Out of control toll prices!
Posted by kaptainkkk@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 400 comments
This is absolutely insane?! People are paying this to go across 635 westbound from 75 to 35 đ
Easttex05@reddit
I drove the Bush from Garland to Carrollton for five year. I REALLY enjoyed stopping just before 75 every morning and the grinding traffic between Coit and Preston. I felt like I was being robbed every time NTTA took another $40 out.
realhaterofbbq@reddit
Come to Austin family of 4 with 4 adults driving bill always over 700$ per month
Impossible_Battle_72@reddit
5 mile stretch of 183 goes for 24-26 bucks during peak rush hour.
Working_Kangaroo3467@reddit
I love how all the poor people have to make a split second financial decision while traveling very fast, like maybe you won't be late for work, but you lost an hours wage or more
locotxwork@reddit
I can't wait for the class action lawsuit. They purposely will display a lower price and then bill you a higher one.
CamelbackMtn@reddit
Holy cow
bojasher@reddit
Just a quick question, but how many of y'all have been absolutely forced to take the toll road against your will and pay those prices?
RubAnADUB@reddit
- example of fake plate -> https://www.amazon.com/Denim-Meow-Celebrity-Machines-Seinfeld/dp/B07RJYXH1Y
Eltecolotl@reddit
More expensive than DART, just sayinâ
J_Dabson002@reddit
Thatâs the express lane no one is forced to use it
yarmulke@reddit
That doesnât make it insanely predatory. Especially when the tolls were sold to companies that arenât even US-based, let alone Texas-based, so the profits arenât used to stimulate the local economy
Faedaine@reddit
Its not predatory. It's supply/demand. If more people get on it, the cost goes up to keep the Express Lane... Express. It starts to price people out. Thats the whole point. That isnt predatory. If youre running late to work, its on you.
DeathByGoldfish@reddit
It is, however. Perhaps not directly, but if a person is running late for work because of the traffic, and they work retail, twenty bucks could be three or four meals at home, or their entertainment budget for the weekend (a drink and cover at a bar). They are forced to choose, âjob, or otherâ. These tolls add up quick, and these toll companies are protected by the state, so that your license or registration cannot be renewed until you pay back tolls. This further penalizes the poor, as they will be responsible for even more fines should the police pull them over. It can also end up with extra stops per year, and higher risk of other penalties.
See the cycle? The âhavesâ donât deal with the cycle of consequences. These roads only benefit the âhavesâ.
Faedaine@reddit
What cycle? I rather be late to my job the one time, then apparently pay $20 and, by your example here, not pay for food to eat at home.
It doesnt penalize the poor. No one has to use the Toll ways. Look at Google Maps, see how long it will take to get to work. Take responsibility. If you are not showing late all the time, when it does happen outside of your control, no one is going to say anything. I'm sorry, but this is ridiculous. Use the normal highway if you dont want to pay tolls. Thats it.
DeathByGoldfish@reddit
âIt does not penalize the poorâ - yes, it absolutely does. It is regularly shown in studies that hourly employment is much less forgiving to tardiness than salary or white collar work. Being late and not getting warned or written up is very rare in an hourly job. Losing that job when working poor can mean the difference between making rent that month or not. Missing a few meals might be a worthy sacrifice if rent can be made.
âLook at Google Maps, see how long it will take to get to work.â - Traffic apps in Dallas are regularly wrong - I drive across Dallas regularly for work-related activities, and my commute can vary wildly, and even during the drive. Dallas traffic is complicated.
âTake responsibilityâ - what do you do for a living? Be very careful about how you put this, as you may not be playing by the same rules forced on the working poor. Life happens, and even the most well-intentioned person can be late. Some employers are draconian about tardiness. Again, being late and not getting warned or written up is very rare in an hourly job. Losing that job when working poor can mean the difference between making rent that month or not.
I get you are all about the âpersonal responsibilityâ bit, and appear to believe that because a service is offered, it is an option, but when that option becomes the only way to keep your job if an accident comes up during rush hour, it is not longer an option -it becomes a requirement.
What this ultimately comes down to is this: The cities involved chose to subsidize construction costs by offloading additional lanes to toll companies, rather than adding lanes to the existing highways that could be used by everyone as part of our regular taxes.
This created a system which those that can afford can, and those that canât wonât, but may have to, if issues of a severe enough nature arise.
Can you see why this matters? I fear this all falls on deaf ears, but I hope not.
Faedaine@reddit
We can argue all day. I appreciate your view on this, and I understand everything you are saying. I just disagree on some of those items. There are always other methods to get from point A to point B without paying for tolls. I use Google maps everything morning on the way to work. My family and I have a saying of, "In Google we trust" when it tells us to take side streets, or another way to get somewhere faster.
And yes, I think people should take responsibility. If you are working at a job that has draconian rules, then you should be on the ball and not put yourself in a bad situation. I still feel that if you are late to a job once in a while, most jobs are going to be forgiving.
I do agree with you on the city choosing to subsidize construction costs by offloading additional lanes to toll companies. Shit costs money though. The money that goes to infrastructure has been used, and we are still needing additional work. How do you pay for that without doing higher taxes across the board?
JPhi1618@reddit
People donât understand how high the rates can go, and gps like Google maps pushes you to take the express lanes because they are faster. Before you know it, you see that sign fly by, but things are so hectic, you donât process the insane price until itâs too late.
It happens a lot, and itâs absolutely predatory.
3-DMan@reddit
And unless I'm missing a setting, Google Maps does NOT show a price for Texexpress
Faedaine@reddit
You can turn off Toll paths in Google Maps.
3-DMan@reddit
$1.84 DNT I am fine with, but not TXP rates. But Google Maps doesn't differentiate.
Faedaine@reddit
In Google Maps, you can turn off Toll paths.
JPhi1618@reddit
Yea, thatâs annoying tho because I need to use toll roads for most commutes, I just want to avoid express/variable tolls.
Barack_Odrama_007@reddit
You got downvoted for telling the truth.
Many donât get variable tolls ARE SUPPOSED TO PRICE PEOPLE OUT to keep paying cars moving.
They donât want usual shitty drivers crashing, driving too slow and other bullshit coming to the toll lanes and slowing them down after people paid for it.
