charles

Ohio

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Joined: 08/11/2002

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The Ohio Turnpike is based on weight. My Pleasure-way was Class 2, our cars are class 1. Class 2 from Aurora, Ohio to Youngstown just went up October 1st to $3.25 from $2.00, Class 1 is now $2.00 from I believe $1.25. That was a big jump. I ordered EZ Pass yesterday, it's good in any state that has EZ Pass and there is a significant savings here in Ohio if you use it. I've traveled through the W.Va. turnpike many times in our Pleasureways, and they simply looked out the toll booth window, saw my tanks and said "you have to pay RV prices" Not all of the toll booth operators catch it, but some do. I think the difference is $2.00 instead of $1.25 but you have to pay it three times if you travel the entire distance of the toll road from Charleston to the Va. border.
Nick
Between B's
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bananadanna

Cambridge, MA

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Joined: 11/30/2005

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Most toll roads in the US are number-of-axles for a vehicle because its easy for the toll booth collectors to classify you.
I think some of the NYC-area bridges like the Tappan Zee do an overheight charge. I argued with the toll collector the first time in my tall Sprinter with noncommercial MA plates and she pointed to a picture of a Sprinter taped to the wall of her booth and charged me a triple-size(?) fare.
I learned my lesson and got a EZPass transponder. It says I'm a car from MA and the automatic toll is now the usual car fee.
Don't use the evil human toll collectors!
Dan
02 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 long tall home brew conversion
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VE3ESN

Ontario, Canada

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Joined: 03/08/2002

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For the first time, we were recently charged double the amount ($1.00 instead of 50 cents) on the Grand Island Bridge near Niagara Falls, NY. When I questioned the toll booth attendant about the inconsistency, she told me that I was being charged the higher rate because "there is cooking equipment inside". There was the same stove and microwave in our Roadtrek on the countless other times we used the bridge! .
It seems that tolls can depend on the "mood" of the attendant.
Jerry & Susie
1996 Roadtrek 190 Versatile (Dodge 5.2 L)
FMCA F390585
DON'T MOVE FIREWOOD - IT BUGS ME
www.emeraldashborer.info
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REK1

San Jose

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Joined: 09/21/2006

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We just got back from a cross country trip through northern Canada and New England down through DC. We paid what I thought were reasonable tolls for our RT/RS until the portion of I95 between Philadelphia and the turn off for DC. It cost $11 when we got to the toll booth because of our weight and then when we made a wrong turn and had to take a bridge to get back on track we had to pay another $18. What a costly 29 minutes. Boy was I in toll shock!!
PS: The rest of the 10,400 mile trip went without a hitch and was the best 6 weeks of my life...
Ron - Roadtrek RS Adventurous
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ryegatevt

Vermont

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Joined: 02/08/2005

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Tappan Zee Bridge: Three years ago I paid $5 (inbound only; outbound is free). Last year I argued with the guy, but had to pay $13.50. This spring I had my $13.50 ready, but the toll taker said "That'll be 5 bucks!" Guess it depends on the side of the bed they get up on in the morning...
Steve & Bev
2005 Roadtrek 210
Carly the Sheltie
Zippy the Cat
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JoeRT04

Cape Cod, MA

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Joined: 12/16/2005

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We drove cross county this summer across the north to California and then back through the south to FL, up the east coast back to MA. We had a fantastic time. We always paid the standard auto 2 axle rate anywhere we went, including the NY Thruway. We came back going over the George Washington bridge. No problem there. Standard rate.
It is my guess that the RT 190 Versatile that we have, looks more like a standard custom van than a camper/MH so... the toll collector(s) didn't question it. Well, one collector did a double take and smiled, but I paid the standard rate.
I purposely did not get the "EZ Pass" so I could confront the toll collectors if need be. There was never a need to, to my surprise.
2004/05 Roadtrek 190 Versatile
FMCA F380826
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booster

Minnesota

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Joined: 10/14/2007

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I sure wish they would get some kind of universal "E-Z Pass" that you could get and it would work all over. What a pain to get different ones everywhere you go. Paying the tolls (double what the pass folks pay) is bad enough, but what a pain to keep stopping every few miles. I think we payed 4 times just going through Chicago.
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VE3ESN

Ontario, Canada

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Joined: 03/08/2002

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Here's an interesting story about our Roadtrek "B" pulling a friend's small pop-up camper:
The province of Ontario has only one toll highway (so far...!) called the 407ETR (electronic toll route) that runs for 108 km (67.1 miles) in the Greater Toronto Area. The 407ETR is known as one of the costliest toll roads in North America.
When the highway first opened, I was still working and got a transponder to be able to use the highway without the service fees. (If no transponder, they take a photo of your rear licence plate and bill you in the mail.) Unfortunately, they have agreements with the DMV's of most other provinces and states so you'll eventually get a bill. Don't pay it, and you won't be able to renew your plate!
Anyway, you can imagine my surprise when my bill for a short trip of about 15 km on the 407ETR was over $20.00. The "electronic" toll gate thought my Roadtrek and friend's tiny pop-up was an 18-wheeler transport truck and charged accordingly! It took four months to correct this mistake!
Incidentally, the 407 is privately owned and the government of the day foolishly awarded them a 99 year lease to run the highway. Originally, when the highway was built, a different party was in power, and it was structured to "return to the people" after 35 years of profits.
Needless to say, I gave up my transponder and would recommend to visitors to our beautiful province to "keep your "B" off the 407ETR". You'll never know what you'll be charged!!
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Chirpnchicks

Summerfield, NC

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Joined: 01/15/2006

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We are in Upstate NY this week for business, leaf peeping and wine shopping on Cayuga.
The Thruway "is what it is", a necessary evil that we all use from time to time, like our segment from Erie to Buffalo.
Glad we are not rushing around too much and can $ave a few bucks by avoiding it.
Wish the weather was more hospitable for us NC'ers... it's darn cold.
Jay
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ClassBinVA

VA

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Joined: 10/11/2008

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Never had a problem in Ohio, NY (don't go in the city or use NYC roads)or elsewhere with being charged more for tolls. Two axles, less than 10 feet in height and we zip right through the human-manned toll booths with no problem. I won't get an EZ Pass, because there is nothing prohibiting the company from selling or turning over your travel info to anyone who requests it--lawyers, insurance companies, employers, etc.
1987 Dodge Xplorer, "HARVY" (the RV of course )
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