The Future of Tolling Is Already Here—and It Fits in Your Pocket
A recent article from MyNorthwest explores a question transportation agencies across the country are actively grappling with: What does the future of tolling look like? As congestion grows, infrastructure ages, and travelers demand more flexibility, traditional roadside tolling systems are being pushed to evolve.
At Carma Technology, this isn’t a theoretical conversation—it’s something we’re already delivering in the real world.
Smartphone-Based Tolling, Tested in Seattle
The article highlights Washington State’s exploration of next-generation tolling approaches, including the use of smartphones as tolling devices. Behind that effort is GoCarma, Carma’s mobile platform that enables tolling, HOV verification, and pricing—all through a driver’s phone.
Through a recent pilot in Seattle, GoCarma was tested alongside existing tolling infrastructure to evaluate accuracy, reliability, and real-world performance. The results demonstrated that smartphones can serve as a policy-grade tolling tool—capable of detecting trips, validating transactions, and operating under challenging urban conditions.
Why This Matters
As the article notes, agencies are looking for solutions that:
Reduce the need for costly roadside equipment
Adapt to evolving travel behavior
Support equity, flexibility, and future pricing models
Smartphone-based tolling checks all of those boxes. It allows agencies to modernize without massive capital investments, while giving drivers a familiar, user-friendly way to participate.
From Concept to Deployment
What makes the Seattle pilot significant is that it moves the conversation from “Could this work?” to “This is working.” GoCarma has now been used in multiple large-scale pilots across the U.S., helping agencies validate new approaches to tolling, road usage charging, and managed lanes—using technology most drivers already carry.
As regions continue to rethink how transportation infrastructure is funded and managed, smartphone-based solutions like GoCarma are no longer speculative. They’re operational, scalable, and ready.
Read the full article on MyNorthwest to explore how Washington State is thinking about the future of tolling—and why smartphones are playing a central role.
https://mynorthwest.com/chokepoints/future-of-tolling/4171468