TOLLS - PULLING A TRAILER

[Marty Roth]

How much could tolls add to the cost of the trip??

I'll be pulling my 2-axle enclosed car hauler trailer from Somerset, PA on the Pennsylvania Turnpike. Will be going all the way to Oak Brook, Illinois (Chiocago area), using I-70/76, I-80/90 to show the 1914 Buick B-37 Touring.

The trip will include the:

PA Turnpike

Ohio Toll Road

Indiana Toll Road

some Chicago Toll Areas.

Can anybody give me an idea of what the tolls will cost for the length of each of the roads, or for the length of the trip -- not just for a vehicle, but pulling the 2-axle enclosed 11-1/2 ft height trailer.

I guess I will need to carry a supply of smaller bills.

The alternative might be to drive I-70 to Indianapolis, and I-65 to Oak Brook, but this would add about 100 miles, or about 2 hours and an extra $44 worth of diesel.

On a recent trip from the Stowe Meet I stopped in New York City and found that several of the smaller Toll Bridges charged me $27 for each toll (outrageous !).

Here in Louisiana we have only 3 toll bridges (2 in the New Orleans area). One is $1, and the other is $3 for a 2-axle vehicle, but the charge increases with additional axles, and with the height of the trailer $3 becomes $10.

Thanks for any help in calculating my expected toll requirements, or for other suggestions.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

New York is about to raise the toll for all the ingoing bridges and tunnels to $15 from $8. The initial proposal was to raise it to $17 but they backed it down to $15 after a public outcry. I guess that shows they can be "reasonable". This is to finance the new WTC that I doubt anybody will want to work in.

[Dave@Moon]

Using the online toll calculators for the respective turnpikes from Somerset to the IL line:

PA: $10.70

OH: $22.00

IN: $23.76

(All three charge by the axle, the rates I quote are for 4 axles.)

Now, if you want to see something really funny, look at the IL Tollway Map with tolls ( http://www.illinoistollway.com/pls/portal/docs/PAGE/TOLLWAY/ROADTOLL/ROADTOLL_MAPS/ROADTOLL_MAPS_SYSTEM_MAP/ILTOLLWAYMAP2009_SIDEB-F%20%282%29.PDF ). The only thing you can read on it is "SEND HELP"!:eek:

I'm not sure what to do about the IL tolls, but you could avoid all of OH and IN tolls using I-70 to Indianapolis, and I-65 to Chicago. The PA toll would be $4.70 (again according to the online calculator--Pennsylvania Turnpike Preferred Traveler). The toll route is 525 miles (Somerset to Chicago city-to-city on mapsonus.com). The non-toll route through Indy is 594 miles.

[rick60]

Here is the Il toll calculator.

Illinois Tollway

[R Walling]

Dave Re: "The only thing you can read on it is "SEND HELP"!:eek:

Increase the magnification to 200% by clicking the plus sign.

"

[60FlatTop]

I saw "Tolls" and immediately knew that New York State would be involved somewhere. I think the state flag says "Just Keep Paying".

Bernie

[MCHinson]

Marty,

I don't know much about Toll Roads. We don't have many of them in my state. My only suggestion would be to use your GPS to calculate the route. See what the mileage/time is. Then, change your GPS settings to "Avoid Tolls" and see what the mileage/time is. You may find that your GPS can calculate a route that will be a little bit longer but still cheaper based on Tolls avoided. Good luck!

[Guest Gary Hearn]

If carrying cash is a concern, you may want to look into getting an E Z Pass transponder and loading it up before you leave.

[ply33]

If carrying cash is a concern, you may want to look into getting an E Z Pass transponder and loading it up before you leave.

I am a little surprised that one transponder system would work across all those states. Seems like too many different agencies would have to be coordinating better than usual for that to happen.

