Truckers Report Jobs

Find Trucking Jobs

Company Driver Company Driver Dry Van Dry Van Flatbed Flatbed Refrigerated Refrigerated Specialized Specialized Owner Operator Owner Operator
More Trucking Job Searches ⌄ Fewer Trucking Job Searches
⌃

Criteria used for paying toll or driving alternate route

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Deacon Blues, Oct 5, 2013.

Page 1 of 2
  1. Oct 5, 2013 #1
    Deacon Blues

    Deacon Blues Light Load Member

    55
    69
    May 31, 2009
    Northeast
    0
    I was wondering what criteria some of you use when determining whether you should pay a toll or not pay it and figure out the cost-benefit analysis of each. Is it sometimes worth it to pay steep tolls to facilitate speedy travel? etc etc etc. Thanks in advance.
     
    Deacon Blues, Oct 5, 2013
    Deacon Blues, Oct 5, 2013
    #1
  2. Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

  3. Oct 5, 2013 #2
    JPenn

    JPenn Road Train Member

    1,829
    1,874
    Mar 5, 2008
    Northern Tier PA
    0
    Travel time, mileage, terrain, traffic.

    1. How will toll vs non toll affect my travel time and is it worth the toll cost?
    2. What's the difference in miles between the toll road and the go around?
    3. Which route has terrain features (small towns, hills, curves etc) that will negatively affect my fuel economy and time in transit?
    4. Traffic on toll vs non toll...which is worse?
     
    JPenn, Oct 5, 2013
    JPenn, Oct 5, 2013
    #2
    tirednaz, Cetane+ and Ezrider_48501 Thank this.
  4. Oct 5, 2013 #3
    Blu_Ogre

    Blu_Ogre Road Train Member

    8,228
    48,585
    Jul 14, 2013
    Out west
    0
    I also figure in cheap fuel stops.

    Example:

    Passing through Saint Louis heading out through New Mexico.

    You can run out 44 to 40 and pay tolls.

    Or stroll along US50 and cut down US54.

    Nearly identical miles and you can easily bypass Kansas tolls.

    I would be tempted to roll the US54 route except we get a Major discount in OKC (If I top off the discount will more than offset the tolls). Also do not have to run the speed traps in the little towns and can keep it cruising around 70.
     
    Blu_Ogre, Oct 5, 2013
    Blu_Ogre, Oct 5, 2013
    #3
  5. Oct 5, 2013 #4
    25(2)+2

    25(2)+2 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    18,750
    45,501
    Sep 18, 2006
    the road less travelled
    0
    Toll roads usually are more heavily traveled, I haven't found they save much time or fuel as a rule because defensive driving in heavy traffic causes more adjustment of speed to maintain(or try to maintain) safe intervals, and stopping to pays tolls tends to take some time as well. I prefer less traveled routes when possible, and listen to traffic reports as conditions can change the best routes to take.

    I cross the Hudson, and Delaware and the Long Island Sound, so I get to pay some for which the alternatives aren't good or completely non existent.
     
    25(2)+2, Oct 5, 2013
    25(2)+2, Oct 5, 2013
    #4
  7. Oct 5, 2013 #5
    STexan

    STexan Road Train Member

    14,963
    29,154
    Oct 3, 2011
    Longview, TX
    0
    When I was on paper as a company driver who paid tolls, a lot had to do with what sort of mood I was in (if I wanted the leisurely route with enhanced scenery) and had the whatever extra time it may take. But as an O-O, one could perhaps assign some sort of formula to help decide but I think there's so many variables involved that it's really a "wait and see, depends" sort of decision.

    But I will say that even as a company driver, if the non-toll route is reasonable and doable, I'll avoid the tolls 90% of the time, mainly because I hate [the company] paying tolls on top of mileage taxes, plus it's my style and preference to get off the beaten path quite often when it's practical.
     
    STexan, Oct 5, 2013
    STexan, Oct 5, 2013
    #5
  8. Oct 6, 2013 #6
    JPenn

    JPenn Road Train Member

    1,829
    1,874
    Mar 5, 2008
    Northern Tier PA
    0
    Which ferry... Port Jeff or Orient? Thought of doing that quite a few times versus driving around. I hear you on the others as well...but my current gripe is Maryland. $48 toll for 50 miles of I-95, indeed.
     
    JPenn, Oct 6, 2013
    JPenn, Oct 6, 2013
    #6
  9. Oct 6, 2013 #7
    LBZ

    LBZ Road Train Member

    1,771
    1,266
    Oct 22, 2008
    Road to Nowhere
    0
    Wow, I remember being mad over $20 going north on 95 through MD.

    The one that gets me is Chicago to Cleveland. Have not found a way to avoid it w/o spending more money going around.
     
    LBZ, Oct 6, 2013
    LBZ, Oct 6, 2013
    #7
  10. Oct 6, 2013 #8
    25(2)+2

    25(2)+2 Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

    18,750
    45,501
    Sep 18, 2006
    the road less travelled
    0
    No ferry, we go just into Brooklyn, usually, less than a mile after the first legal exit for a truck off the BQE, I tried 3rd Avenue, which is the 2nd, but I'm going to use 7th Ave because of turning left onto 60th is from the main road instead of the service road,

    Once in awhile, we go to Red Hook, otherwise,most other deliveries in the city are in Hunt's Point, if I end up there, or have more stops in Jersey, I go out across the Cross Bronx to the GW.

    Verrazano is free coming from Staten Island, but costs $80 for 5 axles going out, the other big bridges, RFK, Whitestone, and Throg's Neck, toll both ways at $40 a pop. The ones crossing to Manhattan, that are truck legal don't toll, but then you have to drive the rest of the length of Manhattan to get to the GW.

    Delaware tolls that little bit of 95, too and I seldom pay a toll in MD anymore, I'm sure there are ways to avoid more tolls I don't know about, but in the City, I take the easiest way that avoids going where I have no reason to be oter than driving through.

    Now, knocking on wood, I avoid the Indiana Toll Road., because of the scrutiny they give trucks there, and it wasn't worth the cost before they raised it so much. I haven't been hassled using other routes, so, normally, it doesn't take much extra time, if any, to go across a different way. The phone works better a little farther from the state line, too.
     
    25(2)+2, Oct 6, 2013
    25(2)+2, Oct 6, 2013
    #8
  11. Oct 6, 2013 #9
    G/MAN

    G/MAN Road Train Member

    7,031
    8,622
    Sep 3, 2010
    0
    The only way that I will take a toll road is if there is absolutely no other way to get to my destination. With most states, you not only pay the toll but are also expected to pay the fuel tax on the same miles.
     
    G/MAN, Oct 6, 2013
    G/MAN, Oct 6, 2013
    #9
  12. Oct 6, 2013 #10
    tirednaz

    tirednaz Heavy Load Member

    838
    430
    Oct 4, 2011
    Arizona
    0
    US20 runs the whole way. Not sure of any additional savings you would get over not paying the toll.
     
    tirednaz, Oct 6, 2013
    tirednaz, Oct 6, 2013
    #10
  • Truckers Report Jobs

    Trucking Jobs in 30 seconds

    Every month 400 people find a job with the help of TruckersReport.

    • Page 1 of 2