Delaware Memorial Bridge goes cashless as cash use declines

The question comes up more than it used to. Are we Camp Cash or Camp Card?

A quick look inside my wallet settles it for me. There is zero cash in there. The far majority of my purchases go on a debit or credit card, or through autopay, Venmo, or a phone app. When someone asks, “Do you have any cash?” the answer is usually no. Some friends cannot wrap their heads around that. A few who work in the trades still deal heavily in cash and prefer it that way.

For me, the only time I make a point to carry bills is before going out with friends so everyone can chip in at the end of the night. Even that feels dated now. Most servers will split checks without much trouble if it is mentioned at the start.

Cash vs. card: what Americans are actually using

The broader data shows this is not just personal habit. According to the Federal Reserve’s annual Diary of Consumer Payment Choice, cash accounts for roughly 14 percent of payments by number in the United States. Credit and debit cards together make up about two-thirds of transactions. Digital payments continue to climb, especially for online shopping and recurring bills.

Surveys on who actually carries cash reflect the same shift. About 46 percent of U.S. adults say they carry cash always or most of the time. Roughly one-third say they rarely or never carry it. In another survey, only about 27 percent reported carrying cash every day. That leaves a significant share of Americans walking around much like I do, relying almost entirely on cards or a phone.

Still, cash has not disappeared. Federal Reserve data shows most consumers use it at least occasionally, often for smaller purchases. And more than 90 percent say they expect to keep using cash in some form. It remains important for certain workers, for people who prefer to budget with physical money, and for those who simply trust it more than a screen.

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New Jersey toll roads go cashless

In New Jersey, the trend is visible beyond store counters. The Delaware Memorial Bridge, which connects New Jersey and Delaware, just announced it is going fully cashless. Drivers will pay with E-ZPass or receive a bill by mail. The Atlantic City Expressway went fully cashless last month. And both the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike are in the process of transitioning to all-electronic tolling.

That is a notable shift in a state built on toll roads. For decades, tossing bills or coins into a basket was part of the drive. Now the system assumes a transponder on the windshield or a plate that can be scanned and billed later. The infrastructure is aligning with the payment habits reflected in the survey data.

Is cash still king in a digital New Jersey?

Cash may still be described as king, but daily life suggests a different hierarchy. Outside of a few quarters in the car for parking meters that have not caught up, there is little reason for me to carry it. Cards and digital payments handle almost everything. For a sizable portion of the population, that is now normal.

The numbers make clear that cash still matters. A meaningful minority carries it regularly. Many more use it from time to time. But when only about 14 percent of payments are made with cash and major New Jersey roadways are phasing it out, the direction of travel is obvious. Camp Card holds the edge, and it is widening.