[huptoy]

GoogleMap indicates your trip is an 11 hour trip by car on I-70, will the trailer add one or two hours to your travel time? Will this be a one day trip or are you planning to stay overnight on the way? Keep in mind, I don't like traveling on I-80 and usually try to avoid toll roads.

The route on I-70 to Indianapolis and I-65 to Chicago is an easier trip but about 60 miles further than I-80. I-70 in PA is not a fun road from New Stanton to the WV border. It is narrow, has sharp curves, a 45 MPH section, and heavy traffic. Once you get past PA, I-70 is an easy trip. Just be careful of the long steep down hill into Wheeling. With a trailer, I would suggest taking the I-470 bypass, it is about the same distance as I-70.

When you get to Indianapolis, I-65 is very flat but has a lot of truck traffic to I-80. If you get to Indianapolis during rush hour traffic, take the I-465 by pass north. You can also take I-70 into Ind to I-65 north as it is a little shorter.

If you don't like the traffic on I-65 you can go about 15 miles on I-65 and at the town of Lebanon, take route 32 west, a 2 lane highway, to I-74 and then north on I-57.

Will this help you, I don't know.

Have fun at the Central Fall Meet.

[Dave@Moon]

Marty,

I don't know much about Toll Roads. We don't have many of them in my state. My only suggestion would be to use your GPS to calculate the route. See what the mileage/time is. Then, change your GPS settings to "Avoid Tolls" and see what the mileage/time is. You may find that your GPS can calculate a route that will be a little bit longer but still cheaper based on Tolls avoided. Good luck!

Matt, doing that around Somerset, PA with a heavy trailer can be a bit risky. There are roads over Laurel Ridge there that I wouldn't want to pull a load over, especially downhill.

Now give me an antique sports car.....:cool:

[Dave@Moon]

GoogleMap indicates your trip is an 11 hour trip by car on I-70, will the trailer add one or two hours to your travel time? Will this be a one day trip or are you planning to stay overnight on the way? Keep in mind, I don't like traveling on I-80 and usually try to avoid toll roads.

The route on I-70 to Indianapolis and I-65 to Chicago is an easier trip but about 60 miles further than I-80. I-70 in PA is not a fun road from New Stanton to the WV border. It is narrow, has sharp curves, a 45 MPH section, and heavy traffic. Once you get past PA, I-70 is an easy trip. Just be careful of the long steep down hill into Wheeling. With a trailer, I would suggest taking the I-470 bypass, it is about the same distance as I-70.

When you get to Indianapolis, I-65 is very flat but has a lot of truck traffic to I-80. If you get to Indianapolis during rush hour traffic, take the I-465 by pass north. You can also take I-70 into Ind to I-65 north as it is a little shorter.

If you don't like the traffic on I-65 you can go about 15 miles on I-65 and at the town of Lebanon, take route 32 west, a 2 lane highway, to I-74 and then north on I-57.

Will this help you, I don't know.

Have fun at the Central Fall Meet.

I drive the I-70 route several times a year, most recently this past weekend. Huptoy is right about I-70 from New Stanton to the WV line. It may be the worst Interstate highway in the U.S. (It's an old stretch of US-40 that was grandfathered in as an interstate)

The route through Wheeling is a damned if you do/don't proposition, however. The big hill (downhill going west) is before you get to the I-470 split. I-470 has 2 additional hills before the OH line that are almost as bad as the main hill. I-70 is slightly shorter (maybe 1-2 miles), but narrows to one 40 mph lane at the tunnel (permanently, no construction as of last Sunday). It then has a long, gradual hill in OH up to the mall where it meets I-470 again. I-470's hill to the same spot is longer, and more gradual.

Driving I-270 around Columbus is easier on the south side. The northern part of the loop is more developed, with more traffic.

The area around Dayton is also congested, but at least the highway skirts the town so you don't have to take a bypass.

Finally, if you choose to use I-74 like Huptoy suggest be advised the it intersects the I-465 loop around Indy only about 4 miles from I-65. Taking the loop around Indy to the south to get to I-74 directly is probably better (although I've never driven IN-32, so I can't say for sure).

