4 ms·

Furthermore in states with pay by plate as a fall back like NY and IL you can register the rental car plate for the duration of the rental. https://www.tollsby

by epcoa 2y ago

Furthermore in states with pay by plate as a fall back like NY and IL you can register the rental car plate for the duration of the rental. https://www.tollsbymailny.com/vector/videotolls/paytollnow/signup.do?locale=en_US&from=Home https://www.tollsbymailny.com/vector/videotolls/paytollnow/s...

listenallyall 2y ago
This is an area where the governments are short-sighted and it's very hard to blame individual renters. Many of these states have no option to pay cash tolls anymore. Further, not everyone in a rental (often in a strange place) knows they will use a toll road, so you really can't blame people for failing to register ahead of time (either the plates or via E-Z Pass) -- plus the fact that you don't know the plates until you're physically at the car, it's not like you can pre-register a week in advance, even if you wanted to. You'd think by now some of these transportation authorities would set up some payment system with Google & Apple Pay as a cashless alternative for people without an EZ Pass.
- epcoa 2y ago
  > it's not like you can pre-register a week in advance True, although you usually have a 48 hour window to post register. Not saying this is the most consumer friendly setup, but the fees are avoidable. > Further, not everyone in a rental (often in a strange place) knows they will use a toll road When I end up in a such a state I reflexively register (actually use a checklist, can take care of this in the hotel room in the evening for instance) regardless of whether I plan to use a toll road or not. There’s no guesswork to this other than knowing what states I’ll be in. Always make sure the rental car either does not have a transponder or that it is closed in its shielded box. If you’re dealing with an agent always make sure every add on service is declined. > Google & Apple Pay as a cashless alternative for people without an EZ Pass. But how would that work with open road tolling?
  - listenallyall 2y ago
    Yes, technically they are avoidable, but it sounds like you are an outlier - doubtful that lots of people spend precious travel time (especially if with family/kids) registering on government web sites. Very doubtful that many people have checklists for this purpose. > But how would that work with open road tolling? For one, both companies also operate GPS services so perhaps it could all be integrated. Or just have one or two lanes available for people to slow down and tap to pay (still benefit from no staffing the toll booth). Or you could have a pull-off area right after the tollbooth with QR codes to pay by PayPal, Venmo, etc.
    - epcoa 2y ago
      > but it sounds like you are an outlier Ah the weak HN trope to anyone giving sound advice when all you care about is “winning” an argument. This also veered the topic into ad hominem completely unnecessarily. > doubtful that lots of people spend precious travel time (especially if with family/kids) Sheesh. That website takes literally less than a minute to complete for a link that I found in less than a 10 second search. I have family/kids, so no, try again. When I arrive at the airport and I see long lines of families waiting for up to an hour at the Thrifty/Dollar/Fox counter so that maybe they could save a few bucks (often not) while I am walking directly to the lot from a flight to pick up the car - perhaps I may be an outlier, but I certainly know something about saving “precious” time and false economies. 30 seconds to fill out a web form is a complete nothingburger. > Very doubtful that many people have checklists for this purpose. I have a checklist for traveling. This is one item. Do you not understand the “list” part, it’s not a whole list just for tolls. Ironically, before I had a family I wouldn’t often bother. Having a family/kids makes lists a tremendous stress reliever. > still benefit from no staffing the toll booth > pull-off area right after the tollbooth Open road (overhead) tolling has no toll booths. Some states are entirely toll booth free outside of bridges and others are following. The cost savings of eliminating toll booth infrastructure entirely is substantial because it’s not just the booths, it greatly simplifies hundreds of interchanges.
      - listenallyall 2y ago

by epcoa 2y ago

listenallyall 2y ago

This is an area where the governments are short-sighted and it's very hard to blame individual renters. Many of these states have no option to pay cash tolls anymore. Further, not everyone in a rental (often in a strange place) knows they will use a toll road, so you really can't blame people for failing to register ahead of time (either the plates or via E-Z Pass) -- plus the fact that you don't know the plates until you're physically at the car, it's not like you can pre-register a week in advance, even if you wanted to. You'd think by now some of these transportation authorities would set up some payment system with Google & Apple Pay as a cashless alternative for people without an EZ Pass.

epcoa 2y ago
> it's not like you can pre-register a week in advance True, although you usually have a 48 hour window to post register. Not saying this is the most consumer friendly setup, but the fees are avoidable. > Further, not everyone in a rental (often in a strange place) knows they will use a toll road When I end up in a such a state I reflexively register (actually use a checklist, can take care of this in the hotel room in the evening for instance) regardless of whether I plan to use a toll road or not. There’s no guesswork to this other than knowing what states I’ll be in. Always make sure the rental car either does not have a transponder or that it is closed in its shielded box. If you’re dealing with an agent always make sure every add on service is declined. > Google & Apple Pay as a cashless alternative for people without an EZ Pass. But how would that work with open road tolling?
- listenallyall 2y ago
  Yes, technically they are avoidable, but it sounds like you are an outlier - doubtful that lots of people spend precious travel time (especially if with family/kids) registering on government web sites. Very doubtful that many people have checklists for this purpose. > But how would that work with open road tolling? For one, both companies also operate GPS services so perhaps it could all be integrated. Or just have one or two lanes available for people to slow down and tap to pay (still benefit from no staffing the toll booth). Or you could have a pull-off area right after the tollbooth with QR codes to pay by PayPal, Venmo, etc.
  - epcoa 2y ago
    > but it sounds like you are an outlier Ah the weak HN trope to anyone giving sound advice when all you care about is “winning” an argument. This also veered the topic into ad hominem completely unnecessarily. > doubtful that lots of people spend precious travel time (especially if with family/kids) Sheesh. That website takes literally less than a minute to complete for a link that I found in less than a 10 second search. I have family/kids, so no, try again. When I arrive at the airport and I see long lines of families waiting for up to an hour at the Thrifty/Dollar/Fox counter so that maybe they could save a few bucks (often not) while I am walking directly to the lot from a flight to pick up the car - perhaps I may be an outlier, but I certainly know something about saving “precious” time and false economies. 30 seconds to fill out a web form is a complete nothingburger. > Very doubtful that many people have checklists for this purpose. I have a checklist for traveling. This is one item. Do you not understand the “list” part, it’s not a whole list just for tolls. Ironically, before I had a family I wouldn’t often bother. Having a family/kids makes lists a tremendous stress reliever. > still benefit from no staffing the toll booth > pull-off area right after the tollbooth Open road (overhead) tolling has no toll booths. Some states are entirely toll booth free outside of bridges and others are following. The cost savings of eliminating toll booth infrastructure entirely is substantial because it’s not just the booths, it greatly simplifies hundreds of interchanges.
    - listenallyall 2y ago