Nobody makes you take a toll and genius Texas engineering ensures our highways are always multi layered with main-lanes and frontage roads. Both are free, both are options.
Itchy_Lab6034@reddit
Everyone shits on them but no one wants to pay extra taxes to build roads. No texas based company wanted to invest so whatâs the issue?
yarmulke@reddit
What? Texans are taxed out the ass, just not on our income. Thereâs no reason our roads should be sold out to foreign entities.
Top-Opportunity1280@reddit
But thereâs no state income tax.
yarmulke@reddit
Congrats on being todayâs example of how 52% of Americans are below a sixth grade reading level and are functionally illiterate, I guess
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Top-Opportunity1280@reddit
Hey thanks and congrats as being an example of a douche who doesnât recognize a simple satirical comment.
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Sejbag@reddit
Dog when I moved to Texas I thought it was the tits for no state income tax. Now Iâve realized I get fucked harder because of it and get nothing out of it. God bless the âgreatâ state of Texas.
Ok_Software2677@reddit
I'm in Texas. Taxed federally on our paychecks. Taxed on EVERY purchase. Taxed on houses. Wife owns two older small 1500 sqft houses in Dallas and was taxed $11k last year.
3-DMan@reddit
Complainin'? That's a tax!
Ok_Software2677@reddit
$11k for two small homes is ridiculous. My house is double the size and four times the land size and is only a quarter that amount.
Sejbag@reddit
Yeah itâs ridiculous. Iâm looking to get out of this state and never looking back. Nothing that worthwhile in Texas to put up with it.
Ok_Software2677@reddit
Nope, not really. With governor hot wheels in office taking choices away from us. Him and Paxton both a pieces of garbage. I would relocate, but I just have way too much set up right now.
Necoras@reddit
Our taxes are about middle of the road for the US. Yeah, we're taxed more than states like Alaska (which has few people, and taxes oil production) and Florida (which has a ton of tourists who pay taxes instead). But we aren't "taxed out the ass". We're in the bottom half of states.
Now, our taxes are quite regressive, which means you and I pay a higher percentage of our income to them than to the very rich. That's very intentional. There's a reason there were recently a ton of "Ban X tax!" constitutional amendments passed. Every one of those would have been a way to progressively tax billionaires. But hey, we banned taxes, so that must be a good thing right! Sure convinced enough people to vote against their best interests.
deja-roo@reddit
So... you're saying you don't want to pay extra taxes?
I don't understand your line of logic here unless you're just literally agreeing with the post it sounds like you're arguing with?
Snobolski@reddit
Why didn't Texas companies bid on the toll roads?
Ok_Software2677@reddit
Yes, those fuel taxes will really add up. You just don't think about it because it's automatically included in the price.
ChodaRagu@reddit
Youâre right! Itâs known in Texas Transportation Industry circles, that Texas has historically under-charged county registration fees for 50 years or more. Theyâve never paid for the actual cost of building/maintaining roads.
For example, itâs like $76 to register my car in Denton County. It was $60 when I was in high school, 30 years ago!
Living in another state that does charge the appropriate amount (AZ) the past 20 years, ($250 every 2 years) we have the luxury of NO TOLL ROADS and new highways being built and/or expanded all the time.
tengris22@reddit
Yes, having lived in AZ the last two miserable years I can attest that there are no toll roads. There are ALSO no roads that wonât tear up your car if you are so ill-advised as to drive on them. The amount of money Iâve spent on vehicle repairs directly attributable to road problems, Iâd much preferred to have spent on tolls.
ExtensionPromotion80@reddit
Wait thereâs no tolls?
MephistoHamProducts@reddit
AZ also has functional HOV lanes that just exist, without miles of concrete barriers or those stupid posts, on the freeways. And people who don't have an extra passenger just, get this, don't use them because the fine for doing so if they get caught makes it not worth it! How crazy is that?
I miss living in Phoenix sometimes.
-Nocx-@reddit
This comment is going to probably piss people in this sub off - but where else is the money supposed to come from?
Like people already complain incessantly about property taxes in literally every Texas subreddit. I could write an essay about how much people complain. The idea of a personal income tax appears to be a non-starter for every one that doesnât actually own property- which is an increasingly large number of Texans.
The federal government isnât going to issue Texas any more money for its roads, and the state is experiencing record growth basically every year at this point. There is absolutely no way the already shitty infrastructure is going to keep up with all these transplants.
Most of the stateâs budget is ironically already spent on healthcare and education - like literally 80%. Most people are probably wondering how, but it is the truth at the end of the day.
The state even uses Gross Receipts Taxes instead of a flat corporate income tax that arguably brings in more revenue than if they just had a corporate income tax. Like as far as corporate taxes go, Gross Receipts is relatively predatory - they apply even if the company is operating at a loss.
As critical as I am of the Texas government, at some point people are going to have to realize that a lot of the problems come from we just suddenly have too many people. The reality is it would require a massive overhaul of the tax system (mostly around capital gains and an introduction of a progressive state income tax) that I donât think even âregularâ Texans are going to agree to.
CowboyFred@reddit
Lol the rant fails because the State of Texas doesnât keep the profits from the tolls.
-Nocx-@reddit
I donât know why this thread has constant misinformation around this topic. TxDot owns the roads the tolls are on. NTTA and HCTRA are both government owned and their toll revenue goes directly back into road infrastructure. To say âthe state does not keep the profitsâ is a bit disingenuous in that sense, because the profits automatically get re-invested into the road projects.
However, the state needed more money to build more infrastructure, so they made a public private partnership called a CDA to raise funds to do it. This means for a period of time a private company gets part of the tolls in exchange for financing the construction. The Spanish company is not the only company that raised equity - of the 2.7 billion spent on the infrastructure project, 700MM was through private equity. And there are eight other partners, including the Dallas Police and Fire Pensions.
This is no different than what the federal government did with federal student loan financing - a public private partnership to leverage money that the government didnât have. Private equity put up the collateral, the government insured that they couldnât default.
So once again - my point is exactly correct - where is the money going to come from. People on this sub constantly complain about symptoms without having any idea what the actual cause is. They read one article around a complicated problem (to be fair, at least they read more than the headline) and try to reduce it to incompetence when the problem is clearly more nuanced. The âsimpleâ answer is the tax system has to be significantly revamped, which is not a âsimpleâ answer. Because the moment that any Texan hears tax of any kind there is going to be push-back.
hoyeay@reddit
Only applies to businesses who have to pay franchise taxes (revenue > $2.4 million).
