Ohio Tolls

[Flamma]

I don't understand the Ohio tolls process. They have gates in the EZ-Pass lanes. Why? I saw one to two mile backups because of this. You have to actually stop until your EZ-pass reads. Then you go. In NJ you just ride right through. No mile backups.

I saw a car move out of the long ticket cash line into an EZ-Pass lane and beep the horn. There was a toll collector in the EZ-Pass lane that took his ticket and money. This is insanity. What's the purpose of EZ-Pass if you're going to do that? In New Jersey, if you go into an EZ-Pass lane with a ticket, you can beep all you want, you'll never see a collector. You'll have to eventually go through and get a ticket in the mail. What's with Ohio?

 

[Reverend Conehead]

I don't understand the Ohio tolls process. They have gates in the EZ-Pass lanes. Why? I saw one to two mile backups because of this. You have to actually stop until your EZ-pass reads. Then you go. In NJ you just ride right through. No mile backups.

I saw a car move out of the long ticket cash line into an EZ-Pass lane and beep the horn. There was a toll collector in the EZ-Pass lane that took his ticket and money. This is insanity. What's the purpose of EZ-Pass if you're going to do that? In New Jersey, if you go into an EZ-Pass lane with a ticket, you can beep all you want, you'll never see a collector. You'll have to eventually go through and get a ticket in the mail. What's with Ohio?

That is weird. Very recently, I drove through Kansas. The people with their K-Tag pass can simply drive through at full speed, and then it either auto charges them or creates a bill that they have to pay. But if you've got K-Tag, you just drive through the K-Tag lane while others (like me) have to stop and get a ticket or pay.
...
It sounds like they're using some backward technology in Ohio. If you have to slow down to nearly stopped to use the system, you might as well just get a ticket and pay.

 

[Creeper]

I don't understand the Ohio tolls process. They have gates in the EZ-Pass lanes. Why? I saw one to two mile backups because of this. You have to actually stop until your EZ-pass reads. Then you go. In NJ you just ride right through. No mile backups.

I saw a car move out of the long ticket cash line into an EZ-Pass lane and beep the horn. There was a toll collector in the EZ-Pass lane that took his ticket and money. This is insanity. What's the purpose of EZ-Pass if you're going to do that? In New Jersey, if you go into an EZ-Pass lane with a ticket, you can beep all you want, you'll never see a collector. You'll have to eventually go through and get a ticket in the mail. What's with Ohio?

I wish I had the where-with-all to take out my phone and video tape an incident I witnessed on the NY State Thruway. A woman directly in front of me, stopped her car in the toll plaza, got out of the car and was waving her easy pass tag in front of the sensor for like 30 seconds. Everyone was screaming at her to just drive through but she insisted on doing her dance with her tag in hand. It was annoying at first but then hilarious after a few minutes. she finally got back in her car and drove through. All that will happen is EZ-Pass will send her a bill from the photo of her license plate or the will simply debit her account assuming her tag battery died.

 

[jsb357]

What's with Ohio?

Union protected job...

 

[JohnnyTheFox]

Never again will I complain about toll roads in Oklahoma

 

[Runwildboys]

I don't understand the Ohio tolls process. They have gates in the EZ-Pass lanes. Why? I saw one to two mile backups because of this. You have to actually stop until your EZ-pass reads. Then you go. In NJ you just ride right through. No mile backups.

I saw a car move out of the long ticket cash line into an EZ-Pass lane and beep the horn. There was a toll collector in the EZ-Pass lane that took his ticket and money. This is insanity. What's the purpose of EZ-Pass if you're going to do that? In New Jersey, if you go into an EZ-Pass lane with a ticket, you can beep all you want, you'll never see a collector. You'll have to eventually go through and get a ticket in the mail. What's with Ohio?

Jersey, NY, and Mass all started off that way, where there was a gate that was triggered by the E-Z Pass. None of them just went straight to full speed readers. At least that's how I remember it, and it wasn't all that long ago, maybe a few years that they got rid of all the cashboxes.

