July 15, 2022: Difference between revisions

From Gerald R. Lucas
m (Breakdown.)
m (Added cat.)
Ā 
Line 30: Line 30:
[[Category:Travel]]
[[Category:Travel]]
[[Category:First-World Problems]]
[[Category:First-World Problems]]
[[Category:šŸ’©]]

Latest revision as of 16:12, 11 August 2022

Uni from EPass: A Shit Show

Iā€™m currently on hold with the New Jersey Turnpike Authority trying to take care of unpaid tolls that I received during my motorcycle journey to the NMS Conference last month. The Uni seemed like a really cool idea: a portable device that I can use in my car and on the motorcycle that will work ā€œin 19 states.ā€ The PeachPass was a pain to maintain, so I thought this could be a great option for my car and Autumnā€™s. The device has little suction cups on it, so it appears to be made to go from car to car with no problem. Cool.

202206 Toll Photo.jpg

Well, no. Apparently, I have to register each license plate that I use with the transponder. At least thatā€™s what the patronizing phone support told me when I called about the stack of unpaid tolls awaiting my return. Well, this excuse seems like bullshit to me, as I used the transponder in Kipā€™s Benz in March with no problem, and it worked just fine on three of the tolls in June: in Virginia, Delaware, and New Jersey. If the license plate is required for the transponder to work, then logically it would not have worked at all. ā€œItā€™s in the user agreement you agreed to, sir,ā€ explained two Uni phone support people. That was the excuse they chose to hide behind, so essentially Iā€™m responsible for over $150 worth of tolls and ā€œadministrative fees.ā€ Lovely.

They just kept saying the same thing over and over until I completely lost my patience. I requested that my balance be refunded and my account closed. Now what do I do with the $30 worth of useless transponders I have. Iā€™m still seeing red, and I havenā€™t even talked to an NJ Turnpike rep yet. I know Iā€™m wasting my time, but I figured I would try. Each of the missed tolls in NJ came with a $50 administrative fee and one in Delaware cost $25. I agree that missed tolls should cost more, but that just seems absurd, no?

Also, while I have been on hold, I wrote a one-star review for the Uni on Amazon:

I need to find other places to post it. Today is the first day that I have really wanted a drink in over six months.

Still on hold...

Asterisk-trans.png          Asterisk-trans.png          Asterisk-trans.png

Well, I was not optimistic, but the operator was able to dismiss one of the administrative fees, so my total for NJ Turnpike was $92.16 (thatā€™s $75 for fees and $17.16 in actual tollsā€”what a racket!). Adding the $8.19 (two tolls) for Maryland and the $3.28 for Virginia (no administrative fees for these), I paid $103.63, spent 90+ minutes on the phone, and raised my blood pressure to dangerous levels. Lesson learned.