Fast Lane on Triangle Expressway (purchase, litigation, legal)

[TVFL]

Anyone have an idea of when the NCDOT will be able to finalize the contracts to allow the use of Fast Lane transponders on the Triangle Expressway? I don't plan on using the road unless I-40 has an accident backup, so it makes no sense to purchase and fund a new transponder.

[kesco]

Originally Posted by TVFL

Anyone have an idea of when the NCDOT will be able to finalize the contracts to allow the use of Fast Lane transponders on the Triangle Expressway? I don't plan on using the road unless I-40 has an accident backup, so it makes no sense to purchase and fund a new transponder.

See this. The problem isn't NCDOT.

To quote:

Transactions with the multimode transponder and interoperability between North Carolina and E-ZPass and Florida cannot be implemented until the North Carolina legislature passes legislation to enable the state Turnpike to protect the privacy of toll transponder transactions.

At present legal opinion is that North Carolina toll transactions are subject to the state's Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) law and that therefore the Turnpike as a state agency must release all toll transaction data to anyone filing an FOIA request.

Contrary to that E-ZPass and Florida and Texas toll agencies are generally required by law to maintain toll transactions confidential except when a court order in a criminal case requires their release and then generally only to criminal investigators. In most states details of toll transactions and a motorist's whereabouts cannot be released for civil cases such as divorce litigation, let alone by FOIA.

North Carolina for the moment has no such protections of privacy of toll transactions, so other states cannot share toll transaction data, and there cannot be interoperability.

NCDOT has been pushing a bill to provide toll transaction privacy but it didn't get through in the last legislative session. It will be pushed again in the 2012 session, we're told.

[Sherifftruman]

Wow. Funny they don't mention this in any of their literature. I think most people assume the toll records would not be released since other states don't do it.

Then again everything about the Turnpike Authority was rushed anyway so no wonder this fell through the cracks too.

[zinner]

I plan on obscuring my plate and running the toll booths. LOL

[Rich6896]

Originally Posted by zinner

I plan on obscuring my plate and running the toll booths. LOL

I thought about pickup trucks with their tailgates down.....