BranSolo7460@reddit
The fucking Aristocracy, that's who. This state alone makes more than enough revenue to ensure not only non-tolled roads, but the building of a usable and sustainable public transport system to liquidate the need for more highways all together. The money is there, it's just not being harnessed because the people in charge of everything, are the ones hoarding it for themselves.
The answers are there, you just gotta look.
Necoras@reddit
I'd argue it's less about too many people, and more about decades of lack of public investment. That and crappy mindsets. We could have had good public transit, but Texans "like their cars." That's a quote from a TXDOT official. Similarly, Japan builds and repairs roads FAST. Like, within a week, sometimes in less than 24 hours. We take longer because politically that's acceptable. And because to go faster would cost more. The latter is generally an American problem than a Texan one, but you get the idea. We don't tax the rich in America (well, most of the western world, but especially in America, so things take longer, and cost everyone else more.
spongyguy24@reddit
Fair, but I interpret the predatory as 'its very easy to accidentally be on the hook for a $20 toll you didn't want'.
Kinda hard to say git gud to people unfamiliar with that specific stretch of highway when the express lanes can be confusingly marked in the case of many on-ramps to them. Also when many of the express lane on-ramps are forked fly-overs w/ other exits built onto them.
AdorableZeppelin@reddit
I think there are a few problems with the NTTA toll roads that people like to either overlook or ignore:
cramothmasterson@reddit
Well, you said yourself âsoldâ which means a large payment was made to the transit authority/local government. And there is often a revenue share mechanism. And the construction and maintenance of the road is the responsibility of the operator not local the local government. So your taxes arenât going to be used to build or maintain it. And you donât have to use it. So overall this is at least neutral if not net positive for you and your local government!
For clarity Iâm referring to managed lanes like the texpress. DNT is a whole other thing.
jazzeejeff@reddit
NTTA roads are not profitable and the debt incurred to build them is not projected to be paid off until 2048. This assumes no additional maintenance or updates. In summary, it operates at a loss and makes zero money that can be used to stimulate the economy. Source: NTTA financial disclosures and https://www.ntta.org/sites/default/files/2025-06/HB%20803.pdf
arlenroy@reddit
I would like to think this is common knowledge at this point, maybe not. That's been my biggest gripe, if I'm spending $40 a week on tolls (I don't have to, but it cuts my home commute time in half) at least keep that money in Texas. Unfortunately, the Republican party of for the people, is only for people who can make them money. Bonus points if its old white people.
Responsible-Agent-19@reddit
Don't use it.Â
Ddyxbby1031@reddit
It must be difficult containing all that stupidity.
yarmulke@reddit
Look at mister fucking big brain over here
yarmulke@reddit
Iâd also like to think itâs common knowledge, but I know that most people live in blissful ignorance.
cryptotechnobeat@reddit
yeah that's pretty wild. I was one of those people. just thought the toll was to pay for the road. that's why I see people say they just don't ever pay the tolls lol
Snobolski@reddit
Starbucks charged me the price listed on their menu for my super giant cup full of sugar and ice. Then the profits went to Seattle.
So predatory.
TexasCoconut@reddit
Oh, are local DFW taxes going to Starbucks in the same way that local taxes are going to support DFW infrastructure? If not, then that comparison doesn't apply.
Snobolski@reddit
Y'all have no idea what "predatory" means.
TexasCoconut@reddit
Well you don't understand private vs public spending, so which is worse?
Snobolski@reddit
The comment I originally replied to was about "predatory" tolls so you tell me.
TexasCoconut@reddit
Probably going out of your way to make a comment with an analogy that doesn't apply, since you didn't add anything to the conversation except negativity and confusion.
Snobolski@reddit
At least I'm not confused about what "predatory" means.
TexasCoconut@reddit
well, you never proved that, you just proved that you don't understand the concept of public infrastructure.
No_Lifeguard259@reddit
The express lanes are designed to keep traffic flowing around at least 50mph. If there are too many vehicles on it, the prices goes up until it prices enough people out to where the traffic keeps flowing that speed
Lyuseefur@reddit
The retirement funds of Spain and Brazil and other places thank you for your contribution.
Necoras@reddit
It's not intended to be predatory. It's intended to keep the express lanes moving above X miles per hour. The whole point is to keep enough people off the express lanes that those who will pay for it are going as close to highway speeds as is reasonable. If enough people willing to pay $5 that the express lanes are full, then it'll bump up to $7.50. If enough people are willing to pay that, then 10. And on up until it reaches an equilibrium with price vs number of cars.
The algorithm setting the price doesn't care what the cheap (of which I am one) or poor people think is fair. It cares about maximizing throughput.
Homey-Airport-Int@reddit
If it was a flat $5 during rush hour it would just be as packed as the main road.
SnooHabits3911@reddit
Still stimulates to local economy. They donât fly in all their equipment and crews from Spain to build the roads. The headquarters is in Dallas.
unabnormalday@reddit
This only applies to Texpress lanes. Everything else is owned by NTTA
yarmulke@reddit
635E is operated by the same Spanish-based Cintra group. I addressed that in another comment.
boning_my_granny@reddit
The highway in the op is not the same as the one youâve posted. Also that Spanish company paid to build the toll road portion.
yarmulke@reddit
Any tollway with that signage and those fluxating prices are operated by the same Cintra group. Hereâs the DOT page about the 635 Expressway. Itâs listed under the Private partner section
boning_my_granny@reddit
Wow I had no idea. Thought the 35W was the only private one. Valid point.
LetMePre-Say@reddit
OK this is a vastly misunderstood topic that's an inaccurate representation of how these contracts work though. The concessionaire is the company that paid for the building of the road. The total price of the 635 Managed Lanes project was estimated around $1.16B, for which TxDOT only paid $490M - the estimated cost to construct the new General Purpose (read: free) lanes. The rest of that money ($672M) came from the concessionaire group, and was the portion of the contract needed to construct the Managed/Express lanes and all of those connections. The concessionaire group recoups this $672M by collecting the tolls on the managed lanes.
