspect of it all.

[fordan]

Anyone use their Green Passes for the Delaware River Port Authority (Philadelphia) bridges, or the discount on the NJ Turnpike & Parkway? Info on the DRPA discount is here, info on the NJ Turnpike/Parkway discount is here. Both say they require a NJ EZPass; I'm curious how much the various Green Pass programs are sharing data if at all.

(thread necromancy is fun. It seems appropriate since it's about the topic of Green Passes)

[MEATHEAD]

I ahve my green e-z pass very easy to switch I went to newark Ez pass customer care center they ran my resistration I got my pass immediately and exchanged my old one right then and there. I was told that I couldnt use my green pass for 24 hrs until it activated. No big deal i wasn't going anywhere

Pleasenet experience and happy with discounts I drive parkway everyday


ALso told my friend who also has a prius and she got the green passs as well


Also i heard rumors to be confirmed that we wil nto have to pay the mthyl maintence fee of a dolllar or the electronic feee which i think is also a dollar as well

[Boo]

Originally Posted by MEATHEAD

....Also i heard rumors to be confirmed that we wil nto have to pay the mthyl maintence fee of a dolllar or the electronic feee which i think is also a dollar as well

I have the Port Authority Green Pass and they take out $1 dollar a month, just like they did with my old, ordinary, white MTA Bridges and Tunnel pass.

In the good old days, they didn't charge that $1 monthly fee.

[xypeter]

I have the answer to this. I have a NYSTA green pass from the New York State Thruway Authority. NYSTA green passes give you both Port Authority and NYSTA discounts, but the Port Authority ones give you only the Port Authority discounts. So just make sure you get NYSTA. My beef is with New Jersey (where I live) ... NYTP and DRBA give NJ greenpass holders a discount, but not me with my NY one. Why all these agencies can't coordinate their greenpass tolls, I have no idea.

[osiris12]

Originally Posted by SparrowHawk60

New York State is impossible to deal with! This Green Pass E-Z pass is in no way easy to acquire. I did get mine today, along with a print out of my account which explains which pass goes with what car. I now have four of these lovely things!
Well, even though I have mailed NYS the changes I have made over the past few years, they still did not have my information correct! (I've changed three of my cars but kept the same Vanity Plates over the years.)
Went to the web site: WWW.e-zpassNY.com and again sent off my corrected information. I don't need a "violation notice" because the wrong tag is in the wrong car, or the car doesn't match the tag it's been issued.
New York State didn't answer any of the questions I asked when I sent my letter to request a Green Pass! That's really annoying, and further frustrates acquiring this "special pass"!
New York State is impossible to deal with! This Green Pass E-Z pass is in no way easy to acquire. I did get mine today, along with a print out of my account which explains which pass goes with what car. I now have four of these lovely things!
Well, even though I have mailed NYS the changes I have made over the past few years, they still did not have my information correct! (I've changed three of my cars but kept the same Vanity Plates over the years.)
Went to the web site: WWW.e-zpassNY.com and again sent off my corrected information. I don't need a "violation notice" because the wrong tag is in the wrong car, or the car doesn't match the tag it's been issued.
New York State didn't answer any of the questions I asked when I sent my letter to request a Green Pass! That's really annoying, and further frustrates acquiring this "special pass"!
I have found some of the information I've been looking for.
1) The Thruway Green Pass and the Port Authority Green Pass are two different and distinct Passes. You'd need both to get the bridge/tunnel discounts and the Thruway discounts. You'd need two separate accounts as well, one with the Port Authority and one with the Thruway Authority.
2) The Green Pass can not be combined with other discount plans!
So I now need two passes for my Prius. One is the Green Pass for the Thruway, the other is a regular white pass with the NYS Bridge plan.
Only time will tell if this pass has been worth the hassle of acquiring.
Maybe, and that's a huge maybe, NYS will get it's act together and start combining this passes. There is no reason why this can't be done, it's a simple radio transmitter that can be easily programmed. (Well maybe it's to simple? So put another transmitted in the tag housing!)
Good luck to those who wish to obtain this pass!

Some info: not found on the Green Pass site, but found on the E-Z pass site with some digging!
Plan Code: (GREEN) Thruway Green Pass Discount Plan**: Receive a special 10% discount on all Thruway facilities for Hybrid vehicles that get at least 45 miles to the gallon and meet specific emissions standards as outlined on the Authority’s website www.nysthruway.gov. Cannot be combined with commuter plans.
Plan Code: (PAGRN) Port Authority Green Pass Discount Plan**: Eligible vehicles receive a 50% discount off the cash toll rate during off-peak hours at all Port Authority crossings. A special green tag is issued to qualified vehicles that meet the specific emissions standards as outlined on the Port Authority's website at www.panynj.info
Plan Code: (NYSBA) - New York State Bridge Authority Discount Plan Receive a $0.50 discount ($0.50 versus the $1.00 cash rate) on the Rip Van Winkle, Kingston-Rhinecliff, Mid-Hudson, Newburgh- Beacon, and the Bear Mountain bridges. A minimum of 17 trips per month is required. If fewer than 17 trips are taken per month, you will be charged $0.50 for each trip not taken. This plan is assigned to a specific E-ZPass Tag.

HELP. My wife is trying to fill out the EX Pass application for NY to travel over the Newburg-Beacon bridge. We're trying to figure out what PLAN CODE to put in. She has a 2001 Prius. So I'm figuring on using the NYSB code. But what do I put in the REQUIRED PREPAYMENT box next to it. It has a $ sign. According to your quote above, it cuts the price in half if we use more than 17 trips; and she does.

So do we take 50% off of the aplication fee of $25.00 or just pay the $25. It's soooooooo confusing....