Toll road payment system

[Mavrick]

I'm not quite used to toll roads as there are very few in Canada, but how does it works in the USA, and how are they able to keep trafic to acceptable level?

Do they still have a kind of basket in which you throw coins, or do you pay to a cashier, or is it only working with some kind of automated electronic payment?

 

[NikolaeVarius]

All of the above

EZ Pass = Electronic Payment. If you don't have one, don't go into the lane unless you want some very pissed off commuters behind you

 

[Mavrick]

hehehe, I can imagine that!

But I cannot see how people can casually carry a whole bunch of quarters in their car for whenever they need to take that highway!

 

[George P Burdell]

Originally posted by: Mavrick
hehehe, I can imagine that!

But I cannot see how people can casually carry a whole bunch of quarters in their car for whenever they need to take that highway!

Daily commuters usually have EZ Pass (or something similar) in their car that electronically deducts toll, so you don't have to bother with quarters and waiting in line at the toll gate.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

Also, the basket type toll seems a bit more uncommon these days. However, I'm pretty sure there is usually a person waiting there for cash payments.

 

[Savij]

Just make sure you have money and the guy in the booth will give you change. Hand them a $20 every time and you're fine. Very few places have the quarter baskets from what I've seen, and the one time I did see it, it was marked as exact change only.

 

[Foxery]

It varies by location, and how much the toll is. For long highways that charge you based on distance, there are the aforementioned EZPass/FastLane passes, plus humans accepting cash. Shorter roads who charge flat fees will have EZPass + coin baskets, and surely one human around for confused out-of-towners.

 

[Beattie]

Originally posted by: Foxery
It varies by location, and how much the toll is. For long highways that charge you based on distance, there are the aforementioned EZPass/FastLane passes, plus humans accepting cash. Shorter roads who charge flat fees will have EZPass + coin baskets, and surely one human around for confused out-of-towners.

There's not always a cash lane (lane with a person) they say to just run the toll and beep if you don't have the money and they will check your plates (they take pictures) against the state's registration db and mail you a bill.

At least that's how it works in NJ.

 

[Steve]

Where in the USA are you planning to drive?

 

[Soundmanred]

If you go over 88 miles per hour through the toll gate, you won't get charged.
Or will you just go back to the future?
I can't remember which...

 

[Baked]

Most of them are found before bridges. Traffic lights after the toll booth controls traffic flow. Toll charge varies area to area. We're planning on charging $7 to cross the Golden Gate bridge. Bend over now!

 

[Mavrick]

Well actually I'm going to Boston this weekend, so I will pass through New Hampshire and Massachussets, but I was wondering about the tolls in general in the states.

 

[TruePaige]

New Hampshire..I go through their from Maine to Mass and I'm in the state all of 3 miles, pay a toll at the bridge, and I'm off.

Tobin Bridge in Boston is quite the expensive toll.

Also, if you ever go to Delaware, the entire state is just one big toll.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: Baked
Most of them are found before bridges. Traffic lights after the toll booth controls traffic flow. Toll charge varies area to area. We're planning on charging $7 to cross the Golden Gate bridge. Bend over now!

Ugh. DAMN THE STATE RUN BRIDGE. Then again I don't ever cross it, so as long as the Bay Bridge stays at $4 I won't cry.

 

[Mavrick]

Originally posted by: Baked
Most of them are found before bridges. Traffic lights after the toll booth controls traffic flow. Toll charge varies area to area. We're planning on charging $7 to cross the Golden Gate bridge. Bend over now!

hehehe, around here, they are planning to charge around 3$ to get on Montreal Island by any bridge. Get ready for some serious trafic, unless they use some advanced billing methods (like picture of licence plate).

Anyway, glad to see that I can still pay cash on most of your tollways!

 

[Slew Foot]

The GG was $3 and the Bay was $2 just a couple years ago. Stupid government cant spend within its means.

 

[coldmeat]

They should be set up just like the 407 in Toronto. It just scans your plates when you drive past the cameras and you get a bill in the mail, no need to even slow down.

 

[Doodoo]

Originally posted by: Savij
Just make sure you have money and the guy in the booth will give you change. Hand them a $20 every time and you're fine. Very few places have the quarter baskets from what I've seen, and the one time I did see it, it was marked as exact change only.

Please dont give the guy a 20 unless the toll is close to 20 bucks. Takes them forever to count out the change and just backs up traffic even more. If the toll is like 3.85..give them 4 or a 5. Usually there are full service (lanes with a person) and EZ pass only lanes. If the toll is small...there may be coin baskets that take only exact change. Do not go into the EZ pass lanes if you don't have EZ pass. You'll get alot of people honking and swearing at you (if you're in NY anyway). Make sure to read the signs well before you get to the toll booths. Don't be that ass that gets 10 feet before the booth and realizes they don't have EZ pass and then tries to pull into the full service lane.

 

[Steve]

Seriously, who the fuck hands over a $20 at a toll booth?

 

[fstime]

EZ pass, no reason not to have one.

The monthly charge is like $1 and you get a small discount on each toll pass.

 

[xanis]

Originally posted by: BouZouki
EZ pass, no reason not to have one.

The monthly charge is like $1 and you get a small discount on each toll pass.

Definitely. EZ-Pass is the way to go.

 

[Suspicious-Teach8788]

Originally posted by: Steve
Seriously, who the fuck hands over a $20 at a toll booth?

A lot of us do? There's a lot of people who cross the bridge a lot and don't have electronic toll tags. Geez, it's not like we TRY to piss them off and slow down traffic with $20 bills, but I have on occasion had to do that. Of course, no with Electronic Toll, who cares? =P

 

[Savij]

Originally posted by: Doodoo

Originally posted by: Savij
Just make sure you have money and the guy in the booth will give you change. Hand them a $20 every time and you're fine. Very few places have the quarter baskets from what I've seen, and the one time I did see it, it was marked as exact change only.

Please dont give the guy a 20 unless the toll is close to 20 bucks. Takes them forever to count out the change and just backs up traffic even more. If the toll is like 3.85..give them 4 or a 5. Usually there are full service (lanes with a person) and EZ pass only lanes. If the toll is small...there may be coin baskets that take only exact change. Do not go into the EZ pass lanes if you don't have EZ pass. You'll get alot of people honking and swearing at you (if you're in NY anyway). Make sure to read the signs well before you get to the toll booths. Don't be that ass that gets 10 feet before the booth and realizes they don't have EZ pass and then tries to pull into the full service lane.

I'm in the EZ pass lane, I don't care if he pays with a $100.

 

[Savij]

Originally posted by: Mavrick
Well actually I'm going to Boston this weekend, so I will pass through New Hampshire and Massachussets, but I was wondering about the tolls in general in the states.

You'll pay $1.25 north of Manchester, and $1.25 if you take the tolls on the Pike (I-90) in Boston. I don't think there are any more tolls on I-93 near the Canadian border, but I'm not sure. All of them have a guy in a booth, but not all booths will be open. Look for the red and green traffic signals indicating which booths are open. And make sure you look for the signs indicating which lanes are EZ-Pass only and avoid those. Feel free to pay with small change or large bills because I'll be in the EZ-Pass lanes.

 

[Auryg]

I've never seen one - I live in MN. How are they even legal? They just seem..wrong, to me. By paying gas tax I should be able to use the roads/bridges.