[OSM-talk] new payment type

[Paul Johnson]

On Mon, Feb 23, 2015 at 3:09 PM, Greg Knisely <greg at mapzen.com> wrote:

> Hello all,
>
> I was wondering what people's thoughts were on adding a new payment type
> of transponder.  For the road toll section, there are three transponder
> companies listed (http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:payment):
>
> payment:e_zpass=*
> payment:pikepass=*
> payment:via_verde=*
>
> So instead of listing all the companies in the world, I am proposing
> payment:transponder=*  The values could be e_zpass, pikepass, via_verde,
> peach_pass, etc., but also yes or no.
>
> This payment type would be very helpful in routing applications for toll
> roads.  For example, the narrative could call out Exit 2b [Coin and
> Transponder(Via Verde) Only Accepted].
>

I'm against this.  The existing structure handles the situation rather
well, especially since not all systems are interchangeable (though this
reminds me, I need to add Kansas K-Pass and North Texas TxTag to Oklahoma
toll plazas).  Regional example, to the best of my knowledge at the moment:
 PIKEPASS works in Oklahoma and Kansas, but in Texas, only on North Texas
Tollway Authority turnpikes, not other Texas turnpikes.  Likewise, NTTA's
TxTag works in Oklahoma, but, again, not other parts of Texas.  And K-Pass
works in Kansas and Oklahoma, but not Texas anywhere.  None of them are
transponders anymore (and Oklahoma disabled the transponder system after
finishing a phaseout last year), but more like a NFC tag that can be read
from a few meters above.  And none of them work anywhere in, say, the
EZPass system on the east coast, or on California or Washington toll
routes.   And Oregon doesn't take any of them, the few toll roads there
(usually ferries) are cash only, no change provided.  Then there's the
scumbag steve of turnpikes:  E 470 only accepts toll tags specific to the
E470, is inadequately signed that it doesn't take cash at all (despite
being equipped with ever-closed toll plazas, which may be some kind of
legal loophole that keeps 'em from having to warn people they don't take
cash by having exclusively purple guide signage instead of the usual green
guide signs with yellow "TOLL ROAD" banners: If you see purple signs, it
ONLY takes ETC).
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