A few driving questions

[Densgirl]

Hi all,

We are driving down from Boston starting on Thanksgiving. We have made reservations for a hotel in SC and are starting the drive around 6 a.m. or so. We plan on driving the remainder of the way the following day and our package doesn't even start til Sunday should the traffic be so surprising that we can't keep a decent pace. Flying isn't an option. DH refuses and he's let me go the last two or three trips without him but I want him to see everything that's changed since he was here last in 04 plus I want to see the Castle Kiss with him again, we haven't done that since our engagement trip

My questions are #1 can anyone obtain and use an easy pass toll transponder and are they good state to state? I've never used one before.

Question #2 is does anyone have any experience with driving on holidays like Thanksgiving? I'm hoping you all will be eating your turkeys so I'll be able to zip down 95.

Thanks for any help!

 

[Snowysmom]

I got a Fast Lane transponder before our trip in 2003 (Massachusetts to Orlando) and it was good for the tolls all the way down the east coast except for Florida. Florida does not accept the Fast Lane program. Go onto the Mass turnpike website (massturnpike.com) and it will tell you how to get a transponder. I think the EZ Pass system is New York's program and may be accepted the same way the Fast Lane system is down the coast but you can double check on their website.

 

[Densgirl]

Fast Lane! That's it. I couldn't think of the name of the one here in MA. Neither of us commute past tolls thank goodness so we are so ignorant of it. Thanks a bunch. We haven't driven down since 2004 and I wondered then if I could get a transponder. Some of the toll roads really were so much quicker if you could use the automatic lanes vs. the staffed ones. Thanks so much!

 

[clkelley]

As far as traveling on Thanksgiving day itself, that as you said, should be OK. However, if you are coming home on the Sunday after Thanksgiving, WATCH OUT. I-75N and I-95N are both 35-40 mph MAX on the way home with bumper to bumper.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Thanksgiving Day should be an excellent day to travel; everyone will be eating big and watching football, planning for the big shopping day! I would think Friday should be a decent travel day as well with fewer people working.

As mentioned, E-Z Pass does not work in Florida. But all of the toll authorities in the northeast (while often maintaining separate Pass names) are part of the E-Z Pass system and you can use the transponder from Maine south to Virginia and West Virginia on toll roads and toll bridges, wherever the E-Z Pass logo is displayed. It's also good west to Indiana and Illinois. See the wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EZ_Pass

The exception is Florida, where we have the SunPass system statewide and the E-PASS (not E-Z Pass) system around Orlando. Florida systems work with each other but not with the northeast's E-Z Pass system which is different technology. But coming from the NE via I-95 and I-4, you won't need the transponder in Florida anyway.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Ham Ham]

I always finds the Washington DC area a mess. Especially I-95 south of DC. for years the road was torn up to install HOV lanes.


When ever I can I avoid the DC area. Coming from Boston you don't have many choices. Unless you want to drive over to I-81

Drive Safe