Your EZ-Pass May Soon Be Obsolete in Massachusetts

If you're someone who breezes through toll lanes with an EZ-Pass stuck to your windshield, you might want to pay attention to this. That little white plastic box you've probably had in your vehicle for years may soon be a thing of the past.

Massachusetts is looking to modernize its EZ-Pass system, and the new plan is to replace those transponders with simple toll stickers.

The idea behind the change is pretty simple, yet Massachusetts seems to be one of the first states to implement it. And not everyone is happy.

This month the move is starting to be made at EZDriveMA to switch from the bulky plastic transponders to small adhesive stickers that work the same way when passing through toll readers.

How the New EZ-Pass Toll Stickers Work

These stickers have the same radio-frequency technology as current transponders thanks to a small RFID chip embedded inside. They then link to your current EZ-Pass account which is charged whenever you pass through a toll.

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While some are thrilled with the smaller sticker and its much cheaper cost to the state to produce, others aren't so happy to lose the portability of the current transponders.

Why Some Drivers Don't Like the Change

Right now you can move the transponder between vehicles whenever you need to. With a sticker attached right to the windshield, that won't be so easy.

Still, the swap is very easy and absolutely free.

How To Get a New EZ-Pass Sticker in Massachusetts

Drivers with current EZ-Pass transponders in their vehicles can either visit a MA E-ZPass Customer Service Center, stop into a local AAA branch (if you are a member) or login at www.mass.gov/ezdrivema to request a sticker be mailed to your home.

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Transponders will continue to work and remain linked to your EZ-Pass account for now, though as the new sticker program moves forward, Massachusetts may deactivate transponders.

Do New EZ-Pass Stickers Still Work in Other States?

Whether you stick with your bulky plastic EZ-Pass or update to the small sticker, all tolls will recognize the technology, regardless of if the state you are traveling in has updated to stickers themselves.

That means no issues for anyone on the SouthCoast planning to travel over the Newport Pell Bridge.