Of the institutions surveyed that have ATMs, the percentage that assess surcharges increased from 89 percent to nearly 91 percent since the spring survey.

This ratio is lower than the levels sustained from fall 2000 through 2003, when the percentage of institutions with ATMs that surcharged was between 93 percent and 94 percent. The ratio is down modestly from recent years due to institution changes and because institutions such as Washington Mutual offer surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. This is not, however, reminiscent of the good ol' days as the ratio is still significantly higher than the 74 percent in spring 1999 and 68 percent in fall 1998.

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-- Posted: Dec. 8, 2004