How to save on Tolls?

[tireman9]

Best solution I can offer other than not using toll roads is to sign-up for EZPass or similar electronic auto payment of the tolls. In the past, for East coast travel you would need a number of different accounts and multiple transponders to do the auto-pay but now there is a single account available through North Carolina that covers 18 states.

Most of these systems offer varying level of discount. They all eliminate the need for getting out some change. Some even allow you to bypass the toll booth and continue at 50 mph.

The new system combines the electronics in a single transponder.  Learn more HERE.

Cost is $7.40 + tax & shipping but no annual fee according to the NC office that handles the program. You still have to pay the tolls but you would not get hit with the $5 to $20 charges for the photo enforcement charges.

 

The NC Quick Pass E-ZPass work on toll facilities in North Carolina, Florida (SunPass), Georgia (Peach Pass) and the following states where E-ZPass is accepted.

• Delaware           Florida       Georgia            Illinois          Indiana                 Kentucky

• Maine        Maryland           Massachusetts            New Hampshire         New Jersey
• New York        North Carolina          Ohio           Pennsylvania              Rhode Island

• Virginia            West Virginia

[richard5933]

Absolutely correct about the EZPass. Best way to save lots driving the toll roads. I got ours through the Illinois Tollway where it's called the I-Pass, but it works in all places the EZPass works. I don't believe that the Illinois I-Pass has a charge at all, but they do collect a $10 deposit and require that you prepay your first $20 in tolls. Don't have to live in the state where you get the EZPass/I-Pass from.

One word of caution. It takes longer than you'd expect (up to 24 hours) for the automatic account replenish feature to reach all the various parts of the EZPass system. I was traveling back from the east coast last year and was spending lots on tolls. I received a notification that my account balance automatically replenished, so I was not concerned about the upcoming tolls. When I got off the bridge going from Indiana into Chicago my EZPass did not work. Apparently that toll booth is privately managed, and their computer system doesn't update the account balances in real time. I had to pay the cash fee that time. What made it even worse was I couldn't reach the machine through my driver's window, and I couldn't open the door because the next booth was too close. Had to sit and wait for an attendant.

What I did to keep this from happening again was to raise the threshold for automatic replenishment so that I would always have enough in my account to cover a full day's travel on tollways. Some of them are pricey. The settings I use are automatically put $100 on my account whenever the balance drops to $80. Everyone has a different situation so you'll need to do the math. Probably more than I need, but I didn't want to be caught short again.

Now if only they could figure out how to make the EZPass work in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas.

[wildebill308]

"Best solution I can offer other than not using toll roads is to sign-up for EZPass or similar electronic auto payment of the tolls. In the past, for East coast travel you would need a number of different accounts and multiple transponders to do the auto-pay but now there is a single account available through North Carolina that covers 18 states."

Well EZ Pass has been around since 1997 and if you look at the website it states. "With an NC Quick Pass transponder, NC Quick Pass allows for interoperability with toll facilities in Florida (SunPass), Georgia (Peach Pass) and all states that use E-ZPass." So it is just North Carolina's version of EZ Pass. There are many roads (they are adding more all the time)  where you stay to the right and maintain speed as the transponders read your pass.

Richard, There was a Federal law passed that all toll systems would be interoperable in 2016. Well that hasn't worked so good I found this statement. 

"Sharon Adair, a vice president at the Alliance for Toll Interoperability, says that when it comes to interoperability, despite the appearances, "great strides have been made in the last 12 months." Within the next six months to a year, she expects clusters of states to allow drivers to travel on roads without having to switch their transponders. 

"Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma, as well as Florida and the East Coast,  are all working toward this seamless travel experience," she says.

In the near future, toll authorities expect the regional hubs will establish relationships with all other hubs that will allow recognition of virtually all tags and accounts nationally, according to Neil Gray, director of government affairs at the International Bridge Tunnel and Turnpike Association, a trade group that represents tolling authorities. But he says motorists have to be patient."

Till they get it sorted out I will have my Tex pass and EZ Pass on my windshield. 

One thing to add. I was told by EZ Pass that when I was towing my car to remove the transponder and place it in the shielded envelope. That way it is billed as a "Trailer" at a lower rate than the car price. So far it does seem to work that way.

Bill

 

 

[wayne77590]

When I received my package from NC it included the transponder and the windshield tag.  NC office said to not use the windshield tag if I'm going to be towing the car as it could cause double billing. With the tag axle that would be 5 axles for the MH and then with a NC pass tag another for the TOAD.  I did not install the sticker. When we park in the CG site I transfer the transponder to the car for our day trips. When we are headed to our next destination the transponder goes in the MH.  Works well.

Since it is a central billing office it is slow catching up with all the toll booths one travels through.

Texas has EZ-TAG  and TX-TAG and they both work on each other's toll roads.

[wildebill308]

Wayne, go online and see if they are charging you the car rate or RV rate when you move the transponder. Most transponders are registered to the vehicle. Would hate to see you charged the RV rate in the car.

