Posted on 06/18/2015 6:56:30 AM PDT by Tolerance Sucks Rocks
We've got a secret the rental car companies would prefer you didn't know. people camping in RV More The Cheapest Way to Roadtrip Might Surprise You 3 Ways to Avoid Costly Rental Car Insurance These Are the Most Hated Fees in America
This won’t come as news to commuters and frequent road trippers, but drivers are encountering more and more toll roads, as well as higher and higher tolls on the existing ones. The latest example is I-10 in Texas, where plans called for the maximum toll during peak travel hours to shoot from $7 to $10 as of May 30. [UPDATE: At the last minute, the planned road toll price hike on I-10 was suspended, though a toll increase could be implemented in the future. For now, the maximum toll remains $7.]
With road trip—and rental car—season squarely upon us, here are a few strategies that’ll help keep tolls and surprise fees from ruining your vacation.
Be mindful of cashless toll roads. Along with more toll roads overall, more of them have become electronic-payment only roads, in which drivers can pay only via EZ-Pass, FasTrak, or a similar system. Those without a transponder will be captured on camera and later billed for payment—often at a higher price and perhaps with a “handling” or “administrative” fee tacked on.
It’s hard to find a definitive, up-to-date list of America’s cashless toll roads and bridges. PlatePass, an electronic tolling solution system that works with rental car operators to lend transponders to rental customers, lists dozens of electronic-payment-only toll roads around the country, but it’s focused only on where its service works and is therefore not comprehensive. If you’re planning a trip on an unfamiliar highway, bridge, or tunnel, look up the toll and payment details on the corresponding website.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
We use google maps on our phones to give us routes. We just select “avoid tolls”. Works like a charm.
Don’t drive on toll roads, duh.
Interstate toll roads should be illegal.
I live in Texas and I don't have the faintest idea what this clown is talking about -- there are no tolls to drive Interstate 10 in Texas.
” The latest example is I-10 in Texas,”
Is the author referring to the Katy Lanes? If so, there are still free lanes on I-10 through that stretch. At least as of last summer.
The author is somewhat ineptly discussing the Katy Freeway managed lanes.
If you’re in the northeast and are driving to the northwest (or vice versa), bring your passport along and drive through Canada.
I think it’s something in the neighborhood of 5 free lanes and 3 frontage road lanes in each direction.
AMEN!
Try getting around Chicago without getting on the toll road. It will take you forever. They planned it that way.
There are HOV lanes on the Katy Freeway that can also be used if you are willing to pay a toll. There are also 4-6 lanes that are not tolled.
Agree! Have never seen I-10 or any other interstate have a Toll. There are lots of Toll Roads, but often they are parallel to the free roads like I-35 only faster.
Thanks for the clarification on the supposed tolls being only on the HOV on I-10. I’d never seen such a thing and only occasionally go to Houston. Good to know!
I've taken the shortcut through Canada to get from Detroit to Buffalo.I really liked being able to do 100 MPH on several of the highways.
How much shorter would the "great circle" route be?
Sure skip the tolls on the Garden State Parkway and take Route 9 to the Jersey Shore. But you get all those traffic lights and lower speed limit.
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