[rons49]

Dave, NY attempted to raise the tolls from 6.50 each way to 7.50 ( $15 round) as my family members told me. No consolation of course but it was an attempt by Mayor Bloomberg to get folks to use public trans after the City has expanded the subways and so on. People exploded because they raised them from $11 to $13 just last year. We better get used to it, since the states are being stangeled for road maintance costs as tax revenues are dropping.

[Sweepspear]

I'm just blown away by the costs of those tolls!

All I have to go by is my memory as a kid in the 60's, and on vacation trips my Dad throwing coins at the baskets.

[Guest prewar40]

I am a little surprised that one transponder system would work across all those states. Seems like too many different agencies would have to be coordinating better than usual for that to happen.

You can use the EZ pass system all the way from Maine to Minnesota and at least as far south as Virginia. We make the trip between MN and PA several times a year and are very glad for the EZ Pass, especially going around Chicago!

[Marty Roth]

I was told that I could not use the ES-PASS when pulling my trailer, otherwise I would have bought one for several of my trips up north

Is this true, or canyou use EZ-PASS with an enclosed car hauler ??

[Peter J.Heizmann]

Hi, Marty.

I have used EZ Pass while towing a 2-axle trailer in PA, OH, NY.

A few years ago I was told the same thing that I could not use it. Now, they have those "trip plates" in the surface as you enter the EZ Pass lane. They register each axle as you pass over it.

Just to give you guys some laughs because there are no alternatives the way I see it: "I was told last week while on business in NYC that the Verazzano Narrows Bridge will cost 18-wheelers $70...

Peter J.

[Richard Lichtfel]

We don't have toll roads in Wisconsin but I bought an I-Pass a few years ago. In Illinois the tolls are half if you use the I-Pass and it is much faster. You have to register your vehicle and trailer when purchasing the pass and you can do this on line. ISTHA GETIPASS 172.18.173.179

This is the Illinois pass but I have used it on all the toll roads going out east.

I would think that you could buy the same thing in your State if they have toll roads. I would not drive those roads without an I-Pass. You will save time and money.

RHL

[Guest Gary Hearn]

Think of the EZ Pass as you would casino chips, don't think of it as spending money. I have only used mine with a single axle trailer and did not have any problem. I have a friend in Richmond who owns a demolition company and all his trucks (from pickups to his road tractors) have EZ Pass transponders. In Virginia (at least on on 895) you can go through them at 55 MPH.

Edited September 2, 2011 by Gary Hearn (see edit history)

[Marty Roth]

The EZ Pass is a great Idea

I live in a state where we have no toll roads, and only 3 toll bridges (which I rarely use) and I have an electronic pass for the Causeway's toll which reduces my cost from $3 to $2 on my now-infrequent trip 2 or 3 times each year.

I've been looking into getting the EZ Pass from one of the Northeast States.

The websites tell me that a vehicle-trailer combo must be registered as such, and only used that way - that the same pass cannot be used for just a passenger vehicle.

I would love not to have to stop for each toll-booth, and to cut my toll costs in half when I (infrequently) travel in that part of the country.

I get to New York City once or twice each year for family / family cemetaries. I plan to attend more AACA Meets in the coming years, including the Northeast and Midwest.

So -- Do I get one pass for the rig, and another for the car?

Do they actually require a separate pass for each vehicle?

How do you handle it with multiple cars and multiple tow-vehicles and multiple trailers?

I've been away so long, that I'm just not sure.

[oldcarfudd]

I have EZPass, applied for many tears ago before I had a trailer. Last month I hauled two antiques in a trailer to Minnesota and back. No problem at all. When I'm pulling a trailer, my account is docked for more than when I'm not. I wouldn't be without it.

