Just can't get enough... subsidies for driving

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The Examiner reports in "Maryland E-ZPass users quit under new fee," that many Maryland drivers are canceling their EZ Pass accounts since the State of Maryland Transportation Authority (the tolling organization, which is different from the Maryland Transportation Administration, which runs transit) instituted a $1.50 month fee for using the system. It costs $2.25/month for managing each account, so even with the newly instituted fee, drivers are subsidized for using card. On the other hand, it might be worth 75 cents per month per driver in increased throughput and reductions in costs for counting money...

Certain toll authorities provide the transponder without charging a monthly fee, so it is possible that some people are switching to those authorities, since the EZ Pass is good in all jurisdictions that are members of the E-ZPass Interagency Group.

New York Times photo.