Under an agreement reached between Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and HELP Inc., PrePass carriers that operate in Oregon can now allow their transponders to be enrolled in and utilize Oregon’s Green Light weigh station bypass system at 21 facilities throughout the state. HELP Inc., the non-profit provider of PrePass, and the ODOT Motor Carrier Transportation Division (MCTD) signed a memorandum of understanding last month, HELP announced this week.
PrePass carriers wishing to have their transponders enrolled in the Oregon Green Light Program must first submit a signed waiver of HELP’s data privacy policy to PrePass. The waiver is necessary because HELP does not collect or share date and time stamp from weigh station bypass events, nor publish transponder numbers to the Federal Safety and Fitness Electronics Records System (SAFER). However, PrePass devices registered with Green Light will be subject to that program’s regulations. The Data Privacy Waiver acknowledges that the user is aware that bypass transaction data may be shared with Green Light.
The waiver form is available on the PrePass website, with instructions on how to submit the form. Upon receipt of the signed waiver, HELP will send a letter of authorization to Green Light on the carrier’s behalf.
“We are excited to be entering into partnership with the State of Oregon, and look forward to working with MCTD through this mutual agreement,” said Karen Rasmussen, HELP Inc. President & CEO. “Safe fleets and drivers appreciate the time and fuel savings of PrePass as well as opportunities for interoperability of their transponders.”
“We are pleased with our partnership with HELP Inc. and the opportunities it will provide motor carriers operating in Oregon. We look forward to increased enrollment in our Green Light Program and the benefits this will provide to motor carriers and MCTD,” said Amy Ramsdell, MCTD administrator.
Nationwide, since HELP began compiling data in 1997, PrePass has logged 780 million operational weigh station bypasses resulting in more than $5.7 billion in savings to motor carriers, according to the company. Currently, over 555,000 qualified commercial trucks from more than 56,000 fleets use PrePass for bypassing and electronic toll payment.
In Oregon, the Green Light Program has bypassed over 25 million trucks since 1995. Almost 4,000 motor carriers use the Green Light Program and have saved over two million hours of travel time and over $260 million in operating costs by not having to enter Oregon weigh stations. The environment wins too by the reduction of pollutants.