If it's a new or valued customer I'd take whatever route gets their freight there the fastest, and if you can do it running non-toll roads, do it and make a point of telling them you intentionally did it to save them money. That kind of customer service is priceless and really helps build your reputation.

You're the Captain. Take whatever route you want to. If there's no reimbursement/receipt issue, it's none of their business.

Do you think they'd bump your rate a little bit if you found out after the fact that you had to pay a toll? Probably not, and they sure wouldn't be stressed over it.

If they require you to show receipts, then yes. otherwise pocket it. When you don't take the toll road, you put extra stress on you and your equipment, also you spend extra time doing it. The money goes to that in my opinion. Try to have an all in rate, that way you don't have to deal with these issues.

going around the tolls is time consuming. and costs more in gas then paying the tolls due to all the towns and stop lights you hit. add to that wear and tear on the engine, trans, brakes, etc.

just yesterday i8 was thinking what a rip off the tols were. specially to have to pay for a road that the govt and peoples taxes PAID FOR. and don't tell me it's for r epairs. cuz the govt always hands out money and the roads still look like crap.

it's also funny how only a minority of states actually have tolls. while the rest of the country have no problems managing there roads WITHOUT tolls.

SHC, don't fret about it. Most of the time shippers expect to pay an accessorial when going to an area with high tolls. With my I-Pass, I usually get a discount at EZ-Pass tolls, that cash payers don't. But an Agent is not going to wait to find out if he/she is going to book a truck with EZ-Pass or not, before negotiating with the shipper on toll charges. Take what they gve you and boogie on. The shipper doesn't care if you avoid the tolls or not, that has already been addressed with the Agent during rate negotiations. The shipper only cares if you make delivery on time with the shipment intact.
The last time I got toll money, it was $250, even though my only toll, going into NYC was the GWB during off peak hours and cost me an actual $37.50.

Well from Philadelphia to Chicago I'm kinda stuck running the tollway since there is not really any other way to go. And hoping off at 70 and running it across to 65 is an extra 100 miles on the route. So I just figure the tollway is the best bet.......till the broker calls me and tells me the load canceled. So now it all comes out of my pocket, but oh well I guess. I'm headed home for a nice little vacation time.

Originally Posted by SHC

Well from Philadelphia to Chicago I'm kinda stuck running the tollway since there is not really any other way to go. And hoping off at 70 and running it across to 65 is an extra 100 miles on the route. So I just figure the tollway is the best bet.......till the broker calls me and tells me the load canceled. So now it all comes out of my pocket, but oh well I guess. I'm headed home for a nice little vacation time.

Get off in Middletown PA and go north to 81south to 322 west to I80. If you don't know how to get around the tolls in OH and IN, buy some fingerless gloves.

Originally Posted by SHC

Well from Philadelphia to Chicago I'm kinda stuck running the tollway since there is not really any other way to go. And hoping off at 70 and running it across to 65 is an extra 100 miles on the route. So I just figure the tollway is the best bet.......till the broker calls me and tells me the load canceled. So now it all comes out of my pocket, but oh well I guess. I'm headed home for a nice little vacation time.

you could take 476 up and run 80 across, be a little cheaper. and you could take 76W, 71S, US-30W. 30 really isn't too bad across there, mostly 4 lane. hard to say though, all in all might save $200 in tolls and spend most of it back on fuel and additional time.