Old Pikepass units being deactivated

14% haven't switched

Customers can exchange the old units for the stickers at no cost. Before Friday, about 14 percent of the Pikepass account holders had not switched to the sticker tags.

“We're trying to be cognizant of our customers and trying to do everything we can to notify them so they don't get their Pikepass turned off,” Damrill said. “We're trying to do everything we can to help them out.”

The Turnpike Authority has received few complaints from motorists who have had their old units deactivated, he said. That indicates a majority of the devices weren't being used and could have been lost, stolen or misplaced. Customers also could have closed their Pikepass accounts and failed to return the units, he said.

Motorists with the deactivated units will be charged the higher cash tolls instead of the discounted Pikepass fee. The Turnpike Authority is planning at first to send courtesy notices, but motorists who don't respond or continue to refuse to get a windshield sticker will be sent a violation notice, which carries a $25 fine per event.

Motorists without windshield sticker tags who go through a Pikepass reader will have their license plates photographed; those who don't have their vehicle tag on file with the Turnpike Authority and aren't identified as a Pikepass customer will eventually be sent a violation notice.