 

[Flamma]

I wish I had the where-with-all to take out my phone and video tape an incident I witnessed on the NY State Thruway. A woman directly in front of me, stopped her car in the toll plaza, got out of the car and was waving her easy pass tag in front of the sensor for like 30 seconds. Everyone was screaming at her to just drive through but she insisted on doing her dance with her tag in hand. It was annoying at first but then hilarious after a few minutes. she finally got back in her car and drove through. All that will happen is EZ-Pass will send her a bill from the photo of her license plate or the will simply debit her account assuming her tag battery died.

That is correct. No need to worry about your tag not reading on exit. If it doesn't read on entry, you'll be charged more on exit. You'll have to call them to get it fixed.

 

[big dog cowboy]

Very recently, I drove through Kansas. The people with their K-Tag pass can simply drive through at full speed, and then it either auto charges them or creates a bill that they have to pay. But if you've got K-Tag, you just drive through the K-Tag lane while others (like me) have to stop and get a ticket or pay.

Living in the Land Of Oz I can tell you that is exactly right.

The upside is you can quickly get on the off the toll road.

The downside is it's far too expensive and a huge sore spot for those who use the toll road.

 

[Flamma]

I'll offer a bit of advice for travelers on toll roads with tickets. Look at your ticket and know what you owe. Don't stare at the collector and wait for them to tell you. If you don't care about your money, a toll collector isn't going to either. They're going to take the easiest path.

Some people ride up to my booth and stare at me. How much? I just tell them the full toll. I am not required to ask for a ticket. That's on you. Don't be ignorant. Know what you owe.

 

[Corso]

I'll offer a bit of advice for travelers on toll roads with tickets. Look at your ticket and know what you owe. Don't stare at the collector and wait for them to tell you. If you don't care about your money, a toll collector isn't going to either. They're going to take the easiest path.

Some people ride up to my booth and stare at me. How much? I just tell them the full toll. I am not required to ask for a ticket. That's on you. Don't be ignorant. Know what you owe.

This is something I haven't thought about and need to.

I'm about to drive from El Paso to Raleigh, NC. I'm wondering if I'm going to run into toll roads along the way and I have never had much experience with toll roads in my life so what is the best way to handle them?
Should I carry cash and change? Should I just go and wait for a mail-in bill? I appreciate this thread bringing this subject to my attention.

 

[Flamma]

This is something I haven't thought about and need to.

I'm about to drive from El Paso to Raleigh, NC. I'm wondering if I'm going to run into toll roads along the way and I have never had much experience with toll roads in my life so what is the best way to handle them?
Should I carry cash and change? Should I just go and wait for a mail-in bill? I appreciate this thread bringing this subject to my attention.

You might be ok with the tolls since you're going to be well south of Indiana the entire trip. Hopefully you're not towing anything. You might run into a toll road closer to the east coast. I'd suggest carrying some cash. Maybe 100 bucks. All toll roads are not pay by mail. The one I work for is not. You go through one of those tolls and you'll get a fine in the mail. But if you do get on to a toll road that clearly states pay by mail, that's the best option. Just don't assume it to be the case.

 

[Corso]

You might be ok with the tolls since you're going to be well south of Indiana the entire trip. Hopefully you're not towing anything. You might run into a toll road closer to the east coast. I'd suggest carrying some cash. Maybe 100 bucks. All toll roads are not pay by mail. The one I work for is not. You go through one of those tolls and you'll get a fine in the mail. But if you do get on to a toll road that clearly states pay by mail, that's the best option. Just don't assume it to be the case.

No tow. Just me myself and I. Crap, now they're going to count me 3 times!
Delete! Undo!

 

[VaqueroTD]

Union protected job...

Sounds like it.

 

[big dog cowboy]

I'm about to drive from El Paso to Raleigh, NC. I'm wondering if I'm going to run into toll roads along the way and I have never had much experience with toll roads in my life so what is the best way to handle them?
Should I carry cash and change?

