The Kansas Turnpike Authority has announced July 1 as the date the Kansas Turnpike will implement cashless tolling.
A virtual Go! Cashless toolkit is available to customers at www.DriveKS.com. Available materials include short videos, FAQs, newsletter/article copy, flyers, posters and more. Printed material is also being provided to communities along the turnpike and partners and stakeholders throughout the region.
It's being called the largest change for turnpike customers since opening day in 1956."
Cashless tolling means there will no longer be on-road toll collection and all customers will keep moving starting July 1. Customers will be identified by a transponder such as KTAG or by license plate registration information. DriveKS will be Kansas’ new toll payment system, whether a customer has a KTAG or is identified by their license plate. Statements and customer communication will come from DriveKS.
“Cashless tolling is something our customers experience in other states and we’re proud to bring it here to Kansas,” Bruce Meisch, Director of Technology and the cashless conversion project manager, said. “For the 70 percent of customers who use KTAG or a compatible transponder from another state, not much will change.”
In KTA’s most recent customer satisfaction survey, 95% believe KTA is an important part of Kansas transportation and 84% support the conversion to cashless tolling.
Customers who currently pay at a toll booth can get a KTAG to pay the lowest toll. In January, KTA released its per-mile toll rate structure effective July 1, which will be the lowest of any cashless system across the country.
KTA announced its decision to convert to cashless tolling in early 2020. In reality, the organization has been working on elements necessary to convert its 236-mile toll road to cashless tolling for nearly a decade:
A 2014 review of manual toll collection staff revealed that nearly 70% would be of retirement age within the following decade. As part of the conversion, KTA created a workforce transition plan for employees impacted by cashless tolling.
Electronic tolling has increased from less than 45% in 2013 to nearly 70% of traffic today, because of increased use of KTAG and compatibility agreements with Oklahoma, Texas and Florida.
KTA’s existing toll collection equipment was reaching the end of its useful life. It is being replaced by roadside tolling equipment on 42 new overhead gantries along the roadway. This equipment connects to a customized back-office system.