EZpass Flex can never tell I have 3+ people in the car

[Anonymous]

I pretty regularly drive on the 66 toll lanes outside the Beltway. If I have 3 people in the car, we qualify for a toll-free ride. I always, always get an alert from EZpass that I didn't have enough people for toll-free. Sometimes it's a warning, and sometimes it's a charge that I have to challenge.

I know it's an automated detection system, not a human, but -- my kid in the back seat is 5 feet tall, plus there's often someone in the other back seat, and two adults up front. I drive a compact SUV and my windows are not tinted. It really seems like any working system would see us! Are other drivers waving arms or something when they enter the lanes?

[Anonymous]

Did you move the slider thing on the ez pass? I thought that was how the system knew how many people there were.

[Anonymous]

I don't know, but I got a warning too so I've started having my kid take a photo showing us all in the car in case I ever get a charge I have to challenge. Do you win the challenges?

[Anonymous]

I commute with two kids in car seats and get dinged with a fine about twice a week. I have won on appeal every time but it takes significant time. Also, I have “lost” on appeal and I asked for the photo and it wasn’t even my car!

I have also gotten pulled over for appearing to cheat the HOV lanes - which I wasn’t - and the cop was so angry he was wrong. I had to sit on the shoulder for 30 min while I assume he ran my tags/ wasted my time. This was after he saw I had 3.

[Anonymous]

The HOV lane companies are a bunch of con artists.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I pretty regularly drive on the 66 toll lanes outside the Beltway. If I have 3 people in the car, we qualify for a toll-free ride. I always, always get an alert from EZpass that I didn't have enough people for toll-free. Sometimes it's a warning, and sometimes it's a charge that I have to challenge.

I know it's an automated detection system, not a human, but -- my kid in the back seat is 5 feet tall, plus there's often someone in the other back seat, and two adults up front. I drive a compact SUV and my windows are not tinted. It really seems like any working system would see us! Are other drivers waving arms or something when they enter the lanes?

https://www.ezpassva.com/about/
Are you using the slider on the EZPass Flex?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I pretty regularly drive on the 66 toll lanes outside the Beltway. If I have 3 people in the car, we qualify for a toll-free ride. I always, always get an alert from EZpass that I didn't have enough people for toll-free. Sometimes it's a warning, and sometimes it's a charge that I have to challenge.

I know it's an automated detection system, not a human, but -- my kid in the back seat is 5 feet tall, plus there's often someone in the other back seat, and two adults up front. I drive a compact SUV and my windows are not tinted. It really seems like any working system would see us! Are other drivers waving arms or something when they enter the lanes?

What are you people talking about? 1) You need to have the Flex Transponder, 2) It is not an automated system, you the human have to manually move the switch on the transponder?

From the EZ Pass Website:
"When you have the required number of people in your vehicle for that roadway, you can simply slide the switch to the right and the Flex transponder will display "HOV ON." Do this before entering the roadway and you can ride the designated Express Lanes at a discounted toll rate. For those riding with fewer than the required number of people in the vehicle, just slide the switch all the way to the left, covering the words "HOV ON," and travel the designated Express Lanes at the posted toll rate. E-ZPass Flex also works like a standard E-ZPass on all other toll roads wherever E-ZPass is accepted regardless of the position of the switch."

[Anonymous]

OP knows how to use the EZ Pass Flex. There is no need to be condescending. She is saying that she uses the EZ Pass Flex but is being accused of not having the required 3 people in the car (i.e., cheating the system) even when she does have 3 people in the car.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP knows how to use the EZ Pass Flex. There is no need to be condescending. She is saying that she uses the EZ Pass Flex but is being accused of not having the required 3 people in the car (i.e., cheating the system) even when she does have 3 people in the car.

Actually no where does she say she has the EZ Pass Flex. You'd be surprised at the number of people who don't. Get the Flex.

[Anonymous]

Even when you do things correctly there is video review and if they think you do not have enough people they email you and tell you they will charge you the fee unless you respond. I responded once and it was taken care of. At least there is no penalty fee.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The HOV lane companies are a bunch of con artists.

Exactly this. They will rack and rack charges for the same thing and ignore entrees to counter. I had almost $1k in fees, not because my pass failed or didn't have enough folks in the car, but because I started using our 'spare pass' after forgetting the regular one in a rental.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP knows how to use the EZ Pass Flex. There is no need to be condescending. She is saying that she uses the EZ Pass Flex but is being accused of not having the required 3 people in the car (i.e., cheating the system) even when she does have 3 people in the car.

Thank you. OP here, yes per the subject line I have EZ Pass Flex and yes the transponder is set to HOV. I am getting emails that say an automated review of camera footage did not see enough people in my car.

I have won all the challenges so far, but it's a pain. Also there is no way to challenge a "friendly warning" but they make it sound like multiple warnings = penalty. It seems very scammy to me.

[Anonymous]

This is weird because we've never had an issue using the HOV3+ transponder and my wife is usually sitting in the middle back seat of our car between our two kids (fussy toddler + 5 year old). So our front passenger seat is usually empty!

I just checked our account and it seems to have properly credited us with (0.00) charge every time we had 3+ in our Subaru Outback over the past year.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This is weird because we've never had an issue using the HOV3+ transponder and my wife is usually sitting in the middle back seat of our car between our two kids (fussy toddler + 5 year old). So our front passenger seat is usually empty!

I just checked our account and it seems to have properly credited us with (0.00) charge every time we had 3+ in our Subaru Outback over the past year.

I get hit all the time when I have two kids in the back seat

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I pretty regularly drive on the 66 toll lanes outside the Beltway. If I have 3 people in the car, we qualify for a toll-free ride. I always, always get an alert from EZpass that I didn't have enough people for toll-free. Sometimes it's a warning, and sometimes it's a charge that I have to challenge.

I know it's an automated detection system, not a human, but -- my kid in the back seat is 5 feet tall, plus there's often someone in the other back seat, and two adults up front. I drive a compact SUV and my windows are not tinted. It really seems like any working system would see us! Are other drivers waving arms or something when they enter the lanes?

I just have a few inflatable dummies sitting on top of gym weights, one in the passenger seat and one in the back. Gets the job done. Allows me to drive toll-free on the HOV lanes all the time. Easy as pie.