Forget transponders with Peasy’s nationwide pay-as-you-go toll service

Traveling on U.S. toll roads and bridges just got easier. A new service will let you leave E-ZPass, FasTrak, or other cashless toll payment transponders at home. Verra Mobility just announced Peasy, a nationwide pay-as-you-go toll subscription service.

Peasy covers 95 percent of U.S. toll lanes and bridges, according to Verra Mobility. If you already have a transponder or toll tag, you can continue to use those accounts, and Peasy will be a backup in case pre-deposited funds run low on previously established accounts.

With or without transponders or tags, however, with a Peasy subscription, you can drive through regular toll stations or fast lanes and Peasy will pay the toll while you drive along.

With Peasy, you don’t have to fumble for transponders or switch them between vehicles. You can also add additional vehicles to your account easily.

You don’t need to pre-fund toll accounts with a Peasy subscription nor do you have to pay attention to account balances or pay late fees. Peasy also helps you track toll expenses with monthly statements.

Account setup and charges

To set up a Peasy account, fill out a simple form and upload photos of your vehicle license plate and the credit card you want Peasy to use for toll billing.

Peasy account subscriptions have both an annual fee and per-toll transaction fees. An introductory subscription rate is $3o per year, billed annually. After an unspecified introductory period, the annual rate will increase to $40. Additional vehicles on the same account will cost $18 per year.

Each time you go through a toll, your credit card will be charged a transaction fee in addition to the toll. The transaction fee is $.016 each for tolls less than $3 and $.033 for tolls that are $3 or more.

Peasy coverage details

The Peasy U.S. state coverage map shows which states are and are not enrolled with the service. According to the map, 16 states do not charge highway tolls, so of course enrollment isn’t necessary.

Seven states that do charge tolls, including Alabama, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Oklahoma, and South Carolina, have not enrolled with Peasy as of the service launch date. If you travel in those states, check back with the Peasy map for enrollment updates.

The rest of the states are enrolled with Peasy, and the company refers to them as “Peasy-Enabled.” Some enrolled states have exceptions, though, and generally this means they support pre-existing services such as E-ZPass on the East Coast or FasTrack on the West Coast. The exceptions for applicable states are annotated on the map.

Verra Mobility has previously worked with commercial fleets and rental car companies for toll management. With that background experience, the company now offers Peasy as a consumer convenience service that can save time and hassle often associated with traditional transponder-based toll payment accounts.

Peasy isn’t the only new toll payment system. SiriusXM recently announced its acquisition of PayTollo, a mobile toll payment platform currently accepted in Florida and California. And Audi recently announced the e-Tron all-electric SUV would have an Integrated Toll Module to make U.S. highway toll payments.