New Toll Transponders Are Powered by Sunshine
Orange County’s largest toll road system will tap the power of the sun to help collect fees from thousands of motorists enrolled in the FasTrak program, which permits drivers to speed past tollbooths.
The Transportation Corridor Agencies, which operates the Eastern, Foothill and San Joaquin Hills toll roads, announced Thursday that it will offer drivers a chance to replace their battery-powered transponders with ones that use solar cells.
Transponders are pocket-sized devices placed on dashboards or windshields. When a vehicle passes toll-plaza sensors, the device electronically bills the motorist’s FasTrak account.
“No other toll-road agency is using this technology,” said Walter D. Kreutzen, TCA’s chief executive. “With the sunny weather we enjoy nearly all year, bringing solar technology to the toll roads seems to make sense.”
During a pilot program, about 5,000 of the solar transponders will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to new and existing FasTrak customers and will be available at the TCA Service Center in Irvine.
The TCA has issued about 350,000 transponders, which allow motorists to use FasTrak systems on the 91 Express Lanes on the Riverside Freeway, as well as the Foothill, Eastern and San Joaquin Hills tollways. There are also FasTrak lanes on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco and Interstate 15 in San Diego.
TCA officials said solar transponders will last about 10 years, twice as long as conventional devices, since solar cells recharge the batteries.
Because the new devices do not have to be replaced as often as the conventional ones, TCA officials estimated the 5,000 transponders will result in a group savings of $50,000 to $70,000 over 10 years.
“Not only does it reduce costs, the solar transponders are a little more convenient for customers, who will not have to replace them as often,” said Claire Climaco, a TCA spokesperson.
The TCA Service Center is at 125 Pacifica, Irvine. Hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
