E-ZPass Enforcement Assistance System (EASy) for MnDOT

SRF developed an innovative tool to help the Minnesota State Patrol enforce MnDOT’s E-ZPass lanes, which are high occupancy toll lanes. The E-ZPass Enforcement Assistance System (EASy) provides State Patrol officers with a second set of eyes so that a single trooper can better enforce E-ZPass lane use.

The EASy system consists of two elements:

• Image Capture – side view images of suspected violators (vehicles without an E-ZPass transponder) are sent directly to troopers’ laptops in their patrol vehicles. System components include a vehicle detector, IR camera and illuminators, secure web server and system logic.
• Enforcement Beacon – uses the system logic to activate a beacon that troopers monitor for potential violators. Vehicles with an E-ZPass tag activate a blue beacon while those without activate an amber beacon. SRF designed beacon deployments throughout the E-ZPass system.

Armed with this information, troopers can pull over drivers, perform a visual inspection of carpoolers, and issue citations accordingly. The EASy system has made enforcement operations safer and more efficient.

SRF submitted this concept to MnDOT’s Innovative Ideas program where it was selected for pilot testing and implementation across the E-ZPass system.