AET is the collection of tolls without physical toll collectors, either through use of an E-Z Pass transponder or through photographing the license plate of each vehicle without a transponder and mailing a bill to the owner. The main alternative to AET is Open Road Tolling (ORT), which allows customers with E-ZPass transponders to pass through a toll facility at highway speeds, while still providing physical toll booths for use by motorists who want to pay cash.
The Authority has studied the issue extensively in response to concerns raised by citizens of the town of York beginning in 2006 when the Authority proposed to replace the existing York plaza with a new ORT facility. These efforts included commissioning a consulting firm, CDM Smith, to perform a risk analysis and an AET study of the toll facilities at both York and West Gardiner on the Maine Turnpike. After thorough study, the Board ruled on July 24, 2014, that AET is not feasible.