Tolls driving from Ontario

[cslittle999]

all of this discussion is about saving time and money. The cash and toll by plate options are more expensive. I wouldn’t worry about it for a one-off trip but for me the SunPass Pro will more than pay for itself on the first trip. For example, the Peace Bridge is $4 USD with a transponder and $8 USD/$10.25 CAD if you pay cash.

The new I4 express lanes are transponder only. $25 per day surcharge if you don’t have one.

 

[bankr63]

OK, so totally dumb question here. How would a traveler not familiar with the area know that they should get a sunpass or EZ pass or transponder? In the past, we've always been able to pull off and pay the tolls along the way. If my travels take me on a toll road, I'm not about to get off just because I don't have the transponder. So what's the worse case scenario here? Can I still use the toll roads and if they snap a pic of my lic plate, they can mail me the bill? This happened to us in Miami years ago. We were on the toll route so we stayed. Never saw a bill for it. I just want to get in my car and drive. I obviously wouldn't use the "super express" lanes like they have in Atlanta without being a "member". I'm just talking about turnpikes in general. Thoughts?

You can certainly do this, but as @cslittle999 indicates it is more about saving time and money and the convenience. With improved interchange you are more likely to get a bill now, and it will be a heftier bill than if you have the transponder, and now that so many of the cash booths are disappearing on many of the pikes, your costs may actually increase. You might get lucky like you did in the past, but now that Ontario has toll roads too we are (I hear) playing nicer with the US because we also want to collect tolls from their drivers. Also, when you are stuck in traffic looking over at the fast-moving express lanes in Charlotte, Atlanta, or Washington, (and now Orlando too!) you are going to be wishing you had gone the transponder route. I can't tell you how good it feels to rush past all that bumper-to-bumper traffic for a measly few bucks in tolls.

IDK if they are the same as Ontario, but every time I drive the 407 with a new plate I get hit with an added cash grab 'new account fee' too. I now have about 5 accounts with them (3 different cars, one truck and a trailer).

 

[migel]

And just to add, if by chance you're in a rental car, any missed tolls will be later billed to you by the rental company with a significant penalty attached. A missed 75 cent toll can cost $20 USD with the so-called 'Admin Fee' included. Just an FYI.

 

[mort1331]

So is there on pass...the sun pass..good for travel from TO to Miami? I have never had a pass except 407,,,and always just paid at toll boths. Now with pricing going up wondering if i should for march 2023

 

[cslittle999]

both ez-pass and sun pass pro cover the same states. How much they would save depends on your route. For Miami it would depend if you’re going to end up on the Florida Turnpike. https://floridasturnpike.com/ If not then it’s really about the highways north of Florida. There are trip calculators on most of the states department of transportation websites that would let you calculate the savings.

 

[morrik5]

We've never found a transponder to be required on any route. We pay cash. Yes it's a pain to pull off to the toll booth and deposit cash (while transponder people keep going), but that's what we do.

When we went from the GTA in April there were no toll booths manned by toll collectors anymore, they were all either transponder or Pay By Plate. We got the bill in the mail and it was still cheap compared to the 407. When we got to the border coming back home, they said our Easy Pay covered that toll - we didn't get charged for that toll - bonus.

 

[PalmettoPath]

When we went from the GTA in April there were no toll booths manned by toll collectors anymore, they were all either transponder or Pay By Plate. We got the bill in the mail and it was still cheap compared to the 407. When we got to the border coming back home, they said our Easy Pay covered that toll - we didn't get charged for that toll - bonus.

The toll booths with quarters are in and around Orlando basically (SunPass lanes I think they're called). Depends on your route beyond the airport.

 

[bankr63]

The toll booths with quarters are in and around Orlando basically (SunPass lanes I think they're called). Depends on your route beyond the airport.

That is in Orlando yes (although there are some no cash exits on Osceola Parkway). The new I-4 express lanes through the city are all electronic tolling only. But this is more about long haul drives from Ontario. Most of those routes have areas where a transponder can assist with using express lanes in high traffic area, turnpikes, as well as bridge tolls at some border crossings.

 

[scherbee]

So is there on pass...the sun pass..good for travel from TO to Miami? I have never had a pass except 407,,,and always just paid at toll boths. Now with pricing going up wondering if i should for march 2023

 

[cslittle999]

We just got back from Orlando and the SunPass Pro worked well. Tolls in Florida came immediately off the account. Tolls in other states lagged by a few days. I was a little nervous in the beginning because there is no sign that the transponder has been detected like there is with the 407 one.

The express lanes through Charlotte on the way down were amazing. It was Thursday afternoon around 5:30 and the express lanes were empty and traffic was parked in the free lanes. We didn't use them driving back on a Sunday morning because traffic was flowing well.

A similar experience in Orlando. Friday afternoon an I4 was a parking lot but the express lanes were empty. I4 did grind to a halt again when the express lanes ended. We probably should have taken the 417 around the city.

We even used it to pay for parking at MCO when we picked up my daughter and her husband.

 

[mort1331]

We just got back from Orlando and the SunPass Pro worked well. Tolls in Florida came immediately off the account. Tolls in other states lagged by a few days. I was a little nervous in the beginning because there is no sign that the transponder has been detected like there is with the 407 one.

The express lanes through Charlotte on the way down were amazing. It was Thursday afternoon around 5:30 and the express lanes were empty and traffic was parked in the free lanes. We didn't use them driving back on a Sunday morning because traffic was flowing well.

A similar experience in Orlando. Friday afternoon an I4 was a parking lot but the express lanes were empty. I4 did grind to a halt again when the express lanes ended. We probably should have taken the 417 around the city.

We even used it to pay for parking at MCO when we picked up my daughter and her husband.

Do you know if its good for the bridges from ON to NY?

 

[Jimmy Geppetto]

Do you know if its good for the bridges from ON to NY?

You’ll need EZPass for those bridges. My SunPass transponder has EZPass comparability with it. Works great! Just make sure your has EZPass on it before ordering. But full disclosure I also have a separate transponder that is EZPASS

 

[cslittle999]

The SunPass Pro did cover our return over the Peace Bridge in Buffalo. If you use a transponder it's only $4 USD instead of the $8 USD cash rate. https://www.sunpass.com/en/about/pro.shtml shows where the SunPass Pro works.

E-ZPass should work in the same way: https://www.e-zpassny.com/en/about/facilities.shtml I believe someone posted a link where you can buy E-Zpass on amazon.ca.

 

[mort1331]

Guess im buying an ezpass pro..merry christmas to me

 

[mort1331]

Still has to br a whole lot cheaper than 407

 

[NancyK]

Definitely cheaper than the 407. We just got our bill for the NY State Thruway from Buffalo to the PA border. $5.87 one way.

 

[migel]

Returned last week, round trip drive from the Niagara area crossing the Peace Bridge. I used most toll roads, including the Charlotte bypass and the 417 in Florida on the way down, and a few minor ones while in and around Kissimmee. Total toll charge for the trip was $42 USD (included entry back into Canada). Definitely worth the cost and the time savings.

 

[morrik5]

Definitely cheaper than the 407. We just got our bill for the NY State Thruway from Buffalo to the PA border. $5.87 one way.

Crazy isn't it? There is no way the 407 should cost so much and we can't use it with the motorhome because we weigh too much and don't have a transponder

 

[mort1331]

Definitely cheaper than the 407. We just got our bill for the NY State Thruway from Buffalo to the PA border. $5.87 one way.

had to put sad,,,,what we pay for the 407...aughhhh

 

[cslittle999]

The express lanes through Charlotte and Orlando (when they are charging the full rate) are similar to 407.