Ohio Turnpike E-ZPass users can shop for bargains

CLEVELAND (AP) — Drivers who plan to use the Ohio Turnpike’s E-ZPass prepaid toll system that goes into operation Oct. 1 can find bargains if they look around.

Motorists can establish an account with any of 13 states that will be compatible with Ohio’s system. Account fees differ by state, with Massachusetts charging nothing at all.

The Ohio Turnpike will charge a $3 shipping and handling fee for the transponder windshield tag and a 75-cent monthly service fee, or $9 a year. The system allows drivers to cruise through toll plazas, where antennas pick up account information from the transponder.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike, with a $3 annual account fee, discourages out-of-state bargain hunters but cannot stop the practice.