Since truckers are delivering on deadlines they want to use the most direct route possible. But these direct routes often involve toll roads. Today we are going to talk about how tolls affect truckers and how to help plan for them.
What Are Tolls For?
Toll roads are normally heavily trafficked ones. Tolls are done in hopes of encouraging ride shares which would in turn reduce congestion. The logic is carpoolers spend less per person than single drivers. The price of the toll is often set by demand and vehicles are charged by a number of different factors. Money raised from tolls is often put back into maintenance for the road. So it’s essentially paying for itself.
Types of Charges
There are different ways each road determines how much each vehicle will pay. The most common are:
Axel
This is the most common in the US and it’s pretty straight forward. You are charged by how many axles you have. Sometimes they will throw in things like single versus double tires, number of trailers, and axles-per-trailer. But for the most part it’s just being charged more for each additional axle you have on the road.
Size
This is the second most common toll determinant. They look at the width, height and length of the vehicle and go from there. Some states even use size in conjunction with axel count to figure out your rate.
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Who Pays the Toll?
Truckers pay the toll or an employer pre-loads the fees onto a transponder account. Since tolls are taken into account when the route is planned. If you pay them outright you need to save the receipts for reimbursement and/or taxes. Even if your employer pays for them you still need those receipts as documentation for DOT hours of service rules.
Payment Options
There are as many ways to pay these tolls as there are ways of determining what you pay. All drivers should be aware of the pros and cons of each option and choose accordingly.
Cash
Cash has been king for toll payments since toll roads first began. That has been rapidly changing over the past decade though. Covid has become an even bigger push for everything to go cashless. The days of scrounging up cash before walking out the door to cover tolls are quickly coming to an end.
Transponder Accounts
This is becoming the preferred method for payment for commercial and non commercial vehicles. Transponder accounts are set up with the agencies that cover tolling facilities in the areas in which they operate. And since you preload your account they often discount your toll rates saving you some money for the convenience!
Once you have an account you’ll get a transponder that you put on your dashboard. When you come to a toll you’ll use the transponder account lane. A scanner will read your device as you pass through. This means you don’t have to stop to hand another person something like cash or a credit card. Saving time and possible exposure to viruses.
Some of types of responder accounts are:
E-ZPass or iPass
Covers 16 states from Illinois to Maine to Virginia. Many other options will be region specific which can be a problem when your job entails driving across the country.
SunPass
Covers Florida, Georgia and everywhere E-ZPass is accepted.
TxTag
Covers Texas, Kansas, and Oklahoma
FasTrak
Anywhere in California where the FasTrak logo is displayed. In the Bay Area, you can use FasTrak on all toll bridges, express lanes, and at San Francisco International Airport (SFO) parking facilities. In Southern California, you can use FasTrak on toll roads and express lanes.
Bestpass
This one is specifically aimed at truckers’ unique needs. It works as a nationwide toll management system for commercial fleets of all shapes and sizes. They ensure data accuracy, consolidate payments, and leverage their own expertise to save drivers time and money.
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Running a Toll
Running a toll is bad news for anyone but truckers get punished a bit more harshly for doing it. When you run a toll a picture gets taken of the vehicle. If it was an honest mistake like your transponder was malfunctioning you can sometimes dispute the fines and pay the fees after the fact. But avoiding paying these fees past a certain grace period will cause even more fines though.
Worst case scenario, and typically with repeated offenses, a warrant can be issued for your arrest. Or your license can be flat out revoked. No one who drives for a living wants that. A simple way to avoid accidentally running a toll is to check on your accounts religiously to make sure you have enough money to cover any tolls.
Express Lanes
Express Lanes which are also known as Managed Lanes or Hot Lanes. These are lanes that sometimes utilize existing HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lanes. They allow solo drivers to pay more to drive on them. These rates can even have dynamic pricing which means they change with traffic patterns, even while you are still driving on the express lane. Their purpose is to ease congestion by providing an alternative route. This might sound nice if a trucker is willing to shell out a bit more. But most are for non commercial vehicles only. This may start to change in the not too distant future but for right now, forget about using express lanes.
As you can see tolls affect all drivers but truckers have their own unique set of needs and consequences. When it comes to driving for a living, tolls can really have an impact.
Here at Sugar Creek driver safety and morale are our highest priorities. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us by phone at: (909) 746-0370 or by email at: recruiting@scetrans.com. You can also follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
