Illinois drivers are being encouraged to trade their plastic transponders in favor of new windshield-mounted sticker tags.
The sticker tags were released in January and can be purchased online or at Illinois Tollway Customer Service Centers, Jewel-Osco and Road Ranger locations.
If you're thinking about making the switch, you might be unsure of a few things, including where you can dispose of your transponder and if the sticker tags are free.
Here are a number of common questions, with the answers provided by the Illinois Tollway.
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How can drivers get their $10 deposit back?
If a customer is proactively swapping their I-PASS transponder, then the customer will have to go online to register the new I-PASS Sticker Tag and deactivate the old transponder in order to have the $10 transferred into their account.
Where can drivers dispose of their transponders?
Local
I-PASS customers can dispose of old I-PASS transponders in an environmentally sound way, either by returning them to an Illinois Tollway Customer Service Center or by going to the Earth911 website where they can search by "lithium-ion batteries" and enter their zip code to find many convenient recycling locations.
Can transponders be disposed of when picking a new I-PASS sticker up at Jewel?
Customers should only dispose of their old I-PASS transponder after the new I-PASS Sticker Tag is registered to their account. Customers who pick up I-PASS Sticker Tags at Jewel will need to go online or call Tollway Customer Service to register the new I-PASS Stickers Tag and deactivate their old I-PASS transponders. The customer service desk at Jewel cannot assist customers with I-PASS Sticker Tag activation, so customer should not drop off transponders at Jewel.
Is there an option to mail transponders back?
There is no need for customers to mail old transponders back to the Tollway.
What happens if the transponders are put in the garbage?
The Illinois Tollway is asking that customers dispose of the lithium-ion batteries in an environmentally responsible way.
How many transponders are already expired?
Customers will be notified by U.S. Mail letter when their I-PASS transponders expire and the letter will include a replacement I-PASS Sticker Tag.
How much do the sticker tags cost?
I-PASS Sticker Tags can be obtained at an Illinois Tollway Customer Service Center or odered online at no charge. You can also get a Sticker Tag at Jewel-Osco and RoadRanger stores, but will need to pay a retail service fee.
