Toll Roads and Auto Transport Services
You probably don’t think much of toll roads and auto transport services or how tolls can affect those prices. And that’s okay – that’s not your job.
But toll roads are a vital part of the infrastructure in some areas, and possibly even yours. Areas around Long Island, New Jersey, San Francisco, Miami, and Houston – major auto shipping areas, one and all – have toll roads that both regular motorists and auto transport carriers have to deal with.
When it comes to toll roads and auto transport services, it’s important to know whether or not tolls affect your route. This is because tolls invariably add money to a shipment, especially if a carrier has to travel along numerous toll roads.
What to expect with toll roads and auto transport
When you’re shipping a car, carriers try to find the most economical route available. This is both for their benefit and for yours. If a carrier has to pay tolls along routes they run, they end up spending more money. This hurts their bottom line, and also hurts your price.
The state with the most toll roads is Florida, which is frustrating to some as it tends to be one of the most popular locations to ship a car. Sections of I-75 – one in particular, “Alligator Alley” – is notorious for its tolls. Alligator Alley is the stretch of I-75 that connects the Miami area with Tampa.
Many carriers will avoid Alligator Alley if they can, often by simply staying in Tampa or Miami and not running between the two. This will help keep your prices a bit lower.
New York State is another major area that has toll roads, specifically the New York Thruway. The Thruway is a series of tolled highways, notably the stretch of I-90 that runs through Albany, Syracuse, Buffalo, and on into Pennsylvania. This is a major auto shipping corridor particularly in the summer months.
Note that tolls around both Miami and New York can add literally hundreds of dollars to a shipment, depending on the route. The longer a carrier is on a toll road – and the more stops to pay tolls they have to make – the more expensive it’ll be. This is especially true through New York State.
Can I change routes to make sure there are no tolls?
Many carriers will already try to find routes that don’t have tolls. When it comes to toll roads and auto transport, the fewer toll roads along a route, the better.
However, some cannot be avoided – again, around Florida and New York. Texas is another big one. Sections of almost every major interstate through Texas, particularly around the Fort Worth area, have tolls. This too can limit a carrier’s ability to effectively ship cars along toll roads.
But what can you do? The best thing to do is speak to an agent about potential routes. While there’s only so much control an agent has, you can discuss how toll roads may affect your price. If you find that toll roads are increasing your auto shipping price too much, you may want to discuss moving your pickup or delivery location. If a carrier doesn’t have to travel along toll roads, prices for your shipment will go down.
Get free auto transport quotes from American Auto Shipping today
Regardless of where you are shipping a car from or to, let us here at American Auto Shipping help you out. If you fill out our free auto transport quote form you’ll get a free quote to ship your vehicle right away. We know all the ins and outs of the industry including how toll roads and auto transport work. If you have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact us any time, toll-free, at 800-930-7417.
Since 2007 Dave has written all the content and blogs for American Auto Shipping and during this time added the duties of customer support and transport logistics.
He currently resides in Washington with his three kids and their mom and cat. A fan of Marvel movies and good stories, when not shipping cars Dave can be found working on his novel, enjoying a good book or playing some tournament HALO.
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