New Jersey Turnpike Authority commissioners voted Tuesday to approve a financing agreement that covers three years of credit card processing fees for agencies participating in the state's E-ZPass automated toll program.

In years past, these credit card fees were paid through Conduent, the company that runs the state E-ZPass Customer Service Center. Now NJ E-ZPass will pay these fees directly.

Those processing fees, NJ.com reported, typically range from 1.5% to 3.5%.

The total amount in the financing agreement was $150 million for the three-year period, and the money will be used in part to reimburse other agencies when a New Jersey E-ZPass user pays a toll out of state, according to NJ.com.

Initial media reports said that the agreement would pass along $36 million as a gift to drivers who paid their E-ZPass bills using credit and debit cards.

However, NJTA told NJ.com that New Jersey E-ZPass has never charged credit card fees to drivers. Turnpike Authority spokesman Tom Feeney said that the new agreement will not have any "practical impact" on customers or any agency.

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"NJ E-ZPass agencies – like every other entity – pay a percentage of each credit card transaction to the credit card companies," Feeney said in a written statement. "This agreement does not change that percentage. The money will now be paid directly by the agencies in NJ E-ZPass, rather than paid through Conduent. There’s no additional cost associated with that. And there’s no cost savings."

Year over year, NJTA told NJ.com, New Jersey Turnpike traffic was up 14% and revenue increased 17% in the first quarter of 2022, with Garden State Parkway toll transactions indicating traffic was up 9% there, and revenue 12% higher.

Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect the correct information.

Patrick Lavery is a reporter and anchor for New Jersey 101.5. You can reach him at patrick.lavery@townsquaremedia.com

Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story.

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