Gil Fitzhugh, Morristown, NJ

[Guest AlK]

Marty:

As one who has driven(lived in) NY, and driven in the Chicago area and the Maryland area and who is still waiting for the title to various portions of those highways due to the extortion that they charge and call it tolls, my advice is to pay the extra fuel. You will have better roads that the toll roads, and your blood pressure will not be as high when going to NY to visit my daughter and her family I get off at the last exit from Erie Penn. and take Rt 20 east. Yes I go thru little town and take more time and traveling thru little towns with a 38' RV with a tow dolly is a bit tricky. But rather that then pay tolls for lousy roads for which my tax dollars have already paid for. When going from Rochester NY to Albany, same thing RT 20. It's about 30 minutes longer, but the scenery if far better especially in the fall. Here in the south we have few toll roads and the ones we do have I avoid like the plague. Pay the extra fuel.

P.S. There is a big pot hole somewhere on the thruway that a VW fell into some time back and they still have not found it yet. People keep throwing sandwiches into it and they disappear.

Edited September 3, 2011 by AlK (see edit history)

[Guest stude8]

Went to Indianapolis last May and I-70 around south end of city and I-465 bypass on west side were under major construction work. Lanes narrow, exits closed or tight get on merges that made it an absolute 3 ring circus with 18 wheelers struggling along in these zones. I would avoid I-70 & I-465 especially with a nice car on a trailer for another year at least in Indianapolis area.

Stude8

[rons49]

One of the problems that face New Yorkers from Long Island, is, that to leave the Island they MUST cross a toll bridge or tunnel to get to the mainland. I usually bum my daughters EZ pass when I return there. It is easy to wait in line for 20 minutes or more to pay the toll at a manned booth. Never had the nerve to pull a trailer through an EZ lane. I always feared the gate would come down on the windshield of my towed vehicle. One good reason to move to Arizona. No tolls...yet. Is there still a toll between Richmond and Petersburg on I -95 ?

[Dave@Moon]

Went to Indianapolis last May and I-70 around south end of city and I-465 bypass on west side were under major construction work. Lanes narrow, exits closed or tight get on merges that made it an absolute 3 ring circus with 18 wheelers struggling along in these zones. I would avoid I-70 & I-465 especially with a nice car on a trailer for another year at least in Indianapolis area.

Stude8

I've been through there 3 times in the last 4 months (on I-465), twice in heavy race traffic. As long as you don't try to use the western I-465/I-70 interchange the problems are minimal. Even if you do try to exit the delays aren't that bad. The lanes, even narrowed to where they are now, are wider and easier to negotiate than PA's I-70 western stretch on it's best day.

[Restorer32]

I can tell you pulling a car trailer from Eastern PA to just north of Chicago using the turnpikes will cost you over $100 each way.

[Terry Bond]

Marty, I've made the trip from here in Norfolk to Michigan many times and after trying all the routes my preference is 70. That said, I've never tried it pulling a trailer. Check first for construction zones - AAA may be a help with that. You'll love the scenery.

Terry

[Marty Roth]

DAVE@MOON,

I crunched your numbers again, but used the non-EZ-Pass rates, and also found the individual rates for Chicago Tolls, all for a 2-axle (tall) trailer:

PA TPK $ 10.70

Ohio TPK 35.00

IN Toll Rd 23.80

CHI Tolls 13.50

Total: $ 81.00

But going by way of Indianapolis:

Extra diesel fuel (est.) $ 40.00

CHI Tolls 13.50

Total: $ 53.50

So we are looking at driving 84 miles more distance, or 1-1/2 hours pulling the trailer,

and saving less than $30.00.

All-in-all, not a huge difference.

I guess it just comes down to which is the better ride.

Is the TOLL ROUTE all that rough?

[charlier]

The EZ Pass is a great Idea

So -- Do I get one pass for the rig, and another for the car?

Do they actually require a separate pass for each vehicle?

How do you handle it with multiple cars and multiple tow-vehicles and multiple trailers?

