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Growth in cashless tollways has been a boon for moving traffic. Now, PayNearMe Inc., a fintech that enables paying for online transactions with cash among other payment methods, says it is working with Kapsch TrafficCom to enable a way for those without access to in-car wireless toll payments to pay with cash.
Announced Monday, the partnership sees Santa Clara, Calif.-based PayNearMe enable U.S. motorists to pay tolls, replenish an account, and resolve violations using Cash App Pay, PayPal, Venmo, Apple Pay, Google Pay, credit and debit cards, automated clearing house payments, and cash for tolling agencies serviced by Austria-based Kapsch TrafficCom, which provides tolling technology in New York, Dallas, the state of Washington, and Colorado, among other places.
As all-electronic, cashless tolling has become the norm, tollway agencies still need methods for cash motorists to pay. “While cards and digital wallets are increasingly popular, cash remains an essential payment option for millions of drivers,” Scott Sorensen, Kapsch TrafficCom vice president, says in a statement.
Using PayNearMe for toll payments begins with the motorist receiving a text, email, or push notification that presents a QR code for scanning. On a successful scan, a personalized Web page is presented for the specific account or transaction. They can pay, reload the account, or resolve a violation on this page.
Those preferring to pay with cash, visit a participating PayNearMe location—62,000 retailers are in the PayNearMe network—and present a personalized barcode to the cashier. They then hand over the cash and collect the receipt. The transaction is digitally transmitted to the tolling agency, PayNearMe says. Among retailers in its network are 7-Eleven, Dollar General, Walmart, and Walgreens.
“For several customer groups, including unbanked, cash-preferred, and out-of-state drivers, cashless tolling means having no way to pay tolls in-lane and being forced to receive and pay an invoice,” Sorensen adds. Adding alternative payment methods, such as cash at retail and digital wallets, means tolling agencies can offer more choice and convenience to motorists, he says.
