Surely, every motorist living in America has, at least once in his life, come across toll roads and bridges in the United States, and the driver of a large truck even more so.
Toll roads are so firmly established in the lives of Americans that many initially take them for granted.
Today is my short story about how toll roads work in the USA.
My article will be incomplete if I do not also indicate the approximate cost of travel on such roads.
Now, all toll roads are, as a rule, high-speed highways with at least 2 lanes in each direction and a dividing strip or a concrete barrier between oncoming flows.
The same applies to tunnels and bridges, which are especially numerous on the east coast of the United States, in the vicinity of Florida, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and other places.
Whenever possible, I try to avoid toll roads, but sometimes it turns out to be “more expensive for myself”, because alternative roads will be longer and slower, with more difficult terrain, traffic lights, and smaller towns along the way.
Can I Drive Through Florida Tolls Without SunPass?
Yes.
Each state has its own name for these paid systems, for example: E-ZPass or I-Pass, Sun Pass, Fast-Trak (and many others), and they do not work outside of each other.
If you’re on a state auto tour going outside of one state, that means you will pay in cash only.
If you live in the same state or close ones, connected by a single payment system, it makes sense to purchase an electronic device for a car.
Each state has its own characteristics.
In Florida, in the Miami area, you have a choice—to go on a toll road or not.
For example, on the famous Interstate 95 (I-95), moving in the same direction, a couple of lanes are disconnected into high-speed (toll) lanes where everyone flies by while the freebies are stuck in traffic.
In other states, most often there is no alternative to driving through some parts of Illinois; like it or not, you pay when you drive up to Chicago.
Sometimes you can choose a route using navigator-free roads, but it can be a boring track, and a couple of bucks saved is not worth such a bore when you drive through beautiful cities and bridges for money…
The question of having or not having a paid installation in a car is very individual.
If you rent a car, then of course it’s more convenient for the office if you don’t know anything and don’t ask, but if you show them your route and have your questions ready, they will explain to you what is more convenient for you.
But it is best not to bother, but to ask questions of the company from whom you rent a car.
Is it Worth Getting a SunPass in Florida?
Yes.
The presence of an electronic transponder is the easiest and most economical way to travel on toll roads.
Owners of such “tags” pay less; usually the savings are about 1/3 of the fare for cash.
For my car, I chose the EZ Pass because most often I travel to states where this system is accepted. For a passenger car, you can purchase an EZ Pass at major stores and gas stations.
The pleasure will cost a little more than $40, of which $35 will be available for travel.
Then the device must be registered in your name, indicate the type of car where it will be used, and be tied to two sources of money.
I specified two credit cards from which money is withdrawn as soon as the account balance drops below $10.
Replenishment occurs at $35. On the EZ Pass website, you can see all the toll roads and print an “invoice” which is very convenient.
The “commercial” EZ Pass for trucks works approximately the same way.
You just can’t buy it. You must first register the car and link it to a credit card or bank account, and then a transponder will be sent to you.
True, the amounts here are no longer easy. The minimum deposit amount is $500 for a single truck (and $200 if you open an account for a company with a fleet of several trucks), which is charged as soon as the balance drops below $100.
Some states have much lower limits; Pennsylvania is one of the most inconvenient states here.
Do I Need both E-Pass and SunPass in Florida?
No. There is no need to buy a SunPass PRO if you have an E-ZPass, E-Pass Xtra, or UNI. Because they can be used in the same states.
Do not have more than one transponder to avoid duplicate charges.
Can I Pay for the Toll Road in Cash?
It is becoming harder to pay with cash at toll roads.
Other payment methods are cash, which can be collected by road workers (toll attendants) or accepted at the terminal using a “cash acceptor” for bills (usually $ 1 and $ 5) and a special funnel for coins.
For example, here in Pennsylvania, some time ago, they allowed us to use credit cards.
Some exits from toll roads are only for cars with transponders and do not offer alternative payment methods.
If you drive there without a device, then a letter will be sent to the vehicle registration address asking you to pay a fine.
I myself used the following method more than once (for example, in the vicinity of Chicago): I drove along the express line for transponder owners and in the evening went to the toll road website and made a payment (indicating the type of car, license plates, and toll collection point).
So I saved time and paid with a credit card. I don’t know if it’s safe to do it every time, but it worked for me without any problems.
Can I Pay E-PASS Tolls With SunPass?
Yes, because E-PASS works on all toll roads in Florida.
From my experience, toll roads are organized in such a way that it is more profitable for the driver to turn onto the toll road and not waste more fuel and time driving around it.
Also, on some roads, express lanes are organized, which owners of transponders can call in; this allows you to avoid traffic jams in the “free” right lanes.
In the same way, HOV lanes (high occupancy vehicles) work; these lanes are designed for cars with 2, 3, or more passengers. Buses and motorcycles are also allowed to move there. Trucks are not allowed to enter.