CONCORD, N.H. (AP) – The cars were moving, but the phones were jammed.

New Hampshire’s E-ZPass toll system got off to a smooth start on Monday at three toll plazas.

“Our immediate goal was to make sure it was up and running and working effectively and so far there seems to be no major problems,” said Bill Boynton, spokesman for the state Department of Transportation.

But demand for the transponders was so high that customers trying to get through jammed the phone lines on Monday.

“There’s no shortage of people still trying to sign up,” said Boynton.

The system went online at 5 a.m. at the Interstate 93 tolls at the on and off ramps in Hooksett and at the Bedford Toll on the Everett Turnpike.

By 8 a.m., 1,100 E-ZPass drivers had used their transponders at Bedford, Boynton said.

That number “is a fairly small percentage but it’s encouraging,” he said, adding that many E-ZPass users were out-of-state truckers who already had accounts opened elsewhere.

He advised drivers who opened New Hampshire E-ZPass accounts but intend to continue using tokens to shield their transponders from being read as they pass through the tolls.

“One thing people really have to know is if you have your transponder on your windshield and go through with your tokens, you’ve just been charged twice,” he said. “If you’re not using it yet, keep it in the foil pouch it came with so it can’t be read.”

The state hopes to have E-ZPass at all New Hampshire turnpike plazas by Labor Day.

By it’s latest count on July 5, nearly 34,000 drivers had opened New Hampshire E-ZPass accounts and purchased nearly 65,000 transponders, according to the Department of Transportation.

Boynton said the department recently ordered another 84,000 transponders, which will be sold for $5 until July 16 – after that the price jumps to around $30.

AP-ES-07-11-05 1139EDT