Telepass question

A while ago I applied for a Telepass at my local bank.  However, when I found I needed to supply my car registration number, I aborted the application and instead went for an aperitivo in the nearby bar (well it was almost 10:00am ).

The reason I aborted the application was because I wanted to use the Telepass in a variety of hire cars in addition to our English car.  And my concern was that, if the car registration didn't match, the barrier wouldn't open and I'd crash into it at 30km/hr   

So my question is this.  Does the Telepass system use numberplate recognition technology?  Or am I safe using it in any car I happen to be driving at the time?

Ghiro that is a question i would love to know the answer too as well. We have an Italian reg car and also an English one which we mainly use on long hauls and I have also been put off getting a telepass for just those reasons, as we don't do much on the Autostrada in our Italian car.

I have one of these and I ASSUMED that it was car registration related, as we only have one car it doesn't matter to us .

But................it appears to speak sensor to sensor rather than sensor to Car reg?

My Italian is not good enough to interpret the Telepass website:
 
http://www.telepass.it/ecm/faces/public/telepass/

Good luck, I'm sure someone around here will know !

A minor query I have about the telepass is 'what happens when the batteries run out ?'   

V

Suspect this says it is tied to you plates... Telepass FAQ LINK:( 

V think further down on that page also answers your question re batteries, take it to a "blue point" ?

It does look like you can change registration, but heavens knows if it will work ok...

Thanks Steve (as always !)

It does suggest that when the telepass is not functioning, take it to a 'blue point' - I completely missed that !

I wonder what the queue will be like if, it doesn't work when I try to go through !

Re the single car issue, this suggests that it is one vehicle only ? (or is it at a time ?)

aggiungere o cambiare le targhe abbinate al mio Telepass

Google translation:

As mentioned in the previous answer , you need to communicate the new plate combined with Telepass .
 The change can be made independently by you, or by phone at no. 840 043 043 (answering machine ) or in the reserved www.telepass.it . In the latter case , once connected to the " your plate " just follow the following path:

a) your contracts ;

b ) your toll : Select the device of interest;

c ) ) use the link ' add new ' .

 In case of problems in carrying out the transaction , we ask you to send a specific message to the address in the contact section www.telepass.it accompanied by a copy of the registration certificate or appropriate documentation certifying the ownership or use of the vehicle to enable the appropriate checks and update the data of the contract. It ' also possible to send the request to change license plates with one of the following ways:

 - By e -mail at www.Telepass.it in the contact section ;
 - By fax at the numbers 055 - 42.02.373/055 - 42.02.734 ;
 - By going directly to any Blue Point



V

Hmmmmm.  I'm very grateful to you all for your full and helpful posts.

However I still don't have a definite answer to the underlying conundrum, namely what actually happens when I drive into the Telepass lane in a car with a number plate different to the one registered.

Perhaps, when I'm in Italy soon, I'll give it a go...............and let you know what happens!  

... links would indicate it will not be valid to do so and you will not get through - do report back on it.... if u can    

Hi ghiro,

You could always try emailing the address mentioned in the earlier note ?

'By e -mail at www.Telepass.it in the contact section ;'

'Posso utilizzare il mio telepass sulla mia seconda macchina?'

V

Yes it's worth a try emailing, however I've found it is rare to get a response (possibly due to my poor Italian translation, heavens knows what I say). It seems to me one of those "UK v Italian" differences I've had to come to terms with...  

I always assumed the system used was numberplate recognition but looking at the Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telepass), I suspect it simply reconises the OBU unit.  

There look to be hefty fines though, if you put the unit in an unregistered car so you might have to notify the agency each time you want to change vehicles.

Love having the french equivalent a Lib-r-T tag. It makes the long motorway drive through France delightful. Also fab for us Ligurians who can nip over the border for a culture change. This you can order in the UK from https://www.saneftolling.co.uk

Carciofo wrote:I always assumed the system used was numberplate recognition but looking at the Wikipedia page (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telepass), I suspect it simply reconises the OBU unit.  There look to be hefty fines though, if you put the unit in an unregistered car so you might have to notify the agency each time you want to change vehicles.

