Ticket system

A ticket system toll road (also known as closed toll collection system, as opposed to a flat-rate toll road, is utilized by some state toll road or highway agencies that allows a motorist to pay a toll rate based on the distance traveled from their origin to their destination exit.

The correct toll rate per user is easily determined by requiring all users to take a ticket from a machine or from an attendant when entering the system. The ticket prominently displays the location (or exit number) from which it was dispensed and a precomputed chart of toll rates with a list of all exits on one axis and various sizes of vehicles on the other axis. Upon arrival at the toll booth at the destination exit, the motorist presents the ticket to the toll collector, who matches the axis for that exit against the axis for the motorist's vehicle and demands the correct toll. If no ticket is presented (i.e. the ticket is lost), generally the highest possible toll is charged.

First employed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike when it opened in 1940, it has been utilized on lengthy toll highways in which the exits are spread out over a distance on an average of 7 to 10 miles (11 to 16 km) per exit. Flat-rate highways, on the other hand, have mainline toll booths placed at equal distances on the highway, with ramps, depending on the direction of travel, having either coin or token-drop baskets or toll barriers or no barriers at all.