So ultimately TxDOT is getting a $1.16B road improvement for the 42% of the cost it would take to have built it.
Point being - they didn't "sell" the tolls to anyone
vinigrae@reddit
We live in a society
oaxacamm@reddit
Only 36 more years and itâll be free like the DNT. IYKYK đ¤Śđ˝ââď¸
TheWizard@reddit
Technically, they are, since they are using space that should had been used to reduce traffic on 635.
yarmulke@reddit
Shouldâve been a train
Initial_Job9323@reddit
I don't understand why we can't build a train that travels the entire state and connects all the major cities. We're so behind in this country!
James-the-Bond-one@reddit
So... The cars would ride on rails?Â
TheWizard@reddit
Texans are completely clueless about a proper rail service.
Other-Grapefruit-880@reddit
laughs in dallasÂ
J_Dabson002@reddit
More lanes doesnât reduce traffic
TheWizard@reddit
Yet they did use the space to build more lanes (and extort based on whim)
howjustchili@reddit
âUsing space that shouldnât have been used to reduce trafficâ doesnât necessarily mean âadd more lanes.â
Not when the intersections appear so poorly laid out that they contribute to traffic congestion and make the express lanes more appealing. All the construction around 635-35, and this is best they could do? Iâll never believe it.
8Narow@reddit
Just 1 more lane
yarmulke@reddit
Many of us know that but thatâs the intent that the car-brained dolts have.
Vhentis@reddit
I don't even touch it. I leave early for work through
BranSolo7460@reddit
There's always someone who loves being robbed, sharing their unwarranted, boot licking opinions.
J_Dabson002@reddit
Nah just someone with common sense which is severely lacking within your brain by the sound of it
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Barack_Odrama_007@reddit
But itâs reddit. Where people are entitled to everything. Nevermind the fact that we have multiple layers to our highways (frontage roads and mainlines) that they can choose from if the tolls are too expensive!
aeiou-y@reddit
Instead of building roads to support traffic they have ONLY been adding express lanes and charging ridiculous sums. They are often not even just an option any more and itâs only getting worse. In Fort Worth every freeway is under construction. Not to add badly needed lanes that people can use but to build more express lanes that they can gouge pricing on.
TeknoBlast@reddit
What you said is what pisses me off.
When a new toll road is built, a free road option is not built along with it. It's the toll road or nothing. Fuk them guys!
GettingBy-Podcast@reddit
You have it backwards. Roads dont support traffic. Traffic builds on roads.
Itchy_Lab6034@reddit
We donât have the money to invest in the roads that exactly why it is the way it is
Developesque1@reddit
lol stfu, shit was supposed to stop being a tollway years ago. Bootlicker or bot?
ice-eight@reddit
Yeah but if you live anywhere near there, you spent almost a decade being forced to deal with the traffic clusterfuck created by building those toll lanes that nobody is forced to use
toyz4me@reddit
Different state but we are paying $6 for each 2-3 mile segment on our toll lanes. And the toll company is an out of country, Saudi backed invested group with a 50 year contract.
IsiMan84@reddit
I exited the express lane on 183 West when I saw the next segment was over $9. Came to the next entrance and the following segment was $24 with a $12 HOV rate. Stayed in the free lanes which promptly added 20 minutes to my drive. I would have considered paying $7 at that point.
The-Real-Jax@reddit
FUCK NTTA
grand305@reddit
Iâve seen $8+ range. this is not even the final form.
dirkdingling@reddit
183 to 820 west hits $20 at 5pm.
EgretMaximus@reddit
Where the hack our tax money is going? Now a days all cities making inside city highways with toll.
txaaron@reddit
Thanks Republicans/GOP for selling our roadways to the highest bidder instead of actually improving our infrastructure. (Before you say anything Republicans have been in power for over 30 years, can't blame Democrats who have no power here.)Â
ericader@reddit
Yeah lets build like california instead lmfao. People need to vote for actual change not "other side bad"
txaaron@reddit
California actually has pretty nice highways. And none of the for-profit price gouging express lanes.Â
But that's beside the point, why bring up CA? Republicans are the ones to blame. If you can't see that, you have blinders over your eyes.Â
Substantial-Work-109@reddit
And did you vote for this? The GOP screws you again and yet you still vote for it. Not voting is bad also.
Parzival225@reddit
lol 7.50 is nothing. Iâve seen these be 22$ or more.
NuthinToHoldBack@reddit
And Iâve paid $15 before (things youâll do with an infant in the car)âŚ
sneakycatattack@reddit
Get a passenger pass so you get HOV pricing when your baby is in the car. Iâm pregnant and in Texas that counts for the HOV so I have one
bugsabaris@reddit
What is this cheat code you speak of, passenger pass? How does one acquire it?
TTUporter@reddit
https://support.gocarma.com/en/articles/3195127-what-if-someone-doesn-t-have-a-smartphone
It is like a cheat code. I only know about it because my wife saw it in a facebook mom group.
It's a little bluetooth puck that you put in your car. It connects to the HOV app GoCarma and counts as a 2nd rider to get the HOV discount. It's intended for people who have little kids who don't have a 2nd phone.
Twisted9Demented@reddit
Mind blowing.. I neve knew toll authorits track how many occupants are there in a vehicle when you're on a HOV Toll lane... How do they track All I have is my sticker and myself I don't have a ntta app not do my family members.
NuthinToHoldBack@reddit
I signed up yesterday to try it out. You create an account, add your vehicle using the license plate and then add the toll tag from that vehicle.
After itâs added, you then confirm the connection when youâre in the vehicle, I confirmed mine via CarPlay.Â
It uses precise location services in the background during the defined peak hours and looks to see if 1) at least two smart phones (or one smart phone and one occupancy sensor) are in the vehicle and 2) if the vehicle (license plate, tolltag, and Bluetooth id) are in the texpress lane.Â
Data kept is minimal (complies with new Texas data privacy law) and only for 60 days. You confirm discount in your tolltag statement.Â
TTUporter@reddit
Then I don't think they're tracking it at all, you're not getting the discount.
Going off the TxDot website, the only way to get the 50% rush hour HOV discount is for at least 2 people in the vehicle to have that app on their phones.