Also very useful.  Thank you Carciofo.

What interests me most is the bit about what happens if there's a problem: 'The number plate is then photographed, and the vehicle allowed to continue.  The vehicle is subsequently identified by its number plate, and the owner is sent a bill.......'

Purely because of this I can imagine that the management would not look kindly on me using the OBU in a car that is not 'registered' with them.

I have the definitive answer for this question! Many years ago we got a telepass and registered it to a car which has long since passed to the car graveyard. However, we not only happily use the Telepass on our existing cars but also lend it to family when they come visiting. It works for everyone and there is definitely no number recognition on the barriers. We have also used it to travel the length and breadth of Italy in an old car. The only thing that happens is that wherever the address was when you first registered, or bank, you get the bill!

Well mammamia, I see you haven't visited the forum since 5 February this year but even so I want to give you a big THANK YOU for your post above.

Armed with your information I visited the bank and procured my very own telepass.    I gave the registration of our English car which was in Italy at the time.  For those who don't know the telepass box comes with a sticky pad so you can fix it on your windscreen.  Since it was our plan to use it in  multiple cars we didn't take the cover off the sticky pad - we just held the box up to the windscreen and hey presto the barriers opened for us.

Recently I picked up a hire car at Pisa.  Armed with my telepass box off I went.  Would it work?  Would the x-rays at airport security have inactivated it?  Would the system know the box didn't match the car's registration?

I approached the Alt Stazione slowly and with trepidation, the box held to the windscreen.  'Beep' and the barrier went up!  'Beep' and I was through! And what's more exactly the same thing happened when I left the autostrada.

Result or what?!!    

Great "G", just hope no horrible bill comes along in the post...  

If you register on the Telepass website you can register multiple car registration plates for one telepass and from the Telepass kiosks on the motoway you can even buy extra sticky pads.

Hi Guys, I know I have disappeared for a while but that is because we have moved back to the UK. We still have our apartment in San Benedetto though! I am really glad you took my advice about the Telepass. I promise you, nothing will come back and bite you - just the normal bill for the number of journeys you do! It took me 12 long years to try and sort all these little niggles out in Italy! I am just happy to share any information I can with you all.

mammamia wrote:Hi Guys, I know I have disappeared for a while but that is because we have moved back to the UK. We still have our apartment in San Benedetto though! I am really glad you took my advice about the Telepass. I promise you, nothing will come back and bite you - just the normal bill for the number of journeys you do! It took me 12 long years to try and sort all these little niggles out in Italy! I am just happy to share any information I can with you all.

Thanks mammamia, hope you stick around to pass on more great info!

What prompted you to go for the telepass?  Was it just the ease of travel at the motorway caselli or is it a cheaper way to go?  I looked on the Telepass.it website but couldn't tell without spending ages reading through all the marketing hype. So being essentially extremely lazy I thought I'd just ask you.  

I like 'extremely lazy' Carciofo.  Me too!   

No, not cheaper.  But much, much easier - particularly during the summer when there are long queues to pay by cash or card but with a telepass you just waltz through.

Not only is it great in the summer, but it also is brilliant if you are making the long trip to the UK - especially when you are close to places like Milan where the queues for the pay bit are very long! It also saves you having to carry lots of small change in the front of the car! Definitely lazy - but sensible!

The French Sanef tag works for multiple cars - why wouldn't it? - it's just an easier way for them to collect your money, no matter what you're driving.

I thought it may be compatible with Telepass so tried it, but it isn't, so the barrier stayed down. Pressed the help button a number of times and as the queue built up behind me, they opened the barrier and off I went.

So it does work ............. sort of.

SirTK wrote:I thought it may be compatible with Telepass so tried it, but it isn't, so the barrier stayed down.

I think you'll find it doesn't work for the London congestion zone either!!  

Just as a matter of interest would it work on the Mont Blanc tunnel, or are they a different organisation.