Class B: Driving on Parkways and Tolls

Why do we DRIVE on PARKways and PARK on DRIVEways.....:h:h:h.......Dennis

Sue,

As others have said, sometimes you're charged by the number of axles, sometimes by the number of wheels, sometimes by weight, and sometimes by height. In NY I think it's a combination.

However, in NY, if you go through the appropriate bureaucratic steps, you can get an EZPass for your B (or any RV for that matter) that will "toll" you as a passenger car, but the EZPass is license plate and "combination" specific. I.e., in our case, we use a "B" and pull a utility trailer, and that's how we "filed" with the NYS folks. Once you have it, the only requirement is that you have to go through one of the "manned" toll booths so the attendant can confirm that the EZPass tag "matches" the vehicle they're looking at, and it's then entered in the system as a passenger vehicle and tolled as such.

However, if you simply drive through one of the automated lanes (even though you may have one of the "special" EZPasses), their sensors "see" that you're over 7' 6" (I think that's the number) high, and you're automatically tolled as a commercial vehicle. Same in the attended lanes unless you have that "special" EZPass.

In our case, we "carry" two EZPass transponders (NY and home state) and one SunPass transponder (Florida) and use the one we need at the time.

Cheers.

It varies with each tollway. Some charge by number of axles so you pay the same as cars, others charge by weight or something else. The Ohio turnpike charges by vehicle height of all things. The last time we were on the W. Va. turnpike, we were charged 3 different rates at 3 different tollbooths.

I don't know about the NYS system.

We have driven in all 48 lower states in the past 10 years. Alaska this summer). We have not had problems with tolls and parkways. We are just under 10 feet tall, so not much problem with low bridges, just watch the signs. In Delaware, the toll lady got out to count how many tires on the ground (4), so we paid the car rate. Crossing the Mackinac Bridge, the lady charged us more because we "slept in the van." In more recent years we get a toll tag, ez pass, etc. for the area we are visiting. In California, it saved us waiting in a long line to cross some bridges. I wish there was a nationwide tag.
As others already noted, be aware of restrictions for tunnels, on ferries, they usually want the tanks turned off.
Happy camping.

sueleibo wrote:
I am considering purchasing a Class B, specifically something from Sportsmobile, around 23 foot. 2 questions: are you able to drive them on Parkways (NYS parkways prohibit motorhomes, for ex.) and do you have to pay extra tolls on highways? Sue.

I pay same tolls as cars. I do have a couple of electronic passes attached to my front window. My B-RV is a conversion van with two axles and 4 tires and is registered as a "car".

according to this site
"A truck or a van that is legally registered as a passenger vehicle and that has passenger plates (tags), however, is not considered to be a truck."

a more important issue is "clearance" of 6' 11" for the vehicle as explained here

I've never had a problem. Just can't drive the vehicle in tunnels because of the gas tanks. I have a transponder for the vehicle. Tolls are usually based on axles rather than weight I think so i don't think it costs more.