Beware - Bridge Tolls

[richfaa]

We use EZ pass and pay the tolls.  We will not drive miles to avoid a toll. We have not yet had a  bridge toll that would break the bank. The George Washington bridge was the most costly toll we ever had. Tow vehicle and 5th wheel was like 38.00 $$. We could had found another route but we just wanted to cross the bridge. Will not do it again.

[docj]

10 hours ago, rynosback said:

That would be good news as I think a speed camera got me in MD a couple of months ago in my toad.

I also got caught in MD a couple of years ago (it was at night and I saw the camera lights flash) and never received a bill.

[rynosback]

3 hours ago, docj said:

I also got caught in MD a couple of years ago (it was at night and I saw the camera lights flash) and never received a bill.

That is what exactly happened to me.  Saw the flash and I knew.

[sushidog]

I am planning a trip to Florida in my MH and toad to visit family and google wanted to route me over 2 bridges with tolls totaling $26 + a $2.50 fee each for mailing us the toll bill. Thankfully it alerted us to the tolls, but not the rate, which was available online.

Needless to say I rerouted my trip to one of about the same mileage but about a half hour longer, saving both tolls. Since our time in retirement is no longer worth $62 an hour for us both, the reroute was a no brainer.

I wonder what would happen if one had a dirty license plate, perhaps inadvertently splashed with mud, where the camera might find it impossible to read all the numbers on the plate? How would they know who to bill? I'm just saying...that would indeed be unfortunate.

Chip

[Sehc]

I can't see any advantage to not having a toll responder. I have EzPass and SunPass. Covers me on the east coast. I'm hoping there will be a national system when I make the turn west.

[LindaH]

On ‎8‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 3:55 PM, Pat & Pete said:

Doesn't Google maps identify all toll passages ?

Perhaps, but sometimes they're wrong. 

Often when I'm looking a route from point a to point b, I'll get a note on Google Maps that there are toll roads along the route when I KNOW there are NO toll roads/bridges/whatever anywhere along the route.  So I wouldn't necessarily trust Google Maps when it comes to this information without verifying it elsewhere.

[docj]

I continue to be puzzled as to why people make such a big fuss about a few toll roads and/or bridges.  When you're getting ~8mpg the cost of a trip is almost always dominated by the cost of fuel.  At ~$3'gal for diesel it's costing us $0.375/mi.  So our planned 2,700 mile trip to PEI this summer will cost ~$1k in fuel each way (and that's not counting the higher cost of fuel in Canada).  The additional mileage of taking a detour to avoid a toll would, almost assuredly, result in spending much of the supposed savings.  IMHO the cost of tolls is in the "roundoff error" for a trip like this.

[Pat & Pete]

For us , tolls are easily justified by taking a different route . Who wants to be in the middle of that kind of traffic ? We're in no hurry and the stress is far from welcome . 

[docj]

1 hour ago, Pat & Pete said:

For us , tolls are easily justified by taking a different route . Who wants to be in the middle of that kind of traffic ? We're in no hurry and the stress is far from welcome . 

I agree with the general thought that it's good to avoid heavy traffic, but IMO equating tolls to heavy traffic is overly simplistic.  

Not all toll roads are synonymous with heavy traffic---for example, toll roads in OK and KS aren't busy by absolute standards, but they sure are convenient.  Or for an even more absurd example, try highway 104 in Nova Scotia; hardly any traffic at all. 

Frankly, when I'm choosing a route, my focus isn't on whether or not there's toll to pay, but is it the easiest way to get from one place to another?  

 

 

Edited February 25, 2019 by docj

[Pat & Pete]

13 hours ago, docj said:

 

Frankly, when I'm choosing a route, my focus isn't on whether or not there's toll to pay, but is it the easiest way to get from one place to another?  

 

 

I remember when I was just like that . Still am , sometimes . Old habits and such , I guess .   

[Bill w/bus]

Read a news article that CT is going add  barrier toll gantries to all the interstates. And the state intends to toll all vehicles.  

Now the question is how to avoid those roads getting to Maine and New Hampshire for family visits.

Bill 

[docj]

38 minutes ago, Bill w/bus said:

Read a news article that CT is going add  barrier toll gantries to all the interstates. And the state intends to toll all vehicles.  

This is a proposal by the governor, not enacted law, and it looks as if it has quite a ways to go before it becomes law, if it ever does.

https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Lamont-to-present-option-for-tolls-on-all-vehicles-13621840.php

[Bill w/bus]

The way the article read that the law was already enacted and the Gov wanted to toll all vehicles not just large, read trucks, vehicles. 

Ah so they is hope yet. The roads in the northeast are major pain to drive on due to traffic load. Adding tolls to that miserable drive would just the topping.

Thanks for the news.

Bill

[packnrat]

On 2/25/2019 at 2:22 PM, docj said:

I continue to be puzzled as to why people make such a big fuss about a few toll roads and/or bridges.  When you're getting ~8mpg the cost of a trip is almost always dominated by the cost of fuel.  At ~$3'gal for diesel it's costing us $0.375/mi.  So our planned 2,700 mile trip to PEI this summer will cost ~$1k in fuel each way (and that's not counting the higher cost of fuel in Canada).  The additional mileage of taking a detour to avoid a toll would, almost assuredly, result in spending much of the supposed savings.  IMHO the cost of tolls is in the "roundoff error" for a trip like this.

if toll roads are so great.

then stop collecting fuel tax.

stop forcing us to pay a part of our property tax for the roads.

stop using our sales tax for the roads.

stop having the dmv tax us for the roads.

stop collecting "other" taxes for the roads.

