Reduce unnecessary delays at weigh stations and toll booths
By Linda Yates, The Expediters Consultant
Now more than ever individual owner operators and fleets need to focus on ways to minimize expenses and operate efficiently. One of the best ways to accomplish that is to evaluate your current operations and implement solutions that will help you save money and improve the efficiency of essential daily operations.
There are many unknown situations, such as traffic,
accidents and weather conditions that drivers will encounter in going from point A to point B which could delay the timeliness of reaching their destination. However there are known factors, such as weight station stops and lengthy lines at toll booths that will undoubtedly cause delays in route.
When traveling on toll roads a driver must also be prepared with enough cash to pay the fees in order to continue to his destination. Of course there is also the task of retaining the toll
receipts in order to accurately account for expenses. There’s no doubt that travel delays and out of pocket cash expenses present the greatest challenges for over the road drivers.
Fortunately there are solutions available that can help drivers reduce unnecessary delays and eliminate having to put out the cash on certain toll roads. Many fleets are utilizing weigh station bypass programs, such as NORPASS & PrePass and automated toll collection programs, such as EZPASS, which all
use the RFID transponder technology.
There is even yet another solution, BESTPASS, which integrates a fleet's participation in any combination of NORPASS, PrePass or EZPASS. Instead of having multiple RFID transponders in each truck and several accounts to manage, BESTPASS enables participation in multiple programs through the use of one transponder and one master account. What's even better is that the BESTPASS system cuts toll costs for fleets of all sizes while simplifying payment,
all at no additional cost to the fleet.
BESTPASS is a subsidiary of the New York State Motor Truck Association, and was originally created to help association members earn higher volume discounts on automated E-ZPass tolls for the N.Y. State Thruway. BESTPASS set up a master account with the thruway in which they would pay the thruway authority and maintain the bond. This enabled E-ZPass to have just a single contact for hundreds of customers, which helps cut down their administrative
costs. Due to the success of the program and advanced data collection processes developed by BESTPASS, its system expanded to offer efficiencies to all motor carrier operations by saving time and money at tollbooths and weigh stations across the United States.
BESTPASS offers fleets between 5% and 15% volume discounts and now serves for automated toll collection in many states including: Delaware, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania,
Virginia & West Virginia as well as integration for both the PrePass and NORPASS weight station bypass network states.
BESTPASS is a free service open to truck fleets of all types and sizes, and does not require membership in any state trucking association. What they do is help you step by step through the enrollment processes for toll and weight station bypass programs that you want to participate in. BESTPASS can help you pick the right combination for your operation while
offering savings on your tolls through the availability of volume discounts. The really appealing part is that BESTPASS is not only for large fleets but it can provide savings for fleets of all sizes which means even owner-operators can benefit! Even if you are already enrolled in the separate programs, BESTPASS will analyze your usage and needs and may likely be able to save you money and improve your customer service.
In most areas cash is the most expensive way to pay for tolls.
Since BESTPASS has no monthly fees, it saves you time and money on the very same things you do as part of your daily operations of going from point A to point B, but without having to pay by the fees on the spot. You don't even have to worry about keeping track of your toll receipts because the BESTPASS system keeps track of all your activity.
For more information about how BESTPASS can provide the solution for maximum toll savings, eliminating having to pay cash at certain tollbooths
and eliminating unnecessary weight station stops, call 518-458-9696 or visit their website at www.bestpass.org! # | 
