Driving the Open Road on the Illinois Tollway
Now that you have your I-PASS here is what you need to know before you hit the road and start sailing through those “ORT” lanes below the “monotubes.” If you’re traveling beyond Illinois, read about how I-PASS can take you farther .
Step 1: Activate Your Account
If your transponder came in a retail box, you must activate it before you use it on the Tollway. Refer to the instructions that came in the box, or visit I-PASS 101 or the Customer Service Chart for details.
Step 2: Mount Your I-PASS
One of the benefits of I-PASS: Hands-Free Tolling. Mounting your transponder correctly is one of the most important steps in using I-PASS. A properly mounted transponder lessens the chance of an unsuccessful toll transaction. The transponder needs to wake up before it reaches the toll, so getting it out at the last minute and waving it in your windshield might interfere with the transaction.
Worried about the strips sticking to your windshield forever? The plastic mounting strips are removable and won’t leave a residue on the glass. Refer to the Customer Service Chart for how to get more mounting strips.
Less than 1% of vehicles require a License Plate Tag (LPT) due to special systems or windshields. Check the list of vehicles we’ve identified or refer to the Customer Service Chart to see how you can test your transponder and purchase an LPT.
More Info on Mounting Your I-PASS
View Mounting Instructions
Download Mounting Instructions
Step 3: Hit the Tollroad
Now that you have activated your account and mounted your transponder you’re ready to hit the open road. All toll lanes accept I-PASS so use the lane most convenient for your route.
I-PASS users can stay in their lane on the mainline to pay tolls while Cash-Payers and drivers exiting after the toll merge right to pay at the plaza.
Equipment mounted on the set of monotubes communicates with your transponder to deduct the proper toll from your account.
Stay alert and read the signs. When you approach a toll, look for the blue “I” to indicate which lanes are designated for I-PASS users.
As you approach a mainline toll plaza, you do not need to change lanes. Keep your speed and stay in your lane. Other traffic will need to merge right to use the cash plaza to the side of the mainline.
If you need to exit the mainline just past a toll plaza, use the cash plaza. In some instances, there is no access to a nearby exit from the Open Road Tolling lanes. Most cash plazas are equipped with an I-PASS only lane on the left of the cash plaza to accommodate I-PASS users.
Once the cash-payers are in the plaza lanes, stay in your lane and keep your speed constant as you drive under the Open Road Tolling monotubes—the two structures arching over the mainline. The toll collection devices are mounted on these monotubes and will transmit signals to your properly mounted transponder to deduct the appropriate toll.
If you are pulling a trailer or tow, you may use the Open Road Tolling lanes. The correct toll will automatically be calculated and deducted from your account. You no longer need a special transponder or an attended lane.
