Port Authority Green Pass program

[Nick the Reporter]

Hello, everyone. I'm a reporter with The Record in Bergen County looking for Prius or Civic Hybrid drivers who might be interested in the Port Authority's toll discount program for drivers of those cars.

Prius and Civic Hybrid drivers would pay $4 instead of $6 to cross the authority's bridges and tunnels during off-peak hours. Peak times are 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. The authority sets tolls on the G.W. Bridge, the Outerbridge, the Goethals, and on the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels.

Please write me at clunn@northjersey.com if you are planning, or thinking about, signing up. I'd be interested to talk to you.

Thanks,

Nick Clunn
The Record

[Doc Willie]

I would like to know if my NYS Thruway green EZ Pass would qualify me.

[JimN]

This page provides toll & contact info for the Port Authority.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey - Bridges

[tbirdhs]

I wonder if they will take pictures everytime its used to see if its on the correct vehicle. Some times we use our crv across the bridge.

[eurosteve]

I just got my new NYS Thruway green EZ Pass in the mail. Very nice, very green. Should get the usual bridge discounts plus 10% off thruway tolls. I'm not sure what the reporter was referencing, if not this pass...

[northjersey]

I just went to the Newark EZ Pass office to get a Green Pass only to learn that New Jersey is NOT offering the Green Pass. Boo hiss! So I wrote to the Gov. and my State Rep... not much else I think I can do.

Can NJ residents who use the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels apply for the NY Green Pass?? Methinks not, but if anyone from NJ has an NY EZ Pass, do chime in.

Cheers!

[Boo]

Originally Posted by northjersey

I just went to the Newark EZ Pass office to get a Green Pass only to learn that New Jersey is NOT offering the Green Pass. Boo hiss! So I wrote to the Gov. and my State Rep... not much else I think I can do.

Can NJ residents who use the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels apply for the NY Green Pass?? Methinks not, but if anyone from NJ has an NY EZ Pass, do chime in.

Cheers!

That's odd. The Port Authority rules for the Green Pass that Jim linked above says that it applies to all Port Authority crossings. They even provide info for one NY and one NJ walk in center to apply for the Green Pass.

[SparrowHawk60]

Originally Posted by Doc Willie

I would like to know if my NYS Thruway green EZ Pass would qualify me.

Doesn't look that way:
"The Port Authority Green Pass is an E-Z Pass that may be used at any crossing or road that accepts E-Z Pass as a form of toll payment. However, unlike the white "regular" E-Z Pass tag, Port Authority Green Pass users pay only $4 when they use their tag at Port Authority crossings during off-peak hours. The Port Authority Green Pass is accepted at all crossings and roads that accept E-Z Pass, however, the Port Authority Green Pass discount only applies to Port Authority crossings."
So any bridge north of the George Washington will not be discounted. (NYS Bridge Authority) Tolls on the NYS Thruway will not be discounted. (NYS Thruway Authority) E-Z Pass does offer commuter discounts.
My thoughts on the matter:
I'm going to apply for one. For vanity reasons alone, this pass will match my Silver Pine Mica a bit better than the white one. I have three E-Z passes, the Prius is the one car that will be used most and currently has a commuter pass in it, the pass will be easier to identify now that it will be green. The more of us New Yorkers who apply for this pass, will hopefully show the State that there is an interest in "Green Car Folks" saving a little pocket change. Maybe with enough interest we could lobby to have the discounts intended further to the north.
I enjoy using my E-Z Pass while traveling to Cape Cod, Mass. and south to Rehobeth Beach, Del. It's saved us a tremendos amount of time on some trips. The E-Z Pass speed lanes are fantastic, you can go right through them at highway speed!

[SparrowHawk60]

Originally Posted by northjersey

...
Can NJ residents who use the Lincoln and Holland Tunnels apply for the NY Green Pass?? Methinks not, but if anyone from NJ has an NY EZ Pass, do chime in.
Cheers!

I cannot find any restrictions nor any requirements that you have to be a NY resident or have your vehicle registered in NY to obtain an NY E-Z pass on any of the E-Z Pass web sites.
I know I've used my NY E-Z pass while traveling on the Garden State Parkway without any problems.
It is by the way The New York and New Jersey Port Authority.

[ny biker]

When I first got an ez pass it was from NY (Port Authority), even though I was living in DC at the time. They didn't care where I lived. I used it at the tolls on I95 in MD and DE, the Delaware Memorial Bridge, the NJ Turnpike and various bridges in NYC.

After a few years they started to charge a monthly fee, and meanwhile down here in Virginia they made the Smarttag program compatible with ezpass and there was no fee for it, so I turned in the ezpass and got a smarttag instead.