Confused with the varous toll passes

myredracer wrote:
Just how does one suss it all out, esp. if you are 100% unfamiliar with an area/region?

We've been fulltiming for 11 years, and spend a LOT of time in areas we're 100% unfamiliar with. And we never have gotten a GPS, but do use Streets and Trips on a computer. Because of this, I always have an active role in planning the route, so maybe it's more natural for me to be aware of toll roads and whatnot, instead of just doing what a GPS tells me.

And I did admit it's a PITA, especially trying to get an idea of how much a toll road will cost, and especially for a motorhome pulling a toad. But it's a million times easier now than before the internet, that's for sure. I don't like paying tolls (but I do it when it's to my advantage), and I don't like bills languishing in my mailbox, so I make the effort to find out what I'm going to encounter.

myredracer wrote:
Does that mean there is typically a way around these things and does it mean you will end up going many miles out of the way or end up on a twisty, slow road? I've only driven up and down the west coast where there aren't toll roads, and I have no clue what it's like in other areas.

Take the case of Denver, specifically complained about above. There are interstates that bisect the city in both directions, but of course they're busy. It's the toll road that goes many miles out of the way.

But you can see that if you just glance at a map. If that road were free I'd wonder whether it's worth it to go that far out of my way at 8 mpg; since it's a toll road, it gets even greater scrutiny from me. Suffice to say I've been through Denver a ton of times, and so far never taken that toll road, either on purpose or accidentally.

myredracer wrote:
That may be easier said than done?

Just how does one suss it all out, esp. if you are 100% unfamiliar with an area/region?

Okay, now you've triggered my GPS rant.

Nothing, nothing, nothing replaces studying a paper map, and learning the route and alternatives - especially when driving in a congested urban area for the first time.

As far as the GPS, mapping software, internet route mapping - I LOVE my GPS, and Streets & Trips, and Google Earth.

But I never trust them to be perfect, or even day to day accurate.

Normally I have my GPS set to avoid toll roads, but I will change the setting if I know I'm going to an area where toll roads are advantageous.

We can all be surprised at times when we get to a highway and see signs we didn't expect.

I always get off the high speed highway, find a parking lot, pull over and study a map in such situations.

I'm too danged long and heavy to be barreling down a road I didn't expect trying to figure out my route at highway speeds. I've got plenty of time to work out the route - plenty of time compared to the possibility of an accident.

myredracer wrote:
Does that mean there is typically a way around these things and does it mean you will end up going many miles out of the way or end up on a twisty, slow road?

Yes, no, maybe. Every situation is different. Education about the route is the key.

I've always thought the Florida Turnpike was the only way to get from north of Fort Lauderdale to the start of the Keys Highway at Homestead in a reasonable (less than 4 hours for 75 miles) amount of time. Until a week ago on this forum when someone recommended FL-997.

We can learn every day.

And this section of the forum is a great place to ask about specific highways before you get there.

myredracer wrote:
I've only driven up and down the west coast where there aren't toll roads, and I have no clue what it's like in other areas.

There are toll bridges in Washington and California. There are HOT - High Occupancy Toll - lanes in use, under construction and being planned in all the large metro areas of California, and some already in Washington. It can be surprisingly easy to end up in a toll situation in a busy traffic environment.

Toll Bridges in the US

Toll Roads in the US

Toll Roads & Bridges in Canada

And we ain't even started to talk about the toll roads in Mexico.

Rice wrote:

myredracer wrote:
What is a Canadian supposed to do if travelling around the US from coast to coast? I sure don't want to arrive back home to a stack of toll bills.

Not to sound flip, but what I do is simply not use a toll road unless I know (1) how payment will be handled and (2) how much it will cost. It can be a PITA to suss it all out, but it beats getting hit with a big surprise, or fines because I often don't get my mail for months at a time.

That may be easier said than done?

Just how does one suss it all out, esp. if you are 100% unfamiliar with an area/region? Does that mean there is typically a way around these things and does it mean you will end up going many miles out of the way or end up on a twisty, slow road? I've only driven up and down the west coast where there aren't toll roads, and I have no clue what it's like in other areas.

myredracer wrote:
What is a Canadian supposed to do if travelling around the US from coast to coast? I sure don't want to arrive back home to a stack of toll bills.

Not to sound flip, but what I do is simply not use a toll road unless I know (1) how payment will be handled and (2) how much it will cost. It can be a PITA to suss it all out, but it beats getting hit with a big surprise, or fines because I often don't get my mail for months at a time.

C-Bears wrote:
The toll bypass around Denver was confusing on our trip out west this summer. We never could find a place to pay the toll. About 3 months after our trip we got the $20.00 bill. Pretty expensive for pulling the fiver a few miles on one of their roads. Needless to say we will avoid Denver in the future.

Seems a little harsh. The toll road in Denver is really easy to avoid, especially if you're just passing through--just use the other interstates that go through the area.

You guys just cost me some money.

Went out and ordered a SunPass and an EZ-Pass for our trip from Texas to CT, via Fort Lauderdale, this spring.

RVcrazy wrote:
Then, the Sun pass plate reader would be an OK choice for our Florida trip? Does it do the RV also? We are particularly looking at going across the south to Florida and back through the deep south for next winter's trip. Thanks!

We spend 3 or 4 months in Illinois and have I-Pass transponders in two different vehicles for Chicago area tolls and around Rockford.

For the 4 months or so in Florida we only have the Leeway transponder. We stay around Ft. Myers Beach and often cross over to Sanibel Island. The seasonal program with the Leeway pass lets us get onto the island for $2.00 instead of $6.00. We don't use Florida toll roads so that is why we only got the Leeway. It also work on a bridge toll around Cape Coral that we use once and while.

The toll bypass around Denver was confusing on our trip out west this summer. We never could find a place to pay the toll. About 3 months after our trip we got the $20.00 bill. Pretty expensive for pulling the fiver a few miles on one of their roads. Needless to say we will avoid Denver in the future.

What is a Canadian supposed to do if travelling around the US from coast to coast? I sure don't want to arrive back home to a stack of toll bills.

WARNING: From Blazing Saddles - don't have the speakers way up at work.

My Favorite Toll Booth

We have ONE I-Pass transponder. It is good for both of our vehicles, car and truck, plus our fiver. All you have to do is regester all of your vehicle plate numbers, along with your trailer plate with the toll road. We just switch the transponder between both vehicles when needed.

Dutch_12078 wrote:

Using Your I-PASS on Other Toll Roads

"Illinois Tollway customers can enjoy the benefits of I-PASS when traveling beyond Illinois. Use I-PASS anywhere E-ZPass is accepted.* Vehicles (including their trailers) that exceed four tires and two axles, and that are traveling on E-ZPass roads, must exchange their I-PASS transponder for the compatible E-ZPass "blue" transponder available at every Tollway Customer Service Center and at select Road Ranger outlets."

"*I-PASS is not accepted at airport parking lots nor any other non-roadway facilities that accept E-ZPass."

Dang it. I swear I looked all over the I-PASS site for this information. Thank you so much for posting that.

I've got 3 I-PASS transponders: 1 for car alone, one for moho alone, and one for moho pulling car. Looks like I'll have to get a replacement for at least the moho + car one. Now I wonder whether I can do the swap only at an Illinois location, or if other states will take that one.

Oh well, at least I know I'm somewhat legal with the I-PASS transponder on EZ-Pass roads.

Thanks again for the information and the link.