What's with these Tolls? (Dallas: credit, buy, taxes)

[nativeDallasite]

Originally Posted by ladysrodgers

Are the fees different if you don't have a toll tag where there's a booth? I finally broke down and got a toll tag last week. It's sure more convenient, and I don't really go on many toll roads, but I sure hated paying $1.40 as opposed to $.40 the few times I was on 121 when they mailed me an invoice.

You get a discount on tolls with a toll tag. The NTTA website should explain it all.

http://www.ntta.org/AboutUs/Roadways/TollRates.htm

[BstYet2Be]

Originally Posted by nativeDallasite

When I lived in Irving I knew a way to cut through the airport's property without paying tolls...including a route to the parking lots...but I think they've closed that off. This was back in pre-9/11 days. There are ways to get on and off the airport's property without taking 121 but it takes longer. Most people just bend over and pay the $2.

Yes, there used to be a way to do this, because we used to cut through from 183 on the service roads to 635, just took longer to do this. I imagine they closed that up long ago. And, not too long ago, it was only 50 cents to go through and under a certain amount of minutes it was free.

LadyS, it was just a "unknown" route not through the toll booths.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by new2sa

Yes, there used to be a way to do this, because we used to cut through from 183 on the service roads to 635, just took longer to do this. I imagine they closed that up long ago. And, not too long ago, it was only 50 cents to go through and under a certain amount of minutes it was free.

LadyS, it was just a "unknown" route not through the toll booths.

It used the side service streets and you had to KNOW those and how to get to them as they were not marked. We used to go out to the airport and park in the remote lots and ride the tran for fun when we were poor college students.

I thought they raised the toll for those using it as a cut-thru?

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by TriumphOfTheSprint

Actually, the savings are more substantial, anywhere from $.10 to $.30. Here is a chart showing the rates with and without for all toll locations:

http://www.ntta.org/AboutUs/Roadways/TollRates.htm

True. It used to be a flat nickel but they changed it and it is different for every exit/entrance. When I'm going west on 190 under 78 and need to go somewhere along N. Garland Ave the last "Free Exit" is at Brand but if it is backed WAY UP and you know you have to sit thru at least 2 lights there and then the one at N. Garland Ave I go on down and pay the .30 cents. I'd rather do that than sit there way back on the exit ramp and risk getting rear ended, waste gas, more traffic, etc. When gas is $3 a gallon I really pay attention to things like that. It may cost more for the toll but time is also money.

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by nativeDallasite

You get a discount on tolls with a toll tag. The NTTA website should explain it all.

http://www.ntta.org/AboutUs/Roadways/TollRates.htm

Thank you!

[Ankhharu]

Originally Posted by ladysrodgers

I don't know how you'd get around paying the $2, there's a ticket booth you have to drive through to get into the terminal areas. You have to drive out through one to get back to the highways.

There's a way to do it. I've used it myself. Have you ever used the the North or South Remote parking lots?

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by new2sa

Yes, there used to be a way to do this, because we used to cut through from 183 on the service roads to 635, just took longer to do this. I imagine they closed that up long ago. And, not too long ago, it was only 50 cents to go through and under a certain amount of minutes it was free.

LadyS, it was just a "unknown" route not through the toll booths.

Okay, thanks!

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by Ankhharu

There's a way to do it. I've used it myself. Have you ever used the the North or South Remote parking lots?

No I haven't. I'm doing good just to find my way to the toll booth! LOL I really don't go to the airport all that often, I was just flabberghasted at the $2 fee for a drive-thru.

[BstYet2Be]

Originally Posted by nativeDallasite

Holy crap, that's a lot. Is that full whack or with a toll tag? I use a toll tag so I don't take much notice of what the tolls cost.

Yes, that's the full cost. If I drove it everyday, I'd get a toll tag because it is discounted and certainly quicker than having to stop and finding all those quarters. Yesterday, I got a full $10 roll of quarters at the first booth and came back w/one dollar's worth in one trip!

Admittedly, I've been a holdout getting a toll tag, because I just have a personal "thing" against it, I guess. To me it's just like using a credit card, i.e., when you're not doling out the cash everyday, you don't realize just how much you're spending 'til you get the bill and even with the discount, it can run up darn quick!

And, with GBT, it started out at 25 cents, then up to 50 cents, then 75 cents, now a $1.00 a toll booth! Wayyy too darn much of an increase in too short of time... where does it stop?

[ladysrodgers]

Originally Posted by momof2dfw

Yes, it is like a nickel cheaper for each toll w/ a tolltag. We have tolltags on all of our vehicles and I LOVE IT! Would not do w/o it. The reason the tolls exist around here is that the funding was not there to build 190 or extend the Dallas North Tollway so they said the only way we could get them and get it done was if they were a tollroad. So of course we ALL went for it and be glad we did. If not you would find a HUGE MESS of traffic in the Dallas Metroplex. Toll roads around here are actually a good thing. Some people avoid them because they don't want to pay the tolls. Therefore that puts less people on those highways. The toll roads tend to see less traffic and faster speeds even in rush hour traffic. The areas around the toll roads are also higher in value. This has been the trend since the early beginnings of the Dallas North Tollway. With the tolls only those that USE them pay the toll while those that don't drive on them don't have to foot the bill. I'll take this ANYDAY over a state income tax, thank ya very much . I know people that "ramp jump" to avoid paying the tolls. They know which exits and entrances are free and use those and the service roads to avoid paying a toll. In my book that is kind of like cheating because your getting the benefit of the road being there but never helped to pay for it.

As for the airport toll, yes there once was a way to go "thru" the airport to avoid paying the toll. It was not by using the main road thru the airport but the side service streets. It could be done but not as quickly. Depended on how big of a hurry one is in. You could also access the remote parking lots this way and avoid paying a toll. I also thought awhile back they changed the toll rate for those that check-out in less than so many minutes. Those that are using it as a "cut-thru" pay more in tolls than those that actually use it to go to the airport.

Thanks for your answer. I'm beginning to better understand the whole thing now

I just dropped my son off in front of the terminal. It took maybe 10 minutes or less, then got charged the $2.00. I did have my son give me a roll of quarters before we even left for the airport. LOL

Oh well......I broke down and got a toll tag just for convenience sake.