PrePass Rip Off

[ihamner]

What is your experience with PrePass? We just got ours and started using it and we are getting red lights constantly. I haven't seen an advantage yet since we are still going through every weigh station with the red light AND we are paying for this "service". I am so frustrated sitting in a weigh station line with all the other trucks while I see a number of trucks go flying by.

India Hamner
FedEx CC
D Unit
Life is short.
Stay awake for it!

 

[themagicoen]

It may not be active yet, call up prepass and make sure it is active and set up right.

 

[TeamCaffee]

I would also suggest you call to see what is happening. We very seldom get a red light.

 

[rode2rouen]

The Co. I'm leased to supplies a combo PrePass/EZPass transponder. I get a RED at the scales about 10% of the time. There doesn't seem to be any pattern to the red lights, they just happen whenever.


Rex

 

[ihamner]

This is another great example of why this forum is so great and why this web site means so much to us! Thanks for the input. I called the PrePass number and got some valuable information from the lady on the phone. They can tell exactly where we got a red light and why! She talked me through some things we seem to be doing as we approach a weigh station. These odd things can cause the red lights. Amazingly the very next weigh station gave us a green. Hey, show us the rules and we can play the game. Thanks again for the advice. We are rolling! india

India Hamner
FedEx CC
D Unit
Life is short.
Stay awake for it!

 

[cheri1122]

India, (BTW, I love your name!) would you be a little more specific regarding the odd things you seem to be doing to cause the red lights? Some of us might be doing them too, no?

 

[x06col]

Not all things you don't understand, or have not asked the questions are a "rip off". Seems things worthwile are not "automatic/immediate gratification" Unfortunately!! Pass your info on so's others won't have to post a nuther "I got screwed" post.

 

[LDB]

I've had my transponder for most of this year. I get a green light at least 8 out of 10 times. I too am curious what things they told you might be causing the red lights. Perhaps I can go up to 9/10 with that info.

Leo Bricker, 73's K5LDB, OOIDA Life Member 677319
Owner, Panther trucks 5508, 5509, 5641
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[ihamner]

Here are a few of the tips the lady suggested.
1) Slow down when approaching the AVI antenna. Even though they say you can maintain your speed, if you are going too fast, sometimes the transponder does not communicate with the AVI antenna.
2) Keep speed even as you go through the two antennas.
3) If you are running empty (which we were) and there are high winds (which there were - we were in Colorado, Wyoming)the truck tends to slightly sway. It is a very slight movement you might not even recognize in high wind with an empty truck. But it will cause a red light and they call it a "lane straddle."

Those were the three main ones she mentioned but she said there could be others. We decided to try these suggestions first and see what happens. We are getting green lights now. The lady says the most common reason for a red light is the empty truck slight movement thing.

India Hamner
FedEx CC
D Unit
Life is short.
Stay awake for it!

 

[TeamCaffee]

Wow India I had no idea we could cause our own red lights. I know of one place we get a red light every time. When we first started we where over weight and had to move the load to get legal. Every since that time two years ago we get a red light at that scale. Thanks for posting your findings.

 

[pelicn]

We had PrePass in a previous truck and loved it! The transponder for this new truck is waiting at our house. Of course it arrived the afternoon we left home. Go figure. :+

I never realized you could cause a red by something that you were doing. Thanks for the info!

 

[unorthodoxneon]

I also hear too that when going over the road scales to not turn the wheels while going over cause this can cause the scales to read wrong and give you a red light. So far i love the thing. THe only thing is michigan needs to come up to speed (yeah, i know i live here, we are slow with the times) and get the PrePass up and running

 

[D Team Brothers]

Weight station control! How about this: in Ohio we get a red light and then told to pull out back for a level 1 inspection. First our papers are checked in the office where we find to DOT officer monitoring CB #19 and replying to drivers who comment about their transponders not working! Then, because I'm an inquizitive kind of guy, I ask the inspector why we might have been selected for inspection and he resonds: your transponder showed you have had a lot of green lights and we think it's about time you were inspected! Still like that transponder even if DOT can monitor it. The officer did say red lights also are automatic if you are speeding going between the overheads.

 

[unorthodoxneon]

5) Is the information collected at the PrePass weigh station supplied to the government?

PrePass preserves bypass transaction data and all carrier business information with the utmost confidence. Truck-specific transaction data is used in PrePass only for the purpose of managing the bypass events. Such data is not publicly disclosed and is not permanently retained after payment of relevant transaction fees.

6) Is a driver’s time from one PrePass weigh station to another PrePass weigh station checked to see if they are speeding?

Information collected at one PrePass site cannot be passed on to another site. PrePass has no device to record a driver's speed.


From the PrePass website. So are they lying?????



Also, if they said they pulled you over cause you have received too many greenlights. SO all the weightstations that are closed but leave the pre pass thing on and gives you a green light is actually conting against you in the long run? Kinda fishy, but i guess i can live with it.