Toads and EZ-Pass

[Bob Denman]

Since we use our Toad as the second car for the house: we do have an EZ-Pass module in it.
But should that module be removed from the dash; when it's being towed behind us?
(Being tucked-in so close: is there any chance that it'll get picked up, and charged by the toll-folks? )

[pact40]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

Since we use our Toad as the second car for the house: we do have an EZ-Pass module in it.

But should that module be removed from the dash; when it's being towed behind us?

(Being tucked-in so close: is there any chance that it'll get picked up, and charged by the toll-folks? )

You can get an EZ Pass that will cover your coach and the toad at the same time. As for the toad covering your rear plate, is not a great idea. There are video cameras recording as you approach and as you leave the toll area. You are gonna get bill in the mail at the very least and maybe a fine. Big Brother is watching!!

[Popfla]

Bob, we have SunPass in Florida on all our vehicles, including the MoHo. We forgot to remove the transponder from our toad one time, and sure enough we got charged for the RV-toad combo (4 axles) AND the toad individually. We threw ourselves on the mercy of SunPass and surprisingly they reversed the charge for the toad. But we learned our lesson. The toad's transponder is now removed and stored in its shielded bag on every trip.

[Bob Denman]

I do have one of those shielded bags: thanks for this info!

[gmc]

Originally Posted by Popfla

Bob, we have SunPass in Florida on all our vehicles, including the MoHo. We forgot to remove the transponder from our toad one time, and sure enough we got charged for the RV-toad combo (4 axles) AND the toad individually. We threw ourselves on the mercy of SunPass and surprisingly they reversed the charge for the toad. But we learned our lesson. The toad's transponder is now removed and stored in its shielded bag on every trip.

My toad has the ‘permanent’ Sunpass attached to windshield (soft top Jeep... didn’t want removable transponder)... no option to remove. So far Sunpass hasn’t double charged... only take it through tolls couple of times a year - most trips have been ‘toll less’.

[cavie]

Florida now has Epass Extra. Good all over Florida and 18 other states. You use one transponder and add on other vehicles. Move the transponder around.

[DenverTransplant]

Bob,

Probably a good idea to check with your toll agency. We use the E-470 in Denver with the motor home and toad to get around downtown traffic when we are headed to points north. We have transponder stickers for each vehicle. Apparently their system is smart enough to not double charge us when we go through a toll station with the motor home and toad. I suspect there is some time period within which the system discards the second reading. (or maybe just doesn’t look for a reading). They do always manage to see all four axles and charge us as a 4 axle commercial vehicle. As the charge for a 4 axle vehicle is 50% more than the cost of two two-axle vehicles, I’d be just as happy seeing them charge me for each sticker - at a two axle rate. DW refuses to drive the toad separately until we are past the last toll station then hook up the toad.

[cpmath]

Bob, I will tell you what I was told by the EZ Pass people. When towing your car, you should NOT use an EZPass lane, you should use a manned lane where they will charge you for the MH and the towed vehicle. Do not leave the towed vehicle box attached to the windshield as you will be double billed. Pretty simple to use. When we were towing on the Thruway, we would tell the toll collector in a manned lane we were towing a car behind us. No problems.

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by cpmath

Bob, I will tell you what I was told by the EZ Pass people. When towing your car, you should NOT use an EZPass lane, you should use a manned lane where they will charge you for the MH and the towed vehicle. Do not leave the towed vehicle box attached to the windshield as you will be double billed. Pretty simple to use. When we were towing on the Thruway, we would tell the toll collector in a manned lane we were towing a car behind us. No problems.

For our trip to NJ and back this summer I picked up an EZ-Pass from Ohio to use--just about every freeway outside of Michigan to our destination was covered by EZ Pass.

When I was doing my research I had found that: No tag in the toad and the tag on the coach would be sufficient (and that they would calculate everything correctly). So we just used the one tag in the coach and drove on through.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by cpmath

Bob, I will tell you what I was told by the EZ Pass people. When towing your car, you should NOT use an EZPass lane, you should use a manned lane where they will charge you for the MH and the towed vehicle. Do not leave the towed vehicle box attached to the windshield as you will be double billed. Pretty simple to use. When we were towing on the Thruway, we would tell the toll collector in a manned lane we were towing a car behind us. No problems.

Go ask the Ezpass people what to do at an unmanned tool both or at a camera system.

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by cavie

Florida now has Epass Extra. Good all over Florida and 18 other states. You use one transponder and add on other vehicles. Move the transponder around.

I have SunPass in FL, EZPass when I'm up north. It would be nice to have just one; this one looks like it could be hassle free!

[16ACE27]

Originally Posted by cpmath

Bob, I will tell you what I was told by the EZ Pass people. When towing your car, you should NOT use an EZPass lane, you should use a manned lane where they will charge you for the MH and the towed vehicle. Do not leave the towed vehicle box attached to the windshield as you will be double billed. Pretty simple to use. When we were towing on the Thruway, we would tell the toll collector in a manned lane we were towing a car behind us. No problems.

Why bother having a transponder then? In Florida with either Sunpass or E-Pass you can used a manned lane without stopping and it's charged just like you went through a transponder only lane.

[cpmath]

But Bob was actually only asking about EZPass, not Florida's EPass. Two different distinct systems. I think anyway.

[cavie]

Originally Posted by cpmath

But Bob was actually only asking about EZPass, not Florida's EPass. Two different distinct systems. I think anyway.

yep and now Bob knows about a new and better system that he didn't know about before.

[Bob Denman]

They've got to get all of these competing systems boiled down into just one that will work everywhere.

[TimmyB]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

They've got to get all of these competing systems boiled down into just one that will work everywhere.

Not easy to do when you have state governments, local governments, and private corporations all involved in owning/running toll roads. That said, this new Epass Xtra looks like it will cover most everything East of the Mississippi.

[petefoss]

Following

[PictureTheSouth]

As an aside, one trip we took our rig through a dozen or so "Bill By Mail" toll stations with license plate readers. At the time we had a couple of bicycles on a hitch mount (but no toad). Well over a year later, the bill has never arrived.


For informational purposes only - not a recommendation on avoiding tolls.

[Bob Denman]

Those bicycles weren't obscuring the view of the plate: were they?

[PictureTheSouth]

Obviously some sort of design flaw from Thor, of course.