Twisted9Demented@reddit
@TTUporter; Thanks but my thing is How would they know or track that. Do they use a camera do they use a sensor of sort that looks for cell signals.
I personally I'm clauster phobic and I feel stuck in a HOV lane and I never use it. Irrespective of who or how many people are with me in the car.
Again " Thank You " I mean it
Ellie8437@reddit
Wait, so if you have 2 phones you can travel in the HOV lane? Asking for a friend
TTUporter@reddit
Yeahhhhh. As long as you and your friend both have the GoCarma app and have cell service.
starfrenzy1@reddit
AND you have to give the app location permission always, so that it knows when you (and your companion or your kid's puck) are on the toll road.
permalink_save@reddit
What is gocarma? Does it not let you get hov rates if nobidy installs an app? I refuse to install apps unless strictly necessary and sounds somehow discriminatory to require one, like two older people in the car that struggle to use phones.
EightEnder1@reddit
Its all a lie anyway. Most of the time, there is zero discount, look at the posted prices, they are usually identical except for maybe an hour a day.
sneakycatattack@reddit
HOV discount times are Mon-Fri 6:30a-9am and 3p-6:30pm
sneakycatattack@reddit
I suppose you could see if theyâd let you get away with 2 passenger passes but yes itâs a phone app that ordinarily works by having 2 people in the same car. You register what car that is on the app.
TTUporter@reddit
https://gocarma.com/dfw
I believe it is the only way that you can access the HOV discounts.
peachtreeparadise@reddit
WHAT!? WHY!?
permalink_save@reddit
That is insane... There are legitimate reasons people don't use apps.
prereqs@reddit
yeah. some people are very paranoid so this is bad for them
permalink_save@reddit
I know someone that, even when she did drive around and had zero issues doing so, phones are above her technical capabilities. Some people are poor as shit, probably because we make them pay for basic services like roads, and we make them own phones. And yes some of us care about privacy, and it's a legitimate concern, but the benefits still outweigh anything else so I have one. It's also a security issue installing apps for everything. It's a problem that was solved before smart phones existed, same for parking and all this other shit startups are pushing.
bugsabaris@reddit
This response could easily make you some money on the downlow. Thanks for sharing!
demon_twink_gockie@reddit
Has to. They have personhood rights to a fetus so they can strip away women's rights to bodily autonomy. Enjoy it, baby incubator!
justonemom14@reddit
Ok but I've only ever seen the HOV pricing be identical to the express. When is it cheaper?
sneakycatattack@reddit
During rush hour, the TEXpress defines that as Monday â Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m
Yak-Electrical@reddit
Its cheaper all right a whole .20 or so lol
EightEnder1@reddit
I know! So many times I've seen its the same price.
kaptainkkk@reddit (OP)
The sign shows the same price !
sneakycatattack@reddit
Yeah HOV pricing is only during âsurgeâ times, so rush hour. Which is bullshit because theyâll still surge the dang price outside of regular commuting hours.Â
Emergency_Ad1152@reddit
How do you get one? I have my kids in the back and my windows are tinted.
TTUporter@reddit
https://support.gocarma.com/en/articles/3195127-what-if-someone-doesn-t-have-a-smartphone
Request one here!
Emergency_Ad1152@reddit
You're awesome, thanks!
ooglesnoopleboop@reddit
There are times Iâd gladly pay to drive it, glad it exists to some extent.
demon_twink_gockie@reddit
Is that why they drive 90+ on the access roads by these things? I lie though. I was doing 90+ and getting run off the road, honked at, and flipped off
Some1getmeablanket@reddit
DC would like a word
Any-Air-3001@reddit
For real was just gonna say, try 37+
Plane_Note8702@reddit
I once left my car with a friend for the weekend while I was out of town, and his car was in the shop. He took my car through the express on a Friday night for $35 because he was late for a date. I also came home to an empty tank. He never repaid me.
Kuchufli@reddit
30 years ago... but still relevant to shitty friends... Lent my truck to friend to see a girl... 3 days later no sign of him or my truck, finally track down his ass. He abandoned it after it broke down about 40 miles away. Had to get a tow, I don't know what he did, but it wound up needing a new engine. He left me walking for about 6 months before I came up with the money to get a used engine. He never repaid or even said sorry, it gets worse.
2 weeks after he borrowed my truck he got arrested for murder. He murdered the old lady he lived with and took her truck, he got caught and serving life in prison.
Maybe I was lucky he just abandoned my truck and didn't off me. They never found the old lady's body.
Zealousideal-Lie7255@reddit
When you found out your truck needed a new engine did your murderer/friend say he couldnât give you another engine but he could give you âused parts?â
Kuchufli@reddit
Unfortunately I had a Dodge Ram 50 and he was found driving a Toyota... In reality he was a coworker because I never talked to him outside of work. Weirdo Red head.
starfrenzy1@reddit
oh my gosh
gruuvey@reddit
former friend
Zealousideal-Lie7255@reddit
Iâm not validating high toll prices, but the express lanes are supposed to keep moving at 45mph or higher. So their algorithm outputs a price that will get those results. At least thatâs what I assume theyâre doing.
bigmad168@reddit
Highest Iâve seen so far is $24 in mid cities area. Itâs wild.
HistoryNerd101@reddit
Certainly not a burden for the weather. These toll roads are meant to clear the traffic so the wealthy can get from Point A to Point B without having to rent a copter like Kobe to get through traffic
Initial_Job9323@reddit
Yep, they've turned into lanes for the wealthy.
millrro@reddit
I saw it at $25 going from Dallas to FW
here4pain@reddit
It's $25 almost everyday on 820 express west (I know it's near Ft. Worth but it's still metroplex)
spongyguy24@reddit
and is that a good thing?
strugglz@reddit
I swear I saw one at $63, but usually the highest I see is $28.
moremorgan_@reddit
I was about to say, this is rookie pricing. 183 express lanes scoff at this cheap of a rate
kartik042@reddit
I moved to Toronto from Dallas. These numbers look cute when you look at 407 ETR toll prices.
Trespeon@reddit
Seeing them higher doesnât make these prices ridiculous. It just makes the even higher ones worse.
Letâs not justify or make these kinds of tolls ok.
