Tollway Cameras Leave a comment

As anyone who has traveled on toll roads knows, tollway cameras are now being used to track vehicle travel and payment. This allows for more efficient travel, without the required stops to pay fees. But how is this done and what makes these cameras so special?

License Plate Recognition/ANPR

Tollway cameras have license plate recognition (LPR) capabilities, also called automatic number plate recognition (ANPR). This allows them to focus on license plate details and capture plate details of vehicles moving at high speeds. This is used for vehicles that are not equipped with prepaid pass sensor that are traveling on toll roads. If an unrecognized vehicle passes, the cameras record the license plate detail and cross reference with government records to identify the owner. They can then be billed through the mail for the accrued toll payment amounts.

If you would like to learn more about license plate recognition cameras and their various usages, take a look at our license plate recognition blog post here.

Proper Positioning

Now that we’ve discussed the technology involved, let’s go over how you should position your surveillance cameras for optimal coverage. Cameras will need to be placed above moving cars because of the installation environment. This keeps them up and out of the way of possible damage by speeding vehicles. Additionally, the devices will need to be properly angled so that they can clearly view the license plate from the position the vehicle is in as it passes over the ground sensors.

Other Considerations

With all this new technology, toll roads have started using electronic transmitters to capture vehicle and passenger information. These “EZ passes” link to an account with your personal and billing information. This allow for more efficient transit and record keeping as well as keeps roads from becoming blocked up by traffic. Further, ground sensors are used to identify when a car is passing under a toll and notifies the system to record the information. Most of the cameras you would use for this are outdoor cameras, but just in case, you will want to ensure that the devices you choose are weather/water resistant. The last thing you want is to spend all this time and money installing cameras that break after the first rainstorm.

Wrap Up

If you are looking to upgrade or install a surveillance security system, log on and give us a call today! We have a great team of highly experienced salesmen, installers and technicians that would love to help you out. We can walk you through the process start to finish and help you select the best cameras for you and survey your property to decide on the most optimal locations.

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