E-ZPass Plus introduced to New York Avenue garage

The South Jersey Transportation Authority is equipping the facility with E-ZPass Plus. It is the first installation in an urban garage in a New Jersey city.

The system enables anyone with an E-ZPass account that is backed by a credit card in good standing to simply take a ticket upon entry and put it in an electronic reader when exiting the parking garage. It is located between Atlantic and Pacific avenues, convenient walking distance from many casinos and Atlantic City’s shopping and entertainment venues. The new system will not effect the payment choices currently offered. Cash and credit card payments still will be accepted.

Officials of the South Jersey Transportation Authority opened the New York Avenue parking garage for E-ZPass Plus customers in a ceremony Friday, Nov. 18, at 10:30 a.m.

“E-ZPass Plus is another service of the South Jersey Transportation Authority enhancing customer convenience in the future. We want to harness technology for our patrons,” said Authority Chairman Frank Spencer.

Using the new system is E-Z. Eligible customers take a ticket as usual upon entry. When leaving, they should insert the parking ticket into the electronic reader at the cashier’s booth and select the E-ZPass Plus option from the prompts. The rest is automatic. The fee will be charged to the E-ZPass account – unless it exceeds $20, when it will be charged directly to the backup credit card account. When the driver takes the receipt, the gate opens.

In addition to the parking garage, the South Jersey Transportation Authority owns and operates the Atlantic City Expressway, Atlantic City International Airport, and parking lots at the airport and on Fairmount and Atlantic avenues in Atlantic City.

“The SJTA is proud to be the first state agency in New Jersey to offer E-ZPass Plus at a downtown garage,” said Acting Exective Director James Iannone.

E-ZPass Plus is offered at the three metropolitan New York airports, including Newark, where a third of their parking patrons use it. E-ZPass account holders who replenish their accounts by credit card are automatically enrolled for E-ZPass Plus. Prepaid and commercial account holders must set up E-ZPass Plus at the customer service center of their issuing agency.

“We’re planning to install E-ZPass Plus at our two other parking facilities in Atlantic City in 2006,” Chairman Spencer said. “We’ll offer it at the Airport as soon as our parking garage project there is completed. In the meantime we’re looking for opportunities in the private sector where there’s a good fit.”