ForeverOk7505@reddit
Yes! Iâve seen $20+ as well and almost crashed my car in shock đŠ
beetlejuicemayor@reddit
Yes! Itâs been about $20.00 heading to Fort Worth đ˘
fuelvolts@reddit
Yep, Tarrant County mid-cities 183 bypass during rush hour is $20 for toll tag. That means $40 for people without. Insane!
beetlejuicemayor@reddit
Yep thatâs the way we have to go to get home. Completely insane! I wish we could fix this issue because traffic is a nightmare.
JayScramble@reddit
Yeah, it was $20 a few weeks ago. That hurt.
TheRaveChef@reddit
It's getting ridiculous! I got charged $10.50 for a 2 mile stretch of 35 south texpress the other morning. And of course you don't get to know the goddamn price until you're trapped on it! This has to be illegal
friendlyopinionshere@reddit
Ridiculous. Just more consumer gouging
demon_twink_gockie@reddit
Pro tip: don't have a license plate and run that shit. I've also driven through with out of state plates. They had no exits after the first sign for it and no toll both so no way I could possibly pay. Never got shit, not that I'd have paid a fine since the toll both was closed and there was no way to get off. đ¤Ł
hobbs_46@reddit
That's pretty normalđ
Alpha_Papa_Echo@reddit
The rich charge what they want and we pay. We need to stop. Stand up people.
Coldfang89@reddit
I love how the toll roads were supposed to become publicly owned once paid for yet that's well past due and they're raising prices. Yet nothing is done about it
Alert-Boot-4827@reddit
Be thankful this is not California
Twisted9Demented@reddit
This is shocking because I haven't seen these prices in Dallas are...
RIP I feel Sorry for those who stay in Tarrant county
Twisted9Demented@reddit
Election scams & false advertising cost money too. How do you think our leadership is paying for all those campaign ads?
Turboteg90@reddit
Bro 183 express can get up to 24 dollars in the afternoon.
cometssaywhoosh@reddit
Can confirm, last month I drove from Richardson to Possum Kingdom Lake for the weekend and spent like $55 riding tolls from 635 all the way to 183 and 820 lol. But I saved like almost one hour of traffic. Pricey...but worth it.
starfrenzy1@reddit
Only if you make $55 an hour or more.
playballer@reddit
Hate this take. Not all time is worth the same price. And how much you make has nothing to do with convenience
cometssaywhoosh@reddit
Yeah in this case I was driving on a Friday afternoon trying to make it to the lake (where there is basically zero lights on the road during night)
NuthinToHoldBack@reddit
Iâve seen higher there as wellÂ
Late-Union8706@reddit
Same, seen it hit 28-ish for a 4 mile stretch to 820 due to an accident.
Literal highway robbery.
Sguidroz@reddit
I see what you did here
Barack_Odrama_007@reddit
Good! The higher it gets the more the main-lanes are fucked up due to shitty drivers
They need to price people out of the toll lanes to keep them moving.
Initial_Job9323@reddit
I think $10 still prices a ton of people out.
playballer@reddit
As a daily commute sure, but if you have the need to get somewhere fast itâs an accessible option for most
Initial_Job9323@reddit
Agreed
cramothmasterson@reddit
Thatâs exactly what they are designed to do. Managed lanes like these usually have a minimum average speed requirement and the dynamic pricing is designed to keep the volume of cars in the lane at a level that will maintain at least the minimum speed requirement.
playballer@reddit
What slows it down is the exits that back up into the express lanes. The Preston exit and midway exit as example around this time of day are likely causing at least 10 cars to be parked on and blocking the right express lane. Will all the billions they spent on these things Iâm pretty sure they purposely built in insufficient queue space to ensure the rates would spike easily
Look_b4_jumping@reddit
I see a lot of commercial trucks getting on the express lanes. Do they pay the same price as cars ?
playballer@reddit
Read the sign. It has the answer
DMTryp@reddit
At thats just for One stretch/checkpoint. Thats not even your whole trip!!
ReadyFromTheGecko@reddit
It was $11 last night around 6:35pm!!
pobox01983@reddit
Came here to say this.
dallasdude@reddit
From plano to downtown is now an $18.20 round trip on the DNT.
For a commuter that would be $4,550 in extra tax per year.
Jesus-Biscuits@reddit
This! I live in Addison and work Downtown, basically the only way to get to work is with the DNT or PGB to 35. And with the construction on 35 the traffic would force me to leave an hour earlier.
All the more frustrating knowing my money isnât going towards the city but lining some company in a completely different country.
AND THERES STILL TRAFFIC ON DNT!!!
mPisi@reddit
deja-roo@reddit
Not sure if you're implying that DNT tolls go to a company in a different country, but they do not.
Jesus-Biscuits@reddit
You know, I was implying that but upon further research I realize Iâve misunderstood the article I originally read about the topic. Companies in other countries do have deals on some express lanes but NTTA is all statewide.
Still wild that express lanes in Texas brings profits to companies outside the US but definitely not as bad as a mandatory highway commute for some folks.
permalink_save@reddit
And are billionaires paying the brunt of it?
Barack_Odrama_007@reddit
There are 2 train lines that go from Plano to Downtown Dallas. Day passes (round trip is $6). Monthly is $126 which is $1,512 a year.
Yâall have optionsâŚ.
dallasdude@reddit
That particular route is only served by bus. Which does exist, to be fair.
lobohog@reddit
I donât think this is correct but could be wrong. Looking at the toll gantry calculator, if you get start from Legacy in Plano and get off at Harry Hines in downtown, and then round trip, Iâm getting about $12. Which is still expensive but considering itâs ~40 miles round trip, thatâs 30¢ per mile. Way way cheaper than these express lanes that are often upwards of $2 per mile.
dallasdude@reddit
you might be right, I could be remembering the toll that showed on Google which is the opposite of accurate. I try to stay off the toll roads!
3-DMan@reddit
I'm sure your job will compensate you for that!
Awkward silence
Entire room laughs
digitalquesarito@reddit
Thatâs my daily commute, itâs wonderful /s
TheSpivack@reddit
And the DNT is much harder to avoid if that's your commute. Not like it's an optional toll for an express lane.
