The NYS Thruway now has 100 percent cashless tolling. To make paying tolls even easier, AAA highly recommends using E-ZPass for the most convenient toll payment to avoid billing by mail. According to the NYS Thruway Authority, Erie and Monroe Counties are the highest billing by-mail areas. In fact, more than 25 percent of non-E-ZPass customers in New York are from Erie and Monroe Counties. A missed bill can lead to hefty penalties and late fees.

Why deal with the hassle of mail and potential late fees? E-ZPass is available for purchase at all AAA Travel & Insurance Centers with a retail price of $25, which includes a $25 preloaded balance. AAA members can save $1.

Once you do have E-ZPass, make sure it is properly mounted in your vehicle. Otherwise, the tag won’t be read properly while you’re traveling on the Thruway, and you’ll be charged the tolls-by-mail rate.

The tolls-by-mail rate is 30 percent higher than the E-ZPass NY toll rate. E-ZPass instructs users to mount the E-ZPass tag to the inside of the windshield near the rearview mirror. External E-ZPass tags can be mounted to a vehicle’s front bumper near the license plate.

Find your nearest AAA Travel & Insurance Center now.

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