E-ZPass Enforcement Assistance System (EASy) for MnDOT

SRF developed an innovative enforcement tool to help the Minnesota State Patrol enforce MnDOT’s E-ZPass lanes, which are high occupancy toll (HOT) lanes. The E-ZPass Enforcement Assistance System (EASy) acts as an additional set of eyes for troopers, allowing a single officer to enforce lane use more efficiently and safely. 

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. The system includes a vehicle detector, infrared (IR) camera and illuminators, a secure web server, and advanced system logic.

Enforcement Beacon: The system activates a visual beacon to help troopers quickly identify violators. Vehicles with an E-ZPass transponder trigger a blue beacon, while vehicles without a transponder activate an amber beacon. SRF designed the beacon deployments across the E-ZPass system to improve detection and enforcement accuracy.

Armed with this real-time information, troopers can efficiently identify violators, visually confirm carpool occupancy, and issue citations accordingly. The EASy system has made enforcement safer and more effective, reducing the need for troopers to manually scan traffic while patrolling high-speed corridors.

SRF submitted this concept to MnDOT’s Innovative Ideas program where it was selected for pilot testing and implementation across the E-ZPass system. The EASy system is now actively enhancing enforcement operations across Minnesota’s E-ZPass network.

Resource links:
Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT)
Minnesota State Patrol
E-ZPass Minnesota