Fun Friday: Toll-hopping on the weekends
In 2005, the State of Pennsylvania made $9.5 million of revenue from $2.3 million in skipped tolls! I wonder what the figure looks like for toll-skippers so far this year.
My work commute is less than 15 miles round-trip and I only have to go in three times a week. So in theory, the tolls and soaring gas prices shouldn’t impact me much…that would be true if work was my only destination!
What I don’t pay for on weekdays I more than make up for on the weekends. It seems as if every weekend there is a holiday, birthday or occasion to celebrate and I am always down for a good time. Unfortunately for me, none of these events are hosted in Delaware!
The problem with living in Delaware is that, while it is literally in between all of the cities I frequent (DC, New York, Philly and Baltimore) the only thing that is actually within the state is my job.
This week I started tracking my frequent stops and the mileage associated with each, like a budget. Let’s take a look at the weekend equalizer:
Work: 42 miles, Wal-Mart: 6 miles, Mall: zero…trying not to spend the rebate check ;)
Weekend: 210 miles plus $13 in tolls…gradually saying bye-bye to the rebate check :(
BTW, I avert one $4 toll by getting off of I-95 in Maryland and then crossing into Delaware. This past Sunday a toll booth worker on Route 40 told me about a discount decal for her bridge that costs $5 for the year, instead of $5 each northbound trip on I-95. I have to confirm this one, it sounds way too good to be true.
Share your weekend commutes and tips for getting around tolls! Have a great weekend ;)
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19 opinions for Fun Friday: Toll-hopping on the weekends
Abigail Fritz
May 23, 2008 at 7:10 am
I can definitely relate to how frustrating gas and tolls can be when traveling from Delaware to any major city. I am from right outside DC, and round trip from school to home I pay $9 in tolls while traveling 190 miles. I do the same thing, and get off 95 in Maryland to avoid paying the last toll. In the next week and a half I will have to make 3 trips home, meaning I will pay $27 in tolls and travel over 570 miles! Hopefully I will graduate before they increase any of the tolls, and make my trip home even more expensive!
Michele Iskra
May 23, 2008 at 8:21 am
First off I just want to say that toll prices have recently become out of control. There is no way with the amount of traffic going over the Delaware Memorial bridge that either state needs that much revenue for the highways, since they already have other tolls. My problem really though is with gas prices(like everybody else haha). This summer I am planning on visiting my shore house every weekend which means that in round trip it will be a full gas tank used. Since I am going to a house that my family actually owns that is really my only expense for the trip, but what about those renting? I’m curious how much the vacation revenue is going to suffer this summer…Guess we will just have to wait and see!
Aparna Sabesan
May 23, 2008 at 11:05 am
I can definitely relate to the soaring gas prices. I drive around in my car like no other. Almost every weekened, I drive to Philly and back. On average, I have to fill up gas once or twice a week. Luckily, my car is semi fuel effficient with around 300 miles before I need to refuel my tank. This summer, I am going to drive to work and back, and to other places as well, which will require alot of gas. I am going to try and plan my trips, in a way that I don’t waste gas, since the gas prices keep increasing tremendously, each week.
Michael Scarinci
May 23, 2008 at 12:07 pm
Being from New York and gas prices rising through the roof it has really cut down on my trips to and from school. Being that I live about 5 to 20 minutes from four of my friends from school back home we car pool and rotate turns driving home to cut the costs. Between tolls and gas the round trip can easily exceed $100! This weekend we are attending a graduation party in Philadelphia, once again we are car pooling to save money for all of us. Its unreal about the rising price of gas is really controlling our travel.
Freddy Falcones
May 23, 2008 at 1:04 pm
I can’t stand these tolls anymore! I find my self not even wanting to make trips home to New York anymore just because of all the bridges I have to cross. As if gas prices weren’t bad enough and getting worse every week. Hopefully the toll prices won’t be raised anymore before I can’t graduate.
Samantha Phillips
May 23, 2008 at 2:17 pm
I think everyone can relate to the increase in gas and toll prices. Although I do not drive around a lot while at school during the summer I plan to go to the beach and to visit my friends from school. I have a feeling I am not going to get to do this as much as I had anticipated. Although I will have a paid internship, I need to save the money I earn and not spend it on tolls and gas!! Something needs to be done about these outrageous increases!
Laura Warren
May 23, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Like many others, I am also from New York and going to and from school has become quite a hassle. The toll for the Verrazano has recently been raised, and along with the increase in gas prices a trip home has become quite expensive. Train tickets have also increased in price, so even alternative travel methods don’t offer much of a relief!