I've been away so long, that I'm just not sure.

Marty, I live in Pennsylvania and got my EZ-Pass here.

Welcome to E-ZPass on the Pennsylvania Turnpike

I have ONE EZ-Pass transponder on my one and only EZ-Pass Account. You can have multiple vehicles & trailers registered to one EZ-Pass Transponder. I currently have one tow vehicle, one trailer and two cars on my EZ-Pass Account.

When I first got my EZ-Pass, it was not possible to add multiple vehicles using the web site. Back then I had to call the EZ-Pass 800# and the helpful telephone rep added my other vehicles to the account. Now the web site lets one Add, Change or Remove all their vehicles themselves. FYI, I just logged into my account and noticed that the screen can display a maximum of 50 vehicles per page.

When I need to use my EZ-Pass I simply move the transponder from vehicle to vehicle. I purchased an EZ-Pass holder (with suction cups) that I used to use. Over time the suction cups get old and didn't hold very well. EZ-Pass send me clear velcro strips that I mounted on the windshields of some of my vehicles. Those velcro strips hold the transponder VERY well.

In some states they now have "High Speed EZ-Pass" lanes. The 55mph speed limits in those lanes are nice when towing. I have used my EZ-Pass throughout the Northeast and as far west as Michigan. I opted to use the automatic credit card replenishment option to replenish my account. Given the costs for trailer towing on some interstates and bridges that works the best for me.

One word of warning... The EZ-Pass yearly account fees are different in different states. Last year my annual fee was $3.00 for the account itself. This fee is in addition to the toll fees you pay to use the roads/bridges you use. I believe that fee is going up this year here in PA. You might want to check what the annual account fee is in the state that you are considering getting your EZ-Pass from.

The EZ-Pass web site has a lot of nice features including being able to view/print the last 16 months worth of transactions. Those transactions show all the details regarding the tolls one has paid.

[Marty Roth]

The wealth of information, and the generosity of of our participants on the FORUM is beyond compare ---

Thanks to all .....

Marty

[Dave@Moon]

Is the TOLL ROUTE all that rough?

It's been 10 years since I drove any of it outside of the PA Turnpike stretch (and then only as far as the next-to-last interchange in PA), but as I recall the route was not rough at all. All of the roads were quite nice, especially the OH Turnpike portion. Chicago's toll roads are no fun, but that's mostly traffic-related.

About the only inconvenience is that you're stuck using their Service Plazas for gas/lunch/etc., unless you want to get off and and back on again through the toll booths. They're not bargain centers!

[Guest Gary Hearn]

I opted to use the automatic credit card replenishment option to replenish my account. Given the costs for trailer towing on some interstates and bridges that works the best for me.

Be warned that it can take upwards of 24 hours for your account balance to be replenished once it hits its lower threshold. This could leave you owing a balance at one of the toll plazas and having to pay cash from that point forward until your balance goes back up.

However, you could load up enough to cover your whole trip before you go.

[Guest Gary Hearn]

Is there still a toll between Richmond and Petersburg on I -95 ?

The tolls on I-95 have been gone about 20 years. However, they are still in place on the Downtown Expressway (I-195) and the Powhite Parkway (Rt. 76).

Back in the early 1980's I dated a woman who lived in Chester and opted for the book of toll tickets to cut down on the cost.

[avantey]

Marty- I have had an ez pass since it started, a NYS Thruway permit plate long before that. The EZ pass is great! Everything said here is true about convenience(charge card replenishment), using it with a trailer, quicker toll booth passage, and multi-state acceptance. EZPass is a private corp that contracts with all these states toll road operators and I think it must make multi-state use a mandatory clause.

I am mildly amused now when I pull up to a toll booth and leave a line of twenty cars in awe when I step around and drive right thru the EZ pass lane! Why isn't everyone using it if you have it available. I recently made a run to Maine and got a taste of the high speed version on the NH I95. They actually reworked the booths so two lanes to the left are separate and you go thru at 65, never blink, never slow down- I want all the booths that way now!!!