 

how much TAX does a state need to fix the roads, as here in ca they are 20 years behind in road building and repair.

[packnrat]

50 minutes ago, docj said:

This is a proposal by the governor, not enacted law, and it looks as if it has quite a ways to go before it becomes law, if it ever does.

https://www.ctpost.com/local/article/Lamont-to-present-option-for-tolls-on-all-vehicles-13621840.php

does this govern relise that some truckers are all ready driving around some states due to the tax the truckers to death mentally.

most would love to stop, at a good clean truck stop, and leave good cash behind for needed services. but the forced tax penalty's say go around that state. or do not stop,,, except for the forced must buy so many gallons of fuel tax.

[sandsys]

42 minutes ago, packnrat said:

does this govern relise that some truckers are all ready driving around some states due to the tax the truckers to death mentally.

Is this first hand knowledge? Our daughter is an OTR driver and I doubt she could make her scheduled delivery times if she drove around some states and, for sure, her driver manager would be asking her what she thought she was doing.

Linda

[Kirk W]

On 12/30/2018 at 9:35 AM, docj said:

I also got caught in MD a couple of years ago (it was at night and I saw the camera lights flash) and never received a bill.

I thought that on a CO toll road some years back, but the bill finally came some 8 months later. It showed the transaction date when we were there and then a billing date that was just days prior to our getting the bill. Still not sure what caused that. Our eldest son works as an accounting advisor to software developers in a company that writes software to take the data from those cameras and the insert it into the accounting software that tracks the money and bills it. Guess they are trying to fix these kinds of problems.

7 hours ago, packnrat said:

if toll roads are so great.

then stop collecting fuel tax.

1

If I understand what you are saying (not the easiest thing to read), I believe that we will be seeing far more toll roads in the future as typical fuel mileage of vehicles increases and more cars become hybrid or electric and move away from petroleum-based fuels government agencies will have to find other revenue sources to pay for building and maintaining roads. I happen to like tolls as an alternative fund source since it means the people who use the road pay for maintaining it. 

6 hours ago, sandsys said:

Our daughter is an OTR driver and I doubt she could make her scheduled delivery times if she drove around some states and, for sure, her driver manager would be asking her what she thought she was doing.

I have 2 nephews(brothers) who drive for different long-haul companies so I just texted one of them and he is not aware of any significant amount of routing around states either. 

[Matthew]

On 8/16/2018 at 6:15 PM, Red Crewzer said:

BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!  We crossed the new bridge from Kentucky into Indiana in June and low and behold it is a toll bridge with NO toll booths, just a camera taking pictures and then they send you a bill.  It is all electronic.  Did not see any signs telling you about the toll ( may have not seen it as we were busy watching traffic ).  We have no choice but to drive across as it is the only way to get from Kentucky into Indiana.  Not sure if the bridge going south is toll or not.  New bridge makes the two separate bridges one way traffic.  Probably will try to avoid this area in the future, if that is possible.  There loss.

I got nailed twice on that bridge.  Once on the way to Georgia and again on the way home. All I saw was "Toll Ahead" signage.  I was expecting a toll booth, never saw one and wondered what that was all about.  Two weeks (?) later I got a toll bill in the mail.  Included was a picture of my truck pulling the utility trailer and a second picture of my license plate.  I figured a scam so I check it out on the Internet.  Valid!  A week latter the second invoice for my return to Indiana.  More I think about more believe it is a moral "Scam".

[Matthew]

On 2/28/2019 at 12:27 AM, packnrat said:

if toll roads are so great.

then stop collecting fuel tax.

stop forcing us to pay a part of our property tax for the roads.

stop using our sales tax for the roads.

stop having the dmv tax us for the roads.

stop collecting "other" taxes for the roads.

 

how much TAX does a state need to fix the roads, as here in ca they are 20 years behind in road building and repair.

I agree 100% !!!!!!

Did you know the Feds also tax every truck that leaves a oil refinery?  Feds distribute that money to the states for road sign improvements.

[packnrat]

yes,

there are many un seen taxes on the fuel we use not just the $150 a gallon at the pump.

crude gets taxed.

refined fuel gets taxed.

delivery gets taxed

 

decades back there was this "special" tax fund account for the roads, ca had the best roads back then. the fools under the dome in sacramento closed it and put all that money into the general fund. so now very little of it goes to maintain the roads.

 

[Ray,IN]

On 8/16/2018 at 6:15 PM, Red Crewzer said:

BEWARE!!!!!!!!!!!  We crossed the new bridge from Kentucky into Indiana in June and low and behold it is a toll bridge with NO toll booths, just a camera taking pictures and then they send you a bill.  It is all electronic.  Did not see any signs telling you about the toll ( may have not seen it as we were busy watching traffic ).  We have no choice but to drive across as it is the only way to get from Kentucky into Indiana.  Not sure if the bridge going south is toll or not.  New bridge makes the two separate bridges one way traffic.  Probably will try to avoid this area in the future, if that is possible.  There loss.

Those two I 65 bridges can be avoided by using the by-pass's on both West side of Louisville from/to I 64, the problem with that is you spend more for fuel in a MH than the tolls.KY and IN are building another bypass bridge on the East side of Louisville, however it will be toll also.

President Obama proposed making all interstate roads toll roads, to pay for upkeep. There was so much objection from individuals and the trucking industry, he let it die.