Toads and tolls

[us71na]

Originally Posted by billjmck

Can you just have one transponder and move back and forth?

I have three vehicles and one transponder. I routinely move it back and forth. All the plates are registered with Ezpass as are our two trailers.

[Love To Travel 2]

Have any of you had any issues with the toll equipment not picking up your transponders signal in a Class C due to the large overhang over the front windshield? In one situation we experienced, the EZPass lane had an automatic arm and it wouldn't raise as we approached. I was blocking traffic so finally a toll booth worker came out and raised the arm. I am guessing that the transponders signal was blocked from the receiver. Now I'm leery about using any of the toll roads. Ideas?

Ed

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by morleyz

You'll only need a transponder in the RV. EZ pass figures out how many axles you have and charges you appropriately.

This info is spot on, but when we get in FL we use our sun pass and I never get charged extra when towing in the good old south!

[Forelyndogs]

Our toad is narrow enough that toll booth operators do not always see it. To avoid having to pull over for the police, we tell them it's there. Sometimes they charge by the axle and sometimes as though the toad was a standalone vehicle. Have no clue how they decide one or the other. There are far fewer toll roads in the west, though CA toll roads are growing rapidly. FasTrak in CA works on toll roads and bridges but CA pretends it's toll roads are express lanes not really eastern style toll roads which means you may or may not be able to take an RV on the toll roads. Fortunately, there aren't many.

[HikeCampRepeat]

Be careful in New York. We have a problem every time we use the EZ Pass with our TV tag. And every time I get a different story from the person I talk to on the phone.

Now when we have to travel through New York State on any of their toll roads, we take down the tag, wrap it, and put it in the glove box. We go to a toll collector and pay an attendant directly to avoid the hassle (and the TICKET they send through the mail with the "violation"). Once we're out of NY we put the EZ pass tag back up for any other states. Never had an issue anywhere else. But NY has been an issue 100% of the time.

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by HikeCampRepeat

Be careful in New York. We have a problem every time we use the EZ Pass with our TV tag. And every time I get a different story from the person I talk to on the phone.

Now when we have to travel through New York State on any of their toll roads, we take down the tag, wrap it, and put it in the glove box. We go to a toll collector and pay an attendant directly to avoid the hassle (and the TICKET they send through the mail with the "violation"). Once we're out of NY we put the EZ pass tag back up for any other states. Never had an issue anywhere else. But NY has been an issue 100% of the time.

Do you have the special “blue” colored EZ pass tow tag? This is what I found out you need to have while towing. This tag somehow calculates axles when you go through the toll booth and they charge you accordingly. I use it all the time while going up and down the East Coast and when in New York, never had an issue, it calculates properly whether we tow our toad or not.

[jimmoore13]

You haven't lived until you get a toll charge for multiple axles on multiple vehicles - e.g. TV and RV.

Brace yourself.

And by all means, register all plate numbers to your electronic toll device. Then verify compatibility of your "E-Pass" device with other states' systems.

Toll rates often increase considerably if they have to "bill" you vs. just ding your credit card.

If you come west, BEWARE. Many of the toll roads charge unbelievably high rates.
E-470 is about half of the "beltway" that goes around the Denver Metro. C-470 is the original, state-funded, toll-free highway on the west side of the Metro from Golden in the north to I-25 in the south. E-470 completes the loop.

To go from end to end on E-470, a distance of only 47 miles, costs as much or more as taking the New York State Thruway from NYC, through Albany, and then on to the Pennsylvania border...a distance of 500 miles. And the rate is staggering for anything over 2 axles.

If you don't see this coming, you're in for a rude awakening. Moving west, with a Ryder Truck and a double axle car trailer in tow, I hit some of this crap just west of Chicago. I felt like my bank account had been hacked by a Nigerian Prince.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by Love To Travel 2

Have any of you had any issues with the toll equipment not picking up your transponders signal in a Class C due to the large overhang over the front windshield? In one situation we experienced, the EZPass lane had an automatic arm and it wouldn't raise as we approached. I was blocking traffic so finally a toll booth worker came out and raised the arm. I am guessing that the transponders signal was blocked from the receiver. Now I'm leery about using any of the toll roads. Ideas?