DarthJahona@reddit
Toll Tag cuts that in half. Those taxes though go right back into upkeep and maintenance on the toll roads, unlike Express Lanes that are making a Spanish company money. In Plano at least, you also have the option of 75 or even taking Dart into downtown if you want to avoid the DNT.
matt_havener@reddit
Plus another $10k/yr to own and drive the car https://www.kbb.com/new-cars/total-cost-of-ownership/
Cars are expensive, but they're great if you're rich
NWOKingandqueen6799@reddit
Wow! Never seen anything over $16
GenomeXIII@reddit
laughs in MoPac
Suziannie@reddit
Itâs dynamic. That process will change throughout the day.
SleezyQueezy@reddit
Better pay for $50 bill or face $300 in late fees đđ
ConsistentStyle5015@reddit
The only thing we can do is stop using them and hurt their pockets.
NationalCaterpillar6@reddit
It pays the UBI for retired Dallas Firefighters.Â
darealest__1@reddit
Iâve seen worse. From like miller westbound to the tollway used to be $10 bucks in the mornings. My toll bill skyrocketed.
Prowling_Owl@reddit
Shouldâve never voted for that garbage bullshit in the first place you moronsâŚ..
sband3@reddit
Yeah, the thing is that weâve already paid for this road with out property taxes. We shouldnât have to continue paying for it
throwawaysscc@reddit
Please channel into rage against lack of effective public transit.
Ok-Yam-536@reddit
Well that's the whole point! If the toll during rush hour was cheap then it would be backed up like all the other lanes.
Man_Bangknife@reddit
on 183 it often goes to 10-20+ bucks. The comedy of that really comes when ya get to the single-lane only portions behind a giant truck going 55.
adjust_your_set@reddit
And science forbid thereâs a wreck or broke down car in front of you. Then youâre stuck for 3 hours.
jonnybanana88@reddit
Had exactly this happen to me once a few years ago. On my way back to my shop in west Ft. Worth from Dallas. Literally sat there for 3 hours because a car hit the barricade and then got rear ended
justawoman2026@reddit
Highway robbery.
Toastjoey76@reddit
It's $32 here in some places in the DMV
Hadrian98@reddit
$7.80! DAMN! I better get some sucky-sucky with that! - Loc Dog
Adorable-Composer358@reddit
i just moved here from FL can one of yall break it down for me bc i thought you paid the price one time to get on express lanes but i got a ticket in the mail for 400$ and was so lost dudeÂ
starfrenzy1@reddit
I've seen one heading west on 183 in the mid-cities that said $12 or something. Insane.
No_Image_3849@reddit
Toll roads should be illegal. State funds built road near the toll should eminent domain the roads from those companies
droys76@reddit
Thatâs not bad. Iâve seen $24 getting on 121/183 westbound during rush hour.
Initial_Job9323@reddit
The tolls in this city are absolutely out of control. There's no way the state should let them charge this much, but they've corrupted the entire thing. Honestly, without those corrupt deals, we wouldn't have roads half as nice as we do now.
There should be a limit on the amount of time (in years) the toll authority should be able to charge these crazy rates.
PhoenixAquarium@reddit
Just wait til the World Cup. The prices will be out of this world.
ChuckWeezy@reddit
Thatâs nothing. Iâve seen it over $25 before in 183.
kaptainkkk@reddit (OP)
Jesus can't you imagine 25$ for every car going thru?! Those admins are licking their chops. Unfucking believable.
ChuckWeezy@reddit
Itâs ludicrous.
JacketStraight2582@reddit
It's only $7.80 plus tipping would be good enough for a living wage.
kaptainkkk@reddit (OP)
Damn straight!
MHJ03@reddit
So donât go that way
kaptainkkk@reddit (OP)
I don't! The problem is that they are price gouging for an already paid road and don't give me shit about maintenance and expansion excuse. Somebody is making a killing with these prices and it ain't you or I.
jazzeejeff@reddit
Toll roads and managed toll lanes are optional - FYI. If you donât like the prices donât drive on them. Heavy traffic on the non-toll roads and toll lanes are what drive up the prices. Donât blame them, itâs all business. Itâs no different when a big an event comes to town and hotel prices skyrocket.
kaptainkkk@reddit (OP)
This has to be the worst pro toll roads argument in this thread. JFC.
Excellent_Bet3931@reddit
Its not lol! This has become a huge problem on top of high gas prices. please someone tell us something we can do to fix it.
barmen03@reddit
The Tarrant county ones regularly get over $20, itâs ridiculous
Gold_Painting_7941@reddit
đ¤Ž
duncandreizehen@reddit
whatâs funny is that people talk about living in Texas is good because itâs low taxes but the reality is youâre going to pay
johnnydfree@reddit
Express lanes on otherwise free roads. Live here, seen that. Never used them.
TechComedian84@reddit
dynamic pricing is awful, and it should be capped at $5-$10
swiftie-42069@reddit
Express lanes are pricey. I avoid them unless itâs a big mess.
Nemesisguy214@reddit
Today I saw $9 and $18 from loop12 to hillcrest to wherever but just ripoff
NeoRa3rdEye@reddit
So do americans really feel comfortable and fine paying to be double taxed on roads that are rightfully ours paying someone youâll never see or meet to drive your paid for vehicle on concrete in America and you okay paying someone in spain?
sooner_25@reddit
I only ride the toll roads about once a month when Iâm going up to Oklahoma to watch college football. If it saves me an hour on that drive it is totally worth it for me, especially if itâs a Friday and Iâm not wanting to get into town exhausted.
I would hate to have to do this every day though and completely understand where people are coming from
poscarspops@reddit
You should see the variable tolls in Austin. Iâve seen them as high as $18
Big_Wave9732@reddit
Three cheers for "dynamic pricing"!
Visual_Consequence24@reddit
Just donât pay them, duh, itâs a Spanish company not a state run business. Austin & Houston is where you want to worry.
liquidm3t4l@reddit
it was 10.70 Friday afternoon 2 weeks ago đ
PuppiesDntPout@reddit
I literally just paid $18. đ
KDFWCenterline@reddit
So dont take the toll road
kaptainkkk@reddit (OP)
I didn't say I did take the toll road and I don't out of principle. Like someone mentioned here, it's literally highway robbery.
deja-roo@reddit
Robbery is when you take something from someone against their will.
