Getting a tolltag

[IronTiger]

Hey guys, I hope this is the right topic for this, but the time is fast approaching where it would be really convenient to get a tolltag right now, as that's the wave of the future and I don't want to carry around a fistful of quarters to stop at toll plazas, plus access the ones freely without such plazas. Anyway, I was going to ask a few questions about the toll tag.

 

1) I read somewhere that the ones used for Dallas, Houston, and Austin are all interchangeable, but some require an activation fee and some don't. Which one should I get to avoid the fee?

 

2) If I get a toll tag, will that work for every toll highway in Texas, or is it locked into one account for one highway system?

[Luminare]

Get the TxTag. You don't have to pay for the up front costs (believe $15 for EZtag). Plus its guaranteed to work on all toll roads in the state. 

[Ross]

Second the txtag. Far nicer folks than eztag

[IronTiger]

So I get the TxTag, but an HCTRA account, or what? The FAQ on the site says that "different tag types may not be placed on one account."

[cspwal]

You don't need an HCTRA account if you have a TxTag - when you go through EzTag lanes, they will deduct from you TxTag like it was an EzTag.  You manage it online through the same account you setup to get the TxTag

https://www.txtag.org/en/signup/step1.shtml

[Triton]

Interesting. This is cool to learn about.

 

Well, I have the Eztag and it worked in Austin along the East Manor Expressway. Maybe I should switch to Txtag? Doesn't the Eztag work in most cities?

[cspwal]

They all work in all cities in Texas now I think.  The differences are more in the startup fees

[mollusk]

My EZTag worked on the West Virginia Turnpike.

 

Your mileage may vary.  

[Luminare]

They all work in all cities in Texas now I think.  The differences are more in the startup fees

 

Setup fees and minimum money needed in account before it reloads.

[DNAguy]

Setup fees and minimum money needed in account before it reloads.

 

TxTag: No start up fee (comes preloaded w/ the cost of the tag) and reloads in $20 increments.

 

EZtag: Costs $15 for the privilege and reloads in $30 increments.

 

There are zero benefits of an EZtag over a TxTag. 

 

When I got my TxTag at a local AAA store 3 to 5 years ago or so, the incentive was even better. It cost $15 for a AAA member and it came w/ $20 pre-loaded on it. I made $ by getting one...... then, of course, I started using it.

 

Yeah, the state recouped that $5 many, MANY times over.

Edited September 10, 2015 by DNAguy

[Fringe]

Got to admit this is the first I've heard of TX tag but I may give it a try. I have 5 vehicles under my EZ tag. May switch them all over. 

[102IAHexpress]

 

There are zero benefits of an EZtag over a TxTag. 

 

That is true now. But if I remember correctly in the early days of TxTag there were a lot of fines being dished out to TXTag users on EZTag lanes.

 

The issue was with license plates. Back then TxTag did not require license plate info during enrollment.

 

Sometimes when you go through an EZTag toll the reader does not read your tag. There are lots of reasons for this and it actually happens a lot. What EZTag does when this happens is they go back to the photo taken and they match up your license plate with your account. So no problem.

 

But if you had a TXTag and you didn't have your license plate info on file (because it was not a requirement back then) and the EZTag lane did not read your tag then when the EZtag officer looked at the photo, they would not be able to match up your plate. so you would get a fine in the mail even though you did everything right on your end.

 

Like I said I don't think that's an issue anymore because I think TXTag now requires license plate info.