Ed

The recommendation for TXTag is to place the tag at the BOTTOM of the windshield for trucks with an overhang. Top of windshield for regular passenger vehicles.

We have ours at the bottom of the windshield on the MH, and there have only been 2 times that it wasn't read. Those were the times the cameras got the front plate on the MH, charged me for 4 axles, and then got the rear plate on the Jeep, and charged me again for the 2 axles on the Jeep on the same pass.

Some toll authorities have a transponder that can be placed on the license plate bracket so it is unobstructed from the readers.

[Camper_bob]

Originally Posted by jimmoore13

You haven't lived until you get a toll charge for multiple axles on multiple vehicles - e.g. TV and RV.

Brace yourself.

And by all means, register all plate numbers to your electronic toll device. Then verify compatibility of your "E-Pass" device with other states' systems.

Toll rates often increase considerably if they have to "bill" you vs. just ding your credit card.

If you come west, BEWARE. Many of the toll roads charge unbelievably high rates.
E-470 is about half of the "beltway" that goes around the Denver Metro. C-470 is the original, state-funded, toll-free highway on the west side of the Metro from Golden in the north to I-25 in the south. E-470 completes the loop.

To go from end to end on E-470, a distance of only 47 miles, costs as much or more as taking the New York State Thruway from NYC, through Albany, and then on to the Pennsylvania border...a distance of 500 miles. And the rate is staggering for anything over 2 axles.

If you don't see this coming, you're in for a rude awakening. Moving west, with a Ryder Truck and a double axle car trailer in tow, I hit some of this crap just west of Chicago. I felt like my bank account had been hacked by a Nigerian Prince.

That sounds like Grand Parkway in Houston. I think it's like $30 to get from I-10 in Katy to 59 North in New Caney with a passenger vehicle. IIRC, it cost me $75 when I towed my travel trailer over the same patch of road. I avoid it even if I'm only in my daily driver. It's extra miles anyway, and doesn't save but about 10 minutes versus going through town for where I'm going. Not worth it at all.

[Cliff828]

I just recently went through this. EZ Pass forced me to have three, one for the RV when driving it alone, one for the toad when driving it alone and a third for the RV while pulling the toad.

[JJVDAV98]

Just had to add both TV and TT in NJ and I have been OK...

[Johnynorthland]

Originally Posted by Cliff828

I just recently went through this. EZ Pass forced me to have three, one for the RV when driving it alone, one for the toad when driving it alone and a third for the RV while pulling the toad.

Wow! This is not the case with me. I have the one blue one that covers all that, however, after having it for 3 years I did get a letter some 5 months ago telling me to be on the look out for a replacement in the mail. Hopefully this won’t happen to me!?

[joe w]

If I were you I would, if crossing at the Peace Bridge, take the 190 to RT 5 and then go up to RT 20 until you reach the PA line. (just not at rush hour as you can well imagine)We did that and had no problems.

[Big Daddio]

Just got back from Daytona. Only had the one EZ Pass transponder on dash of rv. It is the one that is normally in the toad as DW's daily driver. Will have to see what ends up on my statement. In West Virginia I watched as the toll changed from single 2 axle vehicle to 4 axles as the gate opened. Actually showed the prices change on a screen as the gate opened. NY throughway authority keeps that a secret until it shows on a statement. Peace Bridge is the same

[Big Daddio]

The gps in rv tried to have us go rt 5 but we don't like going over Buffalo skyway in a car, let alone in a motorhome pulling the car

[joe w]

I understand that although we did but not a peak motoring hours. Hey it's an adventure in RVing!

[Fordfixer1]

Well all I can say is after passing through Denver on E470 with my Mini Cooper behind my coach I was very surprised when I was charged for both vehicles. I don't agree but I paid the toll.