Bill 

[richard5933]

Some states issue both a car and RV transponder. In this situation, the car one is stored in the special bag when being towed. It is necessary to change the profile to be sure that the correct number of axles get charged, whether with or without the towed.

[wayne77590]

Bill, I checked an the rates seemed okay to me.
I just checked the transactions again and the car rates are considerably lower than when towing with the MH.

[jleamont]

Bill, our EZpass was set up for 4 axles (2coach, 2 Toad). They told me that this would cover the Toad as a combination. The Toad has its own so I would pull it and put it back in the sleeve, place it in the glove box. That didn’t go as planned, they would charge me as a coach, trailer then charge the Jeep plate as if it went through on it’s own and was just unreadable. I disputed all of their fraudulent charges, took hours of a painful process! Took several months but I got our money back. They recommended I change the coach back to 2 axle over 14,000 lbs and keep the Jeep E-ZPass on the windshield so as not to confuse their systems. 

So far this is the only way that has actually worked. 

Also, RV’s over 14,000 lbs are required to obtain a commercial EZ pass. Also found that out the hard way when the “RV E-ZPass” wouldn’t read, again several phone calls later they figured it out.

According to E-ZPASS no RV is supposed to weigh over 14,000 lbs. clueless people working there!

[richard5933]

18 minutes ago, jleamont said:

Also, RV’s over 14,000 lbs are required to obtain a commercial EZ pass. Also found that out the hard way when the “RV E-ZPass” wouldn’t read, again several phone calls later they figured it out.

According to E-ZPASS no RV is supposed to weigh over 14,000 lbs. clueless people working there!

Funny, my I-Pass (EZPass) from Illinois has me listed as a 'small truck'. There ore only four classes in the I-Pass system for vehicle: Auto, Small Truck (2 axles), Medium Truck (3-4 axles), and Large Truck (5+ axles).

We're listed as Small Truck. Funny thing, from what I can tell they have been collecting the proper tolls as we travel through the system.

[wayne77590]

I signed up over the phone, North Carolina office, and there was no references to weights. This was just last April or May. I was given 1 transponder and 1 windshield sticker. When I enquired about the sticker being double charged they advised to not put it on and just transfer the transponder back and forth.  Now y'all got me wonder what the heck is going on. My wondering stopped when I come to the conclusion that it is most likely a state by state mater of interpretation.   Also, according to federal regulations anything over 26,000 pounds is a commercial vehicile - go figure. Oh, the NC Quick Pass sticker is good for NC, FL, and GA whereas the EZ-Pass transponder is good in 18 states.

(Federal Law) Excerpt from one site: "A vehicle may be considered a commercial vehicle if: [...] Exceeds a certain weight or class and therefore, is "classified" as commercial even though it may not be commercially used or commercially owned. A weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more is always considered commercial."

Let's not get into license requirements.🚫

[jleamont]

Wayne, funny you mentioned state to state. I only had been doubled up on in Maryland. Delaware and Pennsylvania saw the Toad as a trailer (as it was suppose to be. 

[wildebill308]

I got my pass at a walk in store in New Hampshire. When I tried to do it online they insisted I needed a commercial pass. When I did the walk in they didn't require the commercial pass. 

I think there is a lack of consistency in the rules and how they are interpreted. The nice lady at the counter made the point 4 times that it wouldn't work in Florida. 

Where is the tireman?

Bill

[richard5933]

Here's an alert I found posted on the Delaware River and Bay Authority website:

____________________________________________________________________

As a vehicle enters a Delaware Memorial Bridge toll lane, the toll system reads both the number of axles and the vehicle profile.  If a customer is towing a trailer or is operating a large recreational vehicle and enters a dedicated E-ZPass lane, the system may register the transaction at a commercial rate.  To eliminate the potential for a misclassification, the DRBA advises customers to pay the toll manually.  The E-ZPass transponder must be removed before entering the lane and placed in the read proof bag during the transaction.

In addition, all E-ZPass customers should always check their statements to make sure that the charges are accurate and immediately report any discrepancies to their customer service center.  This alert does not apply to campers or RVs with dual tires. 

____________________________________________________________________

Not sure of any details other than this alert, but perhaps this was part of your problem jleamont. Sounds like they have an internal problem accurately reading the tags on RVs.

[mypopslou]

I just found out that Central Florida Expressway now accepts EZ Pass but not all toll roads in central Florida are part of CFE, for example coming home from Orlando International Airport, there are 3 tolls, 2 accept EX Pass but the third one does not. Crazy...Hopefully soon, EZ Pass will be accepted at all toll roads in Florida, very confusing system but maybe that why some of the Florida residents call this state FloriDA

[manholt]

Just a thought, on this Thanksgiving Day!  20 years from now, probably sooner, you can kiss the RV Industry, good by!  Same with gas and diesel cars!  Welcome to the 4th High Tech industrial age... Every thing as we know it, has been growing and changing exponentially  since 1986!