Changes to Credit Cards and MacPass on the Mackinac Bridge

Question

At Friday's Mackinac Bridge Authority meeting, two changes were made for customers using credit cards. The number using credit cards has reached nearly 13% of the total and credit card fees paid by the MBA have already exceeded $340,000 this year.

As a result, effective January 1, the Mackinac Bridge will no longer accept American Express cards and they will add a 2.3% convenience fee for the use of other credit cards. This will add 9 cents to a $4 passenger vehicle crossing for those people paying by credit card.

The MBA also took action to increase the number of customers using MacPass so they can justify dedicating lanes to just MacPass. It is the Mackinac Bridge Authority’s electronic toll program, which uses windshield stickers.

Effective December 1, the minimum deposit to establish a prepaid MacPass account will drop from $80 to $40 and the minimum refill will drop from $50 to $20. The expectation is that with less money being required in advance of crossings, more customers will participate.

Answer

The Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) recently announced two key changes affecting toll payments for drivers using the Mackinac Bridge, aimed at reducing costs and increasing participation in their electronic toll program, MacPass.

Credit Card Changes

As of January 1, the following changes will apply to credit card payments:

American Express cards will no longer be accepted for toll payments.
A 2.3% convenience fee will be applied to all other credit card transactions. For example, a $4 passenger vehicle crossing will incur an additional 9 cents.
The changes were prompted by the increase in credit card usage, which now represents nearly 13% of all transactions, and the high fees the MBA pays, which have exceeded $340,000 this year.

MacPass Updates

The MBA is encouraging more drivers to use MacPass, their electronic toll program, by making it more accessible:

Effective December 1, the minimum deposit required to establish a prepaid MacPass account will decrease from $80 to $40.
The minimum refill amount will drop from $50 to $20, making it easier for drivers to maintain their accounts.
MacPass users benefit from dedicated toll lanes, and these changes aim to increase participation to justify those lanes.

Overall, the goal of these changes is to reduce the reliance on credit cards, lower costs for the MBA, and encourage more drivers to use MacPass for quicker, more efficient toll crossings.

Changes to Credit Cards and MacPass on the Mackinac Bridge

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