Ticket system

For the IT term, see issue tracking system.

A ticket system, also known as a closed toll collection system, is a system used on some toll roads in which a user pays a toll rate based on the distance traveled from their originating entrance to their destination exit.

A toll ticket formerly used on the Pennsylvania Turnpike

The correct toll is determined by requiring all users to take a ticket from a machine or from an attendant when entering the system. The ticket prominently displays the location (or exit number) from which it was issued and may contain a precomputed chart of toll rates for each exit. Upon arrival at the toll booth at the destination exit, the user presents the ticket to the toll collector, who determines the correct toll. If no ticket is presented (i.e. the ticket is lost), generally the highest possible toll is charged. For this kind of system to work, toll plazas must be built and staffed at all entrances and exits to the toll road (hence the "closed" name). Most ticket-based toll roads today use an electronic toll collection system as an alternative. In this case, sensors at both the entry and exit toll plazas read the vehicle's transponder and the correct toll is deducted from the user's account; no ticket is necessary.

First employed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike when it opened in 1940,^[1] the ticket system has been utilized on lengthy toll highways in which the exits are spread out over a distance on an average of 7 to 10 miles (11 to 16 km) per exit.

Highways where used

• New Jersey Turnpike—entire length, including Newark Bay Extension and Pearl Harbor Extension^{[2][better source needed]}
• Kansas Turnpike—entire length^[3]
• Ohio Turnpike—entire length^[4]
• Indiana Toll Road—between Portage Toll Plaza and Eastpoint Toll Plaza^{[5][better source needed]}
• Turner Turnpike and Will Rogers Turnpike in Oklahoma—both use a modified ticket-based toll collection system that places only one mainline toll plaza on the highway, roughly halfway through the length of the road. Under this system, traffic exiting before reaching the mainline toll plaza pays at the exit. Also, traffic entering at said interchange heading away from the mainline toll plaza pays before entering the highway, but traffic entering heading toward the mainline toll plaza receives a ticket. Traffic heading away from the mainline toll plaza that exits before reaching the end of the toll road turns in their receipt they received when paying their toll and receives a refund for the unused portion of the toll roads.^{[6][better source needed]}

Highways that formerly used the ticket system

• Maine Turnpike—between York Toll Plaza and New Gloucester Toll Plaza (replaced by fixed-point barrier system in late-1990s)^[7]
• Massachusetts Turnpike—between West Stockbridge and Weston (replaced by open road tolling in 2016)^[8]
• New York State Thruway—between Ripley Toll Plaza and West Seneca Toll Plaza west of Buffalo, and between Williamsville Toll Plaza and Woodbury Toll Plaza east of Buffalo on the mainline, and the Berkshire Connector (replaced by open road tolling in 2020)^[9]
• Pennsylvania Turnpike—replaced by all-electronic tolling in March 2020^[10]
• Illinois Tollway (Northwest Tollway (now Jane Addams Tollway) - between Elgin Toll Plaza and South Beloit Toll Plaza (replaced by fixed-toll barriers in late-1970s)
• West Virginia Turnpike–entire length (replaced by fixed-point toll barrier system in late-1980s)
• A1 motorway (Slovenia)—between Ljubljana and Koper (replaced by vignette in 2008)^[11]
• Florida's Turnpike—between Lantana Toll Plaza and Three Lakes Toll Plaza; replaced with all-electronic tolling in November 2021^[12]

See also

• Electronic ticket

References

1. Kissel, Kelly. "50-Year-Old Pennsylvania Turnpike Provided Modern Road to Future : Transportation: The 160-mile route through the Appalachian Mountains was the precursor of the interstate highway system". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
2. "How do I pay tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike? - New Jersey Forum - TripAdvisor". www.tripadvisor.com. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
3. "Frequently Asked Questions". Kansas Turnpike Authority. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
4. Sims, Damon; Group, Northeast Ohio Media. "Ohio Turnpike to let drivers pay tolls with credit, debit cards". cleveland.com. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
5. "Indiana Toll Road Booths- Automated ?". forum.studebakerdriversclub.com. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
6. "Will Rogers Turnpike Toll Question". AARoads Forum. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
7. "Do You Remember The Old Toll Booth Ticketing System In Maine?". WCYY. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
8. O'Brien, Tim. "Cashless tolling begins on Mass Pike". timesunion. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
9. "Governor Cuomo Announces Cashless Tolling to Go Live Overnight on NYS Thruway's Ticketed System Beginning Friday, November 13, More Than a Month Ahead of Schedule". www.governor.ny.gov. Albany, NY. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
10. Tierney, Jacob (June 2, 2020). "Pennsylvania Turnpike to lay off 500 employees, make cashless tolling permanent". TribLive. Retrieved June 2, 2020.
11. "Driving regulations in Austria: driver license, speed limits & car rental". www.austria.info. Retrieved February 16, 2019.
12. "Traveler Info". Florida's Turnpike - The Less Stressway. Retrieved February 16, 2019.