Illinois motorists are being offered the opportunity to convert from bulky transponder units to windshield-mounted sticker tags in coming months, but what will happen to the deposits put down on I-PASS units?
Motorists who have the transponders may or may not remember that they were assessed a $10 deposit for the usage of the devices, but we have some good news if you decide to make the switch to the new sticker tags, which are now available.
According to the Illinois Tollway, the $10 deposits will be credited to the I-PASS accounts of registered users when they convert over to the sticker tags, with those new stickers no longer requiring the deposits to be activated.
Those funds can then be used toward tolls on the Illinois Tollway system.
Individuals with transponders can continue to use them through their expiration dates according to the Tollway, but motorists are being encouraged to make the switch in coming months.
The new sticker tags are available free of charge at the Tollway’s Customer Service centers, and via the Tollway’s website, according to officials.
Each vehicle listed on an I-PASS account must have its own sticker, and those stickers will need to be registered with the Tollway.
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Stickers can also be obtained at Jewel-Osco and RoadRanger gas stations, but a retail service fee will apply for those transactions.
As for what to do with the transponders when you make the switch, Tollway officials say the devices will not need to be returned in order to get the deposit back. Instead, officials urge the public to properly dispose of the devices at facilities that handle lithium-ion batteries. A website can help motorists to find those locations.
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