TRENTON, NJ — The New Jersey Turnpike Authority has dismissed a protest over a $1.73 billion contract for E-ZPass services, clearing the way for TransCore, a U.S.-based company owned by Singapore Technologies Engineering, to take over the state’s tolling system — a move that ends a 22-year partnership with longtime provider Conduent.
Thomas Holl, the Authority’s director of law and hearing officer for the dispute, issued a detailed 107-page ruling stating that Conduent’s objections lacked substance. “Conduent’s challenges to the contract award are without merit,” Holl wrote, rejecting claims that the bidding process had been mishandled.
Conduent argued that its proposal was $250 million less than TransCore’s and accused the Turnpike Authority of reducing TransCore’s price after final bids had been submitted. Holl found no wrongdoing, saying all actions taken by the Authority were appropriate and did not violate procurement rules.
The decision, which was finalized in September, has drawn criticism from lawmakers who raised red flags over foreign involvement in state infrastructure. TransCore’s parent company, ST Engineering, is headquartered in Singapore and has reported links to China, prompting concerns about the potential exposure of sensitive driver data.
Former U.S. Senator Robert Torricelli, now consulting for Conduent, warned in a recent television interview that placing toll system management in the hands of a foreign-controlled company could open the door to surveillance risks. “I would rather the Chinese knew what I was watching on TikTok than have the Chinese monitoring my car going up and down the New Jersey Turnpike,” he said.
Elected officials raise alarms over data privacy
U.S. Representative Jeff Van Drew criticized the Authority’s decision, calling it irresponsible and urging officials to reevaluate the contract. “America’s security must always come first,” he said in a written statement.
State Senator Michael Testa echoed similar concerns, questioning how New Jersey allowed a foreign-owned company to manage a system that collects sensitive travel data.
“It boggles my mind that the NJTA will allow this to happen,” Testa said. “We must keep New Jerseyans’ data & privacy SAFE from the CCP and any foreign adversary.”
The contract award has intensified concerns in both Trenton and Washington, D.C., as lawmakers continue to assess the risks of foreign involvement in domestic infrastructure. TransCore is scheduled to take over operations previously overseen by Newark-based Conduent, which had handled the E-ZPass system since 2002.
Key Points
- New Jersey selected TransCore for a $1.73 billion E-ZPass contract, rejecting a lower bid from former provider Conduent.
- Lawmakers voiced concerns over national security due to TransCore’s ownership by Singapore-based ST Engineering.
- The Turnpike Authority’s legal officer ruled that the procurement process followed appropriate procedures.
TransCore’s takeover marks a significant shift in how the state manages toll collection, prompting continued debate over whether foreign-owned firms should control U.S. infrastructure.
Controversy surrounds New Jersey’s E-ZPass overhaul as state officials trade savings and local control for a global firm with foreign ties.