What Is PrePass

PrePass is an automatic vehicle identification (AVI) system that enables participating transponder-equipped commercial vehicles to be pre-screened throughout the nation at designated weigh stations, port-of-entry facilities and agricultural interdiction facilities. Cleared vehicles are then able to "bypass" the facility while traveling at highway speed, eliminating the need to stop.

Vehicles participating in the PrePass program are pre-certified. Customers’ safety records and credentials are routinely verified with state & federal agencies to ensure adherence to the safety and bypass criteria established by PrePass and member states. If an approaching PrePass-equipped vehicle’s weight and credentials are found to be satisfactory, a green light and audible signal from the windshield mounted PrePass transponder advise the driver to bypass the weigh station. Otherwise a red light and audible signal advise the driver to pull into the weigh station for regular processing.

Vehicles bypassing inspection facilities save drivers and their companies valuable time on the road, thereby reducing fuel and operating costs, while increasing productivity (See "Calculating Your Savings"). PrePass also benefits member states and everyone who uses our nation’s highways. By reducing congestion around inspection facilities and enabling state inspection staff to focus their efforts on carriers that demand the most attention, PrePass helps make the roadways safer for everyone.

	PrePass Map Click here to view the PrePass states and operational sites
	Safety Criteria Click here to view general information on carrier safety eligibility
	Sign Up Online Click here to enroll in PrePass Online.
	My PrePass Login here to modify your account and make payments online.
	Pay Online Pay your bills online with our new online bill pay service.

Trucks enrolled in PrePass are assigned small, wireless transponders that easily mount onto the vehicles’ windshields. As one of these trucks approaches a PrePass-equipped weigh station, an electronic reader on a boom over the road automatically scans the transponder and identifies the vehicle.

A secure PrePass computer located inside the scale house accesses the vehicle information associated with the transponder, and validates it to ensure compliance with state requirements. At the same time, technologies such as weigh in motion (WIM) scales are often used to verify the truck’s configuration and ensure axle and gross vehicle weights are within acceptable limits.

Finally, as the truck passes beneath a second boom, a signal indicating whether the vehicle may bypass is transmitted back to the transponder. If the vehicle’s information cannot be validated, or if it is selected for a random manual inspection, a red light on the transponder alerts the driver to stop. If the vehicle’s credentials, safety, and weight are all in order however, a green light tells the driver to go ahead and bypass the facility.