Toll Road payments advise please.

[rogdeb]

We're planning a counterclockwise perimeter trip of the USA and have a question about toll roads.

I'm familiar with the bridge tolls and Park tolls in CA of course, but the only other road or tunnel tolls I ever paid were abroad.

1) Is there a single electronic pass I could buy for all of the eastern third of the USA ?

2) Do any/all take cash ?

3) Do any/all take a CC ?

I at least figure a CC in this day and age but Deb & I have never been big on that..... so ...??

We'll be riding through 21 States but are mainly concerned about :-

Ark - Miss - Ten - W Va - VA - MD - PA - OH - IN - IL - WI - Mich - and ND ...........

Any help/advise from the collective would be most welcome )

Thank you.

 

[CAJW]

Rog, we took a trip back east this past fall and paid cash on the PA turnpike, in NY state and other eastern seaboard states. Only issue we ran across was in Houston, TX where the toll road only took pre paid passes or a FastPass (not the Disneyland one so we ended up taking frontage roads as we weren't prepared for that wrinkle and were late for a dinner date. With a little planning I learned that many convenience stores sold the pre paid passes. You should be okay, but our Eastern dwellers I'm sure will offer their insight as how they handle the tolls. One tip, when on the turnpike in NY state, wait for a gas/food station on the turnpike as if you exit to fuel/eat, you've got to pay again! Have a great trip!

 

[FJRay]

I don't know anything about tolls but I'm jealous of the trip. Have a great trip and I hope you don't need rain gear at all

 

[TomInPA]

Most of the states you are touring use EZ-Pass. You can order an EZ-Pass for Motorcycles which provides a discounted toll compared to cars or cash. I recommend you just get the EZ-Pass from PA who only charges $3.00/year service fee. You will put a deposit of $10 for the transponder, and put $35 on the toll account and can authorize "refills" using a credit card. Using EZ-Pass you don't stop at toll booths and some of them have high speed bypasses that read the transponder at freeway speeds. I know this will work in IL, IN, OH, MI, PA, MD, WV, NY, MA, and I think it's fine in VA for the Chesapeake Bay Bridge/Tunnel. That is an expensive toll.

Once you are done with the trip, you can return the pass for your $10 deposit and any remaining balance on the toll account. Believe me, you do not want to be waiting in toll booths counting change on the freeway. It's convenient, and you will save money if you ride toll roads. BTW, I don't think there is a toll road in ND. When the time gets closer, let me know if we can host you here. We are east of Pittsburgh near the turnpike at US 22.

https://www.paturnpike.com/toll/get_ezpass_personal.aspx

 

[FrankD]

It's been a while, but I don't recall paying a deposit for my EZ-PASS in NY. I used to use the auto refill option.

 

[BkerChuck]

As Tom referenced above the PA EZ-Pass is a pretty good deal for most of the eastern states. In PA itself it also gives a healthy discount for motorcyclists and it's bike specific and weather resistant.

On Saturday evening I was at the end of an 8 hour rally and 2 of the riders are in the '17 IBR and were discussing toll passes. You may want to look into NC and their pass system as well. From what I understand from their conversation that pass may get you even more of the Southern states including GA, FL, SC, AL, and MS.

 

[El Toro Joe]

Here's a map that shows what states the E-Z Pass will work...

https://web.mta.info/bandt/ezpass/IAG_E-ZPASS_MAP.pdf

Ooops... guess I missed some previous posts

 

[Geezer]

Here's a map that shows what states the E-Z Pass will work...https://web.mta.info/bandt/ezpass/IAG_E-ZPASS_MAP.pdf

Ooops... guess I missed some previous posts

That map tells the story.

 

[bikerskier]

I used several toll roads in Florida a couple of years ago unexpectedly with no pass and with no consequences. Can the cameras see your places at night at high speeds?

 

[petey]

Just got an EZ-PASS from VA, no deposit required.

 

[Viper Pilot]

No toll roads (yet) in Wisconsin.

 

[rogdeb]

Good info Tom, thank you

--- and thanks for all the replies.

Guess we have a plan then.

 

[SacramentoMike]

I used several toll roads in Florida a couple of years ago unexpectedly with no pass and with no consequences. Can the cameras see your places at night at high speeds?

Normal freeway speed, yes. Your speed, probably not, Ralph. You scamp.

 

[Fred W]

Can the cameras see your places plates at night at high speeds?

Absolutely yes. The latest wrinkle in open road tolling is no pass required. They just send the bill to your address of record based on the plate number. Though Floriduh and some other states may not be that sophisticated yet.

 

[TomInPA]

Can the cameras see your places plates at night at high speeds?

Absolutely yes. The latest wrinkle in open road tolling is no pass required. They just send the bill to your address of record based on the plate number. Though Floriduh and some other states may not be that sophisticated yet.

The Florida SunPass system has relied on license plate recognition for at least the last 4 years. There are no toll booths on the Florida Turnpike, they take your picture and send a bill. If you don't have SunPass, you pay a premium, and they charge in increments of $5 and don't provide change.

Other than Chicago area, there are good alternatives to toll roads, assuming you have time to spare, and where you are going. Sometimes the toll road is the way to go, and other times, the alternative is much more interesting and relaxing. Getting the pass makes it easier to take the toll road without sitting in toll booths and trying to balance a bike, and pay a toll. There is no good way to do that.

 

[bikerskier]

Trying to get from the north end of Miami to the south, after dark, with no clue as to which roads go where and after following one freeway which just ended and dumped us into a neighborhood, I just wanted to get the **** out of the city and find a motel. Which we did. I was going 80 and was passed by everyone.

 

[bigjohnsd]

I've had a NY issued EZ pass for years, no annual fee.

 

[Fred W]

Yeah, not sure why you'd want to pay an annual fee so that they can collect tolls from you. Lots of states have no fees.

 

[rogdeb]

Thanks for all the responses guys - just ordered and paid for transponder over the phone.

I'll only need it for less than a month then I'll return it and cancel the account.

One last question --- where do ya'll attach your transponders ? Windshield, arm band, etc ??