The only thing I can add is that NY EZPass is a no annual fee thing. First I heard of fees was here, now. Only one rule I know of is- if you use the card replenishment plan (who wouldn't- makes it really EZ) they hit your card for a minimum charge. I get hit for $15 but I believe the rules now state $25. They seem to hit when your account goes below $10.

Regards- Bill

[Marty Roth]

It looks like, if I were able to buy an EZ Pass when I first hit the PA Turnpike for this trip, I could save a total of $ 7.79 , and don't know how soon I would get to use it again. Certainly it would get used sometime next year when I go to the cemetaries in NYC.

Do these passes have a time limit on when your pre-purchased bucks expire?

Do you load-up the value prior to a trip so that you do not get fines and penalties and violations for using a bunch in a quick trip.

Thanks again for the advice.

[Guest Gary Hearn]

Do these passes have a time limit on when your pre-purchased bucks expire?

Do you load-up the value prior to a trip so that you do not get fines and penalties and violations for using a bunch in a quick trip.

Marty,

There is no time limit that I am aware of. I used mine daily until 2007 when my office moved and I probably have not used it more than 2 or 3 times since and it works every time. At some point the battery in the transponder will fail, but it should be good for 5-7 years at least.

If I were you, I would calculate what you need for the trip and add $25 to it to be safe. Just be sure that you have any future replenishment set for the minimum so your heirs are not driving around trying to use up a couple of hundred dollars in tolls.

Gary

[Paul Dobbin]

Marty,

Hope to see you in Cumberland Maryland for the Glidden Tour? Once before in Maryland we made the mistake of getting off the Interstate to take a parallel route.

We hit a toll bridge while driving our classic GMC Motor Home towing our 66 VW, with a total weight of 13,500 pounds. The toll taker said that's 6 axles (same as a 18 wheeler) $20.00, !#$%*&* (Would have been a lot cheaper to drive the VW across, but rules are rules)

Moral of the story, stay off local toll bridges when towing.

[charlier]

It looks like, if I were able to buy an EZ Pass when I first hit the PA Turnpike for this trip, I could save a total of $ 7.79 , and don't know how soon I would get to use it again. Certainly it would get used sometime next year when I go to the cemetaries in NYC.

Do these passes have a time limit on when your pre-purchased bucks expire?

Do you load-up the value prior to a trip so that you do not get fines and penalties and violations for using a bunch in a quick trip.

Thanks again for the advice.

Marty, The following link should answer some of your questions...

http://www.paturnpike.com/ezpass/pdf/EZPass_User_Manual.pdf

The EZ-Pass account gives you the ability to make payments to your account using a credit card as well as Auto Replenishment option. The initial Auto Replenishment amount is $35 but that can be changed by logging into you account on-line. For a costly towing trip you might want to make a special payment ahead of time (24 to 48 hours before using the EZ-Pass) to get your account balance up.

One thing to remember when using a credit card for Auto Replenishment. Do not forget to log into your account and update your credit card information when your credit card expires.

[Dave Mellor NJ]

My EZ pass is issued by the Delaware river Port Authority, a Bi-state agency. A few years ago they raised the tolls, did away with all discounts and instituted a $1 per month service fee. It's still good for the convenience but it's not worth keeping if you don't commute.

[charlier]

Dave, here in PA the fee was $3 last year. I believe the fee is being raised to $6 this year. On the PA Turnpike EZ-Pass users pay less than cash customers. After the rate increase for cash customers in 2012 (10% for cash, no increase for EZ-Pass), EZ-Pass customers will pay 17% less than cash customers.

The cash only toll increases are designed to get more people to use EZ-Pass. Currently only 1/3 of all PA Turnpike users still use cash. The other 2/3 uses EZ-Pass.