Question for Ontario Transponder users (highway 407 travelers)

[FigmentSpark]

I thought you just had to buy a transponder and activate it to use it on the 407, but it seems, according to the 407ETR website, you have to rent their unit and then return it when you no longer want their service. Sounds like a huge hassle, unless you are a regular user.

And at what price point is it worth that hassle anyway? We want it for my DS who's going to school on the other side of the GTA and will be using the 407 about once a month.

Does anyone have any experience with the Ontario 407ETR transponders and service? Is it worth it?

 

[TropicalDIS]

I have one. If your DS is going to be using it more than 6 times in a year, then it is worth it. You save on the camera fees, which add up quickly. It's easy to do, sign up online, you'll get a $25 charge on your next bill, and get the transponder in the mail within a week.

Haven't returned one, so can't help you with that I'm afraid.

 

[Mikey15]

I returned one a few years ago... can't remember if it was postage-paid or not but I just went down to Shoppers to mail it out.

My "account" online is still active and I can go on and pay a bill there for the one time I've used the 407 since.

 

[CKCruising]

You "rent it" by paying an annual fee (may be a monthly option, I don't know). The annual fee is $25. Each trip without a transponder is over $4 (one way), so 3 return trips per year is break even. There are discounts for additional transponders for other vehicles in the household, so you may be able to take advantage of that.
The transponder batteries have a life, so every few years, they send you a new one and you return the old one in a postage paid envelope. I've never had an issue with this.

 

[FigmentSpark]

I wondered why I couldn't just buy a transponder. That makes sense.

 

[ccudmore]

I wondered why I couldn't just buy a transponder. That makes sense.

Because they make more money by renting them.

 

[Starwind]

See https://www.407etr.com/en/help/general/faq-transponders/faq28.html

"
Can I save money if I get a transponder?

Yes, regular users of 407 ETR can definitely save money. Transponder users save the Camera Charge per trip. So, if you plan to make more than three round trips per year, a transponder will save you money. You can save another 48.3% by paying your transponder lease annually instead of monthly!
"

 

[FigmentSpark]

We decided to order 2. One for my DS and one for my DH. I saw a note in the FAQs that a second transponder on the same account was only $10 or something like that. It made sense.

We just got our 407 bill from a trip last month. I don't know why I didn't think of it, but it was $4.20 camera charge each way (there and back!), so that was already a third of the annual cost.

Their website was confusing, though. At least for me.

 

[AdamsMum]

See https://www.407etr.com/en/help/general/faq-transponders/faq28.html

"
Can I save money if I get a transponder?

Yes, regular users of 407 ETR can definitely save money. Transponder users save the Camera Charge per trip. So, if you plan to make more than three round trips per year, a transponder will save you money. You can save another 48.3% by paying your transponder lease annually instead of monthly!
"

I believe you save money if you use it a few times. Seems the video toll charge for people without a transponder has decreased. Before I got my transponder it was $7.50 on and $7.50 off. When I saw that bill I quickly ordered a transponder. I only use it about once a month to visit family in Niagara Falls.
I guess about a year ago (might be more, time lost all meaning in the last 2 years) they told me I needed to update my transponder. They sent the new one with a postage paid envelope to return the old one. It wasn't a hassle, I dropped it at the post office in a nearby Rexall.
If you're only going to use it once, it might not be worth it.

 

[White Cat]

I thought you just had to buy a transponder and activate it to use it on the 407, but it seems, according to the 407ETR website, you have to rent their unit and then return it when you no longer want their service. Sounds like a huge hassle, unless you are a regular user.

And at what price point is it worth that hassle anyway? We want it for my DS who's going to school on the other side of the GTA and will be using the 407 about once a month.

Does anyone have any experience with the Ontario 407ETR transponders and service? Is it worth it?

Mine is rented, works fine. No problems.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I believe you save money if you use it a few times. Seems the video toll charge for people without a transponder has decreased. Before I got my transponder it was $7.50 on and $7.50 off. When I saw that bill I quickly ordered a transponder. I only use it about once a month to visit family in Niagara Falls.
I guess about a year ago (might be more, time lost all meaning in the last 2 years) they told me I needed to update my transponder. They sent the new one with a postage paid envelope to return the old one. It wasn't a hassle, I dropped it at the post office in a nearby Rexall.
If you're only going to use it once, it might not be worth it.

It's absolutely worth it. For one round trip you would be spending an additional $9-ish dollars without the transponder. Plus there is a once a month account fee. So you only need to use it 2-3 times a year for it to pay for itself. Aside from that the time savings over using the 401 is priceless.


BTW....it's significantly cheaper to pay the once a year rental fee than to pay it monthly.

 

[Starwind]

Aside from that the time savings over using the 401 is priceless.

Aside from the cost savings, just the time and *peace of mind* savings driving 407 vs 401 I find worth the transponder cost. I find the 407 to be MUCH less busy, a nicer road to drive, etc etc. Much saner and less stressful driving than the 401 IME. We get off the 401 and head up to 407 as soon as we can and take it across, avoiding much of the worst of the 401.

YMMV

 

[MoreTravels]

Be careful, I drove from one end of the Toronto to another end just a couple of times.... my 407 bill last month was like $200!

I think it's $50 one way, which is $100 round trip... so you just do it two round trips... well $200

 

[TropicalDIS]

Be careful, I drove from one end of the Toronto to another end just a couple of times.... my 407 bill last month was like $200!

I think it's $50 one way, which is $100 round trip... so you just do it two round trips... well $200

Depends on what day and when. Their pricing is different depending on weekend or weekday and time of day.