For Immediate Release: August 19, 2008

Thruway Authority to Attend Annual New York State Fair
Motorists Encouraged to Sign Up for E-ZPass and TRANSalerts Before Traveling

The New York State Thruway Authority today announced that it will again have representation at the 162nd Annual Great New York State Fair, which runs from Thursday, August 21, 2008, through Monday, September 1, 2008, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Visitors at the State Fair are encouraged to stop by the Authority’s exhibit and sign up for the TRANSalert service and the E-ZPass Program.

“To avoid any unnecessary delays, the Authority encourages fairgoers to sign up to receive free TRANSalerts to alert them to any unscheduled incidents that may impact travel along the System,” said Thruway Authority Executive Director Michael R. Fleischer. “To help make Fair parking easier and quicker, E-ZPass customers are reminded that E-ZPass Plus may be utilized to pay for parking.”

For the last two years, as part its effort to provide motorist with up-to-date travel information, the Authority has been offering a free email service called TRANSalert to its customers. TRANSalerts can be received via email or text messaging, and help inform motorists of major unscheduled incidents that may affect travel on the Thruway. The TRANSalert system provides subscribers with an incident’s specific location enabling them to better plan their trips on the Thruway. Since its inception in August of 2006, more than 5,300 subscribers have signed up to receive TRANSalert notifications.

For the most up-to-date information about incidents affecting travel on the Thruway, sign up for the free TRANSalert service by visiting the following link on the Authority’s website at www.nysthruway.gov/tas/.

Additionally, the Authority reminds motorists that instead using cash, E-ZPass Plus can be used once again to pay for parking at the State Fair. E-ZPass users whose accounts are replenished with a credit card are automatically enrolled in E-ZPass Plus. E-ZPass Plus can also be used to pay for parking at the following locations: the Albany International Airport, LaGuardia Airport, JFK International Airport, Newark Liberty International Airport, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York Avenue Garage in Atlantic City, Atlantic Avenue Parking Lot in Atlantic City and the Atlantic City International Airport.

To enroll in the E-ZPass Program, motorists may call 1-800-333-8655 and request an application, print an application online at www.e-zpassNY.com, or visit one of the E-ZPass Service Centers.

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The Authority offers a free email service called TRANSalert to its customers via email or text messaging to inform them of major unscheduled incidents that may affect their travel on the Thruway.  To sign up for the TRANSalert service, customers can visit the Authority’s website at www.nysthruway.gov/tas/.

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