i-Fume

When "My Man Mitch" leased out the toll road, I was among the many who didn't particularly like the idea. I'm thinking, "If someone else can make money at it, why can't we?" I'm not all that fond of toll roads. Haven't they recouped the cost of the road by now? I guess "Once a toll road, always a toll road". If anyone knows of a toll road that became a freeway, I'd be interested in hearing it.

It's been awhile since the toll road was leased and I've gotten over it. Then this spring Barb and I took a long weekend and flew out to Phoenix from O'Hare. What was I thinking? Was it really saving me money by driving to Chicago to catch my plane? I need to calculate the cost before I do that again. When we returned, the fares on the Indiana Toll Road had increased by 50%. What previously cost $2 now cost $3. I'm thinking now that it wouldn't take too many trips to recoup the cost of getting an i-Zoom. With the i-Zoom I pay the old rates. The materials though indicated there would be a $1 a month maintenance fee. There went any savings I had hoped to garner. I don't use it that much. Then recently I found out that the fee is waived if you have your account replenished from your checking account. With a trip to Wisconsin coming up, i-Zoom's reduced fare on the toll road and the Zooming through the Illinois tolls became attractive.

We left work that Friday at noon, I dropped off Barb at home and Zoomed over to the i-Zoom Customer Care Center which was a few miles away to get my handy dandy transponder which I would reluctantly attach to my windshield. As I was making the transaction, I heard them say "It will take up to two hours to become active in Indiana, and up to 48 hours in other states." Rats! That meant full tolls heading to Wisconsin and stop and go at the Illinois toll booths. But at least it would be functional when I returned...or so I thought.

On the return trip home I was gleeful as I Zoomed through the special lanes on the Illinois Tollway. I had no idea if it was working or not. Once through Chicago, I had the real test, the Skyway. Here there was a gate that would only lift up if your transponder was working. Bingo! Up it went. I was feeling good. Forty-eight hours and it was working in Illinois. As I approached the Indiana entrance to the toll road I got in the i-Zoom lane following the cars as the gate came down and went up as each car passed through. Finally my turn. I drove up and the gate stared at me. The machine to my left politely told me to "take a ticket". All my previous elation now drained from me. Not only was it more than "two hours" since I obtained my transponder, I wasn't Zooming through the booth. I was beginning to fume. We made an exit at Michigan City to visit the outlet mall. I handed my ticket to the attendant and then handed my transponder to him as well explaining the situation. They attempted to read the transponder to no avail. Full fare in cash please. I fume.

I hope beyond reason that when I return to the toll-road from our interlude at the Lighthouse Mall that my transponder and account would be working. I work with computers. I should know better. You don't keep hitting the submit button if it doesn't work the first time, it won't do any good. I approach the gate and a message appears, "Transponder not read". Well what's up? It knows I have a transponder. It worked fine in Illinois. Why can't it work here? "Take ticket." I'm fuming.

We finally arrive at our exit. Again I hand the ticket and transponder to the attendant. Still no read. Full fare in cash please. Give me a receipt please, I fume.

Monday I contacted the Customer Care Center and told them I was an unhappy customer and explained the situation. The lady on the other end of the phone could see where the transponder had worked between the Skyway and the toll-road west entrance and was perplexed. She said she would ask for an adjustment to my account and have the problem looked into. Saturday Barb used the toll-road and the transponder and the gate are now friends. My account still has not been credited. It's the principal. I guess it's time for another call.