Toll roads on the rise: What's a truck driver's best choice?

If the truck is running on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, I-76 East, it can collect a $212 toll. The bill must be paid within 30 days. This is for a Class 8 tractor-trailer, that does not use E-ZPass electronic toll collection. It would reduce the bill by more then half to $105 and could be paid automatically before any late fees. The state-collected fuel taxes and toll fees, which are burdens that owners and other road users share, make up 37% of highway and road funding. Tolling contributes 11%, and the 2021 bill will likely increase the number of tolled roads. States will continue to seek out ways to increase federal funding for new construction projects. It is safe to say that the number of toll roads is increasing not only in terms of distance, as Florida is currently adding 330 miles to its existing toll roads. But, it also increases in price. The Pennsylvania turnpike earned $57,000 per month in 2010 on approximately 15,000 vehicles. This same system will see $120,000 per month in 2022 on only 16,000 vehicles
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Rarely does a state or local toll authority reverse their decision and lower toll prices. The state of Washington's reduction of fares on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge was a big deal. It was widely reported that this was the first time such a thing had ever been done. Robert Ellis, an owner-operator based in Swanzey (New Hampshire), hauls "from Canada and Florida" and mostly manages with E-ZPass. He said that the 19-state network is concentrated in the Midwest, East Coast and Midwest. Ellis stated that the service is $30 per month, plus any tolls. Ellis said that he used to plan trips to avoid tolls. But now, with the cost of fuel, it is cheaper to use the toll road than to go around it. Ellis said that before E-ZPass it was difficult. He only keeps a P.O.
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Box, and he mostly lives in his truck hauling year round. He received the bill by mail and said that late fees or interest could increase the cost of the toll. Other services, such as BestPass, not only cover E-ZPass states, but also offer packages for other areas. BestPass' Horizon Scout transponder, service package, and other packages, for example, cover the Southeast, West Coast, and Texas.
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A $35 one-time fee per transponder is charged, along with a $25 activation charge. The service then costs $14 per month. To begin service, owner-operators will need to have a balance of $350. BestPass transponder hardware will work with any unmanned booth. However, the bill will be sent to your account. You can also set it up to automatically pay. BestPass users can obtain an unpaid ticket at the last few manned toll booths across the country (mostly in Ohio and Indiana), and then send it in to draw money from their account. Coverage map for BestPass's toll-collection services provider
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PrePass customers can add ElitePass to their existing PrePass accounts for $24 per month plus any applicable tolls. Melissa Smith runs dispatch for her husband, in their joint flatbed operator venture. She uses PrePass and hauls mostly from Texas. Texas is a strong contender for the worst toll state in America, losing only to Florida. They haul mostly in the middle of the country and avoid "all around crazy" California or Washington where it can be difficult to book return loads. She said that tolls can "eat you up."
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PrePass has been used by the Smiths since 2018. They feel it is "worth it" for PrePass to present one bill instead of taking on multiple bills. Melissa works load boards while her husband drives and does admin work, but she would rather leave the task of navigating the maze of toll services. Their reporting function is another benefit of the more central platforms like BestPass or PrePass. They can give summaries of toll transactions in order to spot errors and assist with identifying them.
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These companies can also initiate the repair process if your toll is double-billed. Recent glitch caused the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority to charge late fees to approximately 1,200 customers of CTRMA and TxTag, local toll networks. It is prudent to pay your bills on time. Jim Minton, an owner of a small fleet out of Florida has been at the forefront of the expansion of tolling and believes it's time to look into his options. Minton said, "I use two different" ways to pay for tolls.
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"I must consolidate them. It is a bit complicated. Minton's reefer company sees him flying out of Miami and into the Midwest. When business took him to Chicago, he chose Illinois' IPass as his current provider. He explained that IPass is administered by Illinois but works in most places but not in Kansas. Minton stated that I was double charged after I attempted to switch to IPass completely, as it doesn't cover all of Florida and I spend a lot time in Miami.
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To avoid being double-charged, we came up with the idea of using hinged boxes and taking the IPass off the windshield when we were in Florida. [Related to Rhode Island's appeal court's decision over unconstitutional truck fees]Minton's fleet of six trucks has been doing "pretty well" lately, despite low rates and high fuel. He attributes this to being careful, planning and "doing what other people don’t want to do." He lists pricing out different routes on the basis of tolls as one of those unwelcome tasks. He said, "If we leave South Florida and want to run up I-95 to I-75 to Atlanta, we can run all of the way to Jacksonville. This will add 13 miles to our trip and handle the traffic in Jacksonville." Or, "Run the turnpike to save 13 miles and spend $19." Minton weighs the added miles and hassles associated with city traffic and tells his drivers to "not fuss about it." He said, "These trucks must turn and generate between $8,000 to $10,000 per week in order for them to be financially viable. So I don't fuss over a few dollars here or there." Although there are many toll-paying devices in the country, some states have multiple systems. However, OTR professionals can approach these services individually depending on where they're located. Expeditersonline.com provides a useful overview of all the available services. [Related to 2023 headwinds: Legal pressures and economic conditions for next year]