It won't be that expensive. Just a few bucks. Have a $20 in your pocket (to speed up the process) and when you exit, give your ticket and money to the person taking money (at the same time again to speed up the process) and wait for your change. Easy peasy.

 

[Hoofbite]

I wish I had the where-with-all to take out my phone and video tape an incident I witnessed on the NY State Thruway. A woman directly in front of me, stopped her car in the toll plaza, got out of the car and was waving her easy pass tag in front of the sensor for like 30 seconds. Everyone was screaming at her to just drive through but she insisted on doing her dance with her tag in hand. It was annoying at first but then hilarious after a few minutes. she finally got back in her car and drove through. All that will happen is EZ-Pass will send her a bill from the photo of her license plate or the will simply debit her account assuming her tag battery died.

I would wave my tag too if I was coming from the first toll booth on the road. They charge the maximum distance you could have traveled to the exit your are taking. At least, that's my experience.

In Kansas, if you travel from Topeka to Lawrence (20 miles or so) and lose your ticket on the way somehow, you get charged from the furthest toll in the opposite direction you are traveling. So your toll would now be like $15 instead of $1. Years back when I was in Kansas, I made that commute a number of times. More than I care to count. I never lost a ticket but I'm sure that's what the ticket stated. They are going to charge you the highest possible rate in your direction of travel based on your arrival location. Doing that once isn't killer, but if you have a faulty reader that is constantly failing to register you entering the turnpike, you could be getting charged a hell of a lot.

 

[rags747]

You might be ok with the tolls since you're going to be well south of Indiana the entire trip. Hopefully you're not towing anything. You might run into a toll road closer to the east coast. I'd suggest carrying some cash. Maybe 100 bucks. All toll roads are not pay by mail. The one I work for is not. You go through one of those tolls and you'll get a fine in the mail. But if you do get on to a toll road that clearly states pay by mail, that's the best option. Just don't assume it to be the case.

As you are definitely the board expert on all things Tolls what in your estimation is the reason for not all tolls in this day and age not to be 100% automatic or bill by mail? Unions, states and cities don’t have the funds?

 

[Hardline]

I thought the title was "Ohio Trolls."

 

[Flamma]

As you are definitely the board expert on all things Tolls what in your estimation is the reason for not all tolls in this day and age not to be 100% automatic or bill by mail? Unions, states and cities don’t have the funds?

For now, the money doesn't make sense as everyone would be paying what they're supposed to pay. People that lose their ticket pay highest toll. People that go through an EZ-Pass lane by mistake pay highest toll plus 50 bucks. There are a staggering amount of people that fall into those two categories. People that don't have cash get a slip to pay the toll online at a 30% mark up. Finally, EZ-Pass has a glitch. If your tag doesn't read when you enter, but reads when you exit, you're charged full toll.

If the roadway I work for goes pay by mail, they'd lose all of that extra revenue. The revenue far exceeds what they pay toll collectors because there are so few of us.

Of course unions and other people in the right places plays a roll. But nothing matters more than money. It always wins out.

 

[big dog cowboy]

In Kansas, if you travel from Topeka to Lawrence (20 miles or so) and lose your ticket on the way somehow, you get charged from the furthest toll in the opposite direction you are traveling.

That's true. Coming from Oklahoma up 35 to Wichita I got burned one time. One hour drive cost me like $12.

 

[Corso]

For now, the money doesn't make sense as everyone would be paying what they're supposed to pay. People that lose their ticket pay highest toll. People that go through an EZ-Pass lane by mistake pay highest toll plus 50 bucks. There are a staggering amount of people that fall into those two categories. People that don't have cash get a slip to pay the toll online at a 30% mark up. Finally, EZ-Pass has a glitch. If your tag doesn't read when you enter, but reads when you exit, you're charged full toll.

If the roadway I work for goes pay by mail, they'd lose all of that extra revenue. The revenue far exceeds what they pay toll collectors because there are so few of us.

Of course unions and other people in the right places plays a roll. But nothing matters more than money. It always wins out.

What is this ticket that keeps being referenced?