Tolls

[Suzanne in Cda]

We are traveling to Florida next month, and trying to figure out our best strategy for tolls.

We fly out of Buffalo, arrive in Tampa and visit family on the gulf coast, before heading to WDW and then cruise from Port Canaveral.

Since we can’t get the visitors toll pass due to flying into Tampa, I wondered if we got an EZ Pass in Buffalo before we fly out, would that work for us the duration of our Florida driving?

Any advice or suggestions are appreciated.

 

[ottawamom]

I assume you are renting a car. If so the car rental will come with a toll transponder. It depends on who you are renting with as to the terms and conditions but it is your easiest alternative to the toll issue.

 

[Marc D]

If you are renting a car, you can simply use their toll service. They charge a flat fee - between 3 and 5$ per day you use a toll - plus the toll fees.

If you think you’ll go through tolls on multiple days and want to save the fee, you can acquire a Sun Pass transponder in Tampa, add the licence plate temporarily in your account and only pay the tolls. Visit the SunPass site to get all the info.

 

[isabellea]

The EZ Pass and Sunpass are still not compatible (they use different technologies). We have both and switch our transponder when we arrive in FL. If you often travel to FL, you can buy a removable transponder with suction cups at most pharmacies and then you activate it online. We vacation every summer at St Pete Beach so know the Tampa area pretty well and there are not many tolls around Tampa. The tolls in this area also all have booths to pay. The only reason you would need a Sunpass is if you take the FL turnpike to go to Miami for example (no cash option).

 

[Polydweller]

You can buy an Epass (that’s not EZpass) or Epass xtra from Central Florida Expressway. They will ship to a Canadian address. They work wherever SunPass works and are a bit cheaper. The xtra works in 18 states where EZpass is accepted. By the way EZpass is not accepted throughout Florida or even Central Florida, just Epass and SunPass.

 

[von Monster]

You can buy an Epass (that’s not EZpass) or Epass xtra from Central Florida Expressway. They will ship to a Canadian address. They work wherever SunPass works and are a bit cheaper. The xtra works in 18 states where EZpass is accepted. By the way EZpass is not accepted throughout Florida or even Central Florida, just Epass and SunPass.

This. E-PASS Xtra is the only single transponder that will work for you in both NY and Florida. Handy to have in case you ever drive as it covers most of the Eastern seaboard states,

The only real downside is paying the $18.50 + $10 activation fees when the NY E-ZPASS includes it when you purchase $35 of toll credits, but a SunPass transponder will set you back $19.99 and a E-PASS transponder if $9.99 in Florida anyways.

 

[KCMA]

Sometimes I feel like I am the only one who does not worry about tolls.. we drive down from the GTA quite frequently 90% of the time taking the 79/77/95 .. we always have a envelope with $5s / singles and US quarters and just pay in cash.. sure they may be a few cars in line .. but it’s a toll line and they move quick enough for me.. when doing a 22hr drive a few extra minutes at tool booths over the course of the trip is not something I worry about

 

[von Monster]

Sometimes I feel like I am the only one who does not worry about tolls.. we drive down from the GTA quite frequently 90% of the time taking the 79/77/95 .. we always have a envelope with $5s / singles and US quarters and just pay in cash.. sure they may be a few cars in line .. but it’s a toll line and they move quick enough for me.. when doing a 22hr drive a few extra minutes at tool booths over the course of the trip is not something I worry about

That works for now, but a large number of toll roads are transitioning to a cashless-only system like this example of the NY Thruway being cash only by the end of 2020.

I would expect the booths to entirely disappear over the next year of so elsewhere due to the cost savings.

 

[KCMA]

That works for now, but a large number of toll roads are transitioning to a cashless-only system like this example of the NY Thruway being cash only by the end of 2020.

I would expect the booths to entirely disappear over the next year of so elsewhere due to the cost savings.

I travelled from GTA to Dover Delaware last spring and noticed some of the tolls were all unmanned on the PA turnpike /476 south... we drove through and 10 months later have yet to see any type of bill.. I wonder how they plan to work cashless systems with out of country plates

 

[momdad4kids]

I travelled from GTA to Dover Delaware last spring and noticed some of the tolls were all unmanned on the PA turnpike /476 south... we drove through and 10 months later have yet to see any type of bill.. I wonder how they plan to work cashless systems with out of country plates

I travelled from GTA to Dover Delaware last spring and noticed some of the tolls were all unmanned on the PA turnpike /476 south... we drove through and 10 months later have yet to see any type of bill.. I wonder how they plan to work cashless systems with out of country plates

The Mass pike has been cashless for over 4 years, the volume of Canadian cars is so small they simply ignore us. Ive ran the pike dozens of times and never had a problem. The savings i n wages alone would be 1000 times over what the state would lose on Canadian passenger vehicles. I do not however recommend trying this with a heavy commercial vehicle, they do keep tabs on those.

 

[von Monster]

I travelled from GTA to Dover Delaware last spring and noticed some of the tolls were all unmanned on the PA turnpike /476 south... we drove through and 10 months later have yet to see any type of bill.. I wonder how they plan to work cashless systems with out of country plates

Depends if the state has a reciprocal agreement to share plate information with Ontario - most states do but I can't find anything about PA so they might not.

EDIT - adding this article showing the agreement between ON and NY. Not sure if it covers the entire E-ZPASS network or not.

 

[momdad4kids]

Depends if the state has a reciprocal agreement to share plate information with Ontario - most states do but I can't find anything about PA so they might not.

EDIT - adding this article showing the agreement between ON and NY. Not sure if it covers the entire E-ZPASS network or not.

It states in the article, they have an agreement with Ontario and are working on one with Quebec

 

[von Monster]

It states in the article, they have an agreement with Ontario and are working on one with Quebec

Agreed - I'm just not certain if the agreement is between Ontario and NY, or if it's between the E-ZPASS network and Ontario. In either case I'd be very leery of taking a toll road without a transponder.

 

[mort1331]

So for thhose without toll booths. Will they mail put a bill. Cant be as bad as 407

 

[Suzanne in Cda]

So for thhose without toll booths. Will they mail put a bill. Cant be as bad as 407

If you are in a rental car, you may get a bill for the toll, plus their administrative fee. I’ve been hit with those twice over the last few years, so trying to avoid this time.

 

[mort1331]

If you are in a rental car, you may get a bill for the toll, plus their administrative fee. I’ve been hit with those twice over the last few years, so trying to avoid this time.

will be driving our own car, just if we get on a toll that doesnt have booths, wondering if they mail out or not

 

[Marc D]

will be driving our own car, just if we get on a toll that doesnt have booths, wondering if they mail out or not

Sunpass has a page where you can pay a mailed invoice or a citation. They mention you can also pay before receiving the invoice. I’m not convinced they would be able to trace a Canadian plate through any existing deal with Ontario, or if the self-reported cost is lower than the price if an invoice is sent.

https://www.sunpass.com/vector/invoices/invoiceInquiry.do

 

[isabellea]

My uncle got pretty bad toll violation bill when he took the FL turnpike to go back to Orlando from Fort Lauderdale without a transponder. I personally wouldn’t chance it.

 

[mort1331]

My uncle got pretty bad toll violation bill when he took the FL turnpike to go back to Orlando from Fort Lauderdale without a transponder. I personally wouldn’t chance it.

No not chancing it..just finding out what happens on the roads that dont have manual tolls. How long before I get a notice in Ontario?

 

[dish rag]

No not chancing it..just finding out what happens on the roads that dont have manual tolls. How long before I get a notice in Ontario?

If you get caught while going through without a transponder you can be fined. They do sit and watch. The fine used to $100.