“The theory is that the private companies will tend to run the facilities more efficiently. The Indiana toll road had no toll collectors the last time I drove on it; I’m sure that never would have happened if it was still run by the state.”
Houston hasn’t built a toll road in the past 15 years with toll collectors - it’s all automated. In New Jersey, they are within a year (last I heard) of converting to full automation too.
It’s all the same hardware...doesn’t matter who owns/operates it.
That’s true — but remember that a private company would have implemented those electronic toll collection systems decades ago, not now.