Kristen Evans
May 23, 2008 at 4:20 pm
I don’t have to deal with tolls on a regular basis since my route to and from school don’t have any. I only notice the huge impact they have when I go to the beach. I think it will have a big effect on my decision to go to the beach for the day or weekends during the summer. And not only are the tolls annoying, but so is the price of gas! Analysts are predicting a less-heavily traveled Memorial Day weekend than recent years, and I think we’ll continue to see that trend throughout the summer with the price of gas and tolls.
Philip Anderson
May 23, 2008 at 7:49 pm
I am a native Delaware resident, and the rising toll/gas prices make me feel trapped. Whether I want to go to NJ or MD, i have to pay a seemingly ridiculous toll. Traveling only an hour and a half south to visit a friend by DC takes $10 both ways. Because of the rising increase in travel, I have yet to visit six flags in NJ or take a day trip to Inner Harbor, and sadly enough, I doubt I will this summer.
Stephen Schmid
May 23, 2008 at 7:57 pm
I have a personal story that relates to this particular discussion. Not only are the tolls excessive but the attendants working them are quite unwilling to compromise. I once passed the exit for UD returning back to school and had to pay the toll going into Maryland and then returning back to Delaware, totaling eight dollars despite my pleading with the toll booth attendant that I was literally going to be turning around right after the toll. I suppose she was just doing her job, but I really felt as though she could have given me a break.
Joe Baumgartner
May 23, 2008 at 8:37 pm
I can’t relate yet, but I will be able to come summertime! I don’t have my car at school so I’m very rarely driving around. However this summer when I go home I’m going to have a pretty good commute to work. I work about 35 miles from my house, 6 days a week. I remember spending a lot on gas last summer, but the gas prices weren’t nearly as bad as they are now. I’m wondering… Is it even worth it??
Mike Gardner
May 23, 2008 at 8:42 pm
Who can’t relate to this!? Among too many other reasons not to have a car.. tows, boots, and parking tickets anyone? The tollbooths will eat away at that already thin wallet of any student! The best way it seems is to invest in the convenience of an ‘Ez-Pass’ and just forget about it until the end of the month. If only everything else in life were so easy!
Lauren Cannon
May 23, 2008 at 10:25 pm
I completely agree that the tolls are pretty outrageous.. Being from Baltimore, I hit that $5 toll every time coming to school and avoid the second one by getting off in MD and crossing over into DE. It is pretty crazy that my 1 hour drive costs that much. Also, for instance, this weekend I came to the beach, Ocean City MD, after the exam and hit 2 different $2 tolls. They’re everywhere and getting more and more costly!
Michael Perri
May 24, 2008 at 9:47 am
The inflated gas prices are also affecting businesses that rely on company cars, forcing an increase in their prices. The only advice I would give is to try and stay away from New York. Crossing the Verrazano currently costs $9! Or get a new means of transportation, and only use the car when commuting.
George Nomikos
May 24, 2008 at 12:50 pm
This commuting thing is getting a little ridiculous. It seems that soaring prices are making traveling that much more difficult. Sometimes we need to check if we have the lead pedal by checking out MPG. If we drive a little more efficiently we maybe be able to save a few dollars here and there, however the overall pricing still stinks. Traveling expenses have become such a big factor that I’m sure many people like myself have weighed job opportunites because of the commuting expenses…. Lets get started with this alternative fuel already!
Ryan Burns
May 24, 2008 at 2:21 pm
I can totally relate to this article for I am currently a resident of Delaware and I have to drive to my friends parties in NY, visit my brother in MD at the beach, and go to Phillies games in PA. It cost me now on average about $90 a week to fill up my car with gas. However, one way to cut down on tolls would be to get EZ Pass because they save you time and offer you a discount.
Daniel Fallon
May 24, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Tolls have gotten a little out of control. Sometimes there are ways to get around them, but coming from Long Island the only way out is a bridge or a tunnel, and there is no way getting around the tolls for that. They recently hiked the fare on the Verazzano bridge to ten dollars, which I pay each time I drive back to school. Its terrible.
Daniel Fallon
May 24, 2008 at 6:05 pm
Coming from Long Island, I realized how bad tolls have gotten since I began driving. There is no way off the Island except for bridges and tunnels, and there is no way to get around those tolls. The Verazzano bridge is getting ridiculous, and is now 10 dollars each time I drive to schoo.
Jacqueline Stein
May 24, 2008 at 8:06 pm
I agree with this article 100%. On the weekends my friends and I like to travel outside of the state of Delaware, and while I do not always run into tolls the price of gas makes me want to stay home. Every time I fill up my tank, I am amazed at how the numbers keep getting higher. I also have a sister that goes to Penn State and when I go to visit her I have to pass through 3 tolls plus pay for gas. Being a social person is starting to be expensive.
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