You have to choose to pay this, which is the literal exact opposite of robbery lol
permalink_save@reddit
It's our city to service us, not pay a company in another country to use what should be public infrastructure. Billionaires should be paying for this shit not us and we have plenty of them here that could be taxed.
deja-roo@reddit
lol?
You think public services should just be free and not cost you anything? Billionaires can't pay for everything.
permalink_save@reddit
I think we need to stop lying to ourselves that the working class should shoulder a lot of the burden when billionaires pay relatively way less taxes and at the same time stall our wages. I never said free, you did, we can definitely tax the rich to cover these gaps instead of further taxing the working class. Billionaires have to pay for something, they are just freeloading off society at this point.
deja-roo@reddit
??
Billionaires are paying considerably more of the tax burden than you are. Like way more.
RayTargaryen26@reddit
Who cares? They earn a lot more and wages have not gone up. They should pay more. Bring back FDR Tax rates for the rich! Even if they super high taxes they would have millions if not billions of dollars to live on. Pablo down the street who can barely afford rent shouldn't get more taxes, he should get taxed an even smaller percentage.
deja-roo@reddit
Wages have definitely gone up though?
Does this mean also bring back the accompanying crazy tax code where way more could be deducted and deferred, or do you think that high tax rate (that almost nobody actually paid) is the only difference in the tax code?
I presume you're no longer talking about property taxes, given the FDR comment. Someone who barely can afford rent is probably already paying a near-zero tax rate. It'd be tough for it to go any lower. In fact, the rich today pay a greater portion of the tax burden than they did 60 years ago.
RayTargaryen26@reddit
Let me simplify it. I want the rich to get taxed more than right now. I don't care if they pay more taxes than the rest of the population, they should. I will continue voting for Democrats until it happens. Tax the rich until we can't tax them anymore.
permalink_save@reddit
You need to go look around brother. For one I said relative but there are billionaires paying hardly anything. I'm sorry if you don't see how stacked society is against us.
deja-roo@reddit
Are there though?
Itchy_Lab6034@reddit
Iâm pretty sure someone getting robbed doesnât have another option.
GettingBy-Podcast@reddit
Friedrich Nietzsche would disagree.
halfbrit08@reddit
Seriously. On the rare occasion when I pay money for a toll road, I want it to be actually fast. Like when I take the sub terranean 635 toll road to the airport it's full speed the entire way with no braking. You bring those rates down below $5 and everyone will take the tolls, and they'll no longer be significantly faster.
boxofdem0ns@reddit
How may inches of boot can you throat before you gag?
Dallas-ModTeam@reddit
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Decapitat3d@reddit
Less than your mom, that's for sure.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
[removed]
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ghostymost2@reddit
Toll road defenders are wild
Dysanj@reddit
I've seen worse.
Prestigious-Arm-8874@reddit
I like to know what determines the âprice â and who adjusts the number .
Brave-Statement-8810@reddit
And yes, the Texas legislature sold this project to a foreign company, so they paid to build the express lanes instead of using taxpayer $ so now they get the tolls forever (idk, something like 50 years?) whenever anyone uses it to make their money back. But Iâm pretty sure there is a rate structure and a cap, they canât just charge anything they want.
Brave-Statement-8810@reddit
Itâs based on traffic congestion. The idea is to keep the express lanes moving at a minimum of 55mph. So when traffic gets worse, so does the price of taking the express lanes. These are totally optional lanes unlike the all of DNT being toll lanes
HerebyGuy@reddit
Its so fun though. đ
zhallrr@reddit
These arenât toll prices. These are express lanes.
Brave-Statement-8810@reddit
Yes, and the prices factor in traffic to make sure they stay âexpressâ
Glad_Air8204@reddit
Those are rookie numbers , Iâve seen them in the 20âs đ
darkhorse21980@reddit
You haven't seen some of the Tarrant County tolls, have you?
kaptainkkk@reddit (OP)
I have not, I don't travel there very often but based on the comments posted, what I saw on 635 is chump change compared to Tarrant county tolls eesh!
darkhorse21980@reddit
I've seen $20+ posted tolls on Airport Freeway...literal highway robbery.
peachtreeparadise@reddit
Yâall Iâm embarrassed to ask this but fee for your entire express trip or charged after each exit passed? đ
wildgunman@reddit
Why are we doing this again? Complaining about the economics of express lanes is like complaining about gravity. Big, dense stuff is heavy. Dunno why we need a monthly thread devoted to it.Â
Houstonontheroad@reddit
I will vote for any candidate of any party that will fight back against toll costs
TheFeedMachine@reddit
In 1991 Texas raised the fuel tax to $0.20 per gallon. It has not changed since then. It is the primary way roads are funded in the state. In the following 35 years, inflation has made it so that $0.48 per gallon is needed to match the 1991 fuel tax rate. Cars have much heavier and much more fuel efficient relative to their weight. Roads are getting much more wear and tear per gallon of gas used. Combine that with inflation, and we are looking at a severe shortage of funds used to build and maintain roads. The state turns to toll roads instead because fuel taxes are incredibly unpopular. The solution to this is increased public transportation, increased fuel taxes, or both.
noncongruent@reddit
Raise the gas tax 150% and see what happens to our economy. Employers will have to give out double digit pay increases to retain employees, and more likely is that both will simply leave for states with lower costs of living, including gas taxes.
TheFeedMachine@reddit
If your car gets 25 MPG and travels 15000 miles per year, going from $0.20 to $0.50 per gallon gas tax increases your total cost by about $150 per year, or $12.50 a month. Going from Legacy West to Downtown Dallas is $4.90 each way, so it is 1.5 roundway trips from West Plano/Frisco to Downtown Dallas per month in extra cost.
noncongruent@reddit
As soon as I can figure out how to get the money I want to get a plug-in hybrid, especially a Volt or Prius. Until then I can't get one.
Also, something's wrong with your numbers. 25mpg and 15,000 miles is 600 gallons burned. Going from $2.13 to $3.59 is $876, or $73/month.
TheFeedMachine@reddit
Fuel tax is $0.20 per gallon. Going from $0.20 to $0.50 per gallon increases fuel prices by $0.30 per gallon. $0.30 * 600 = 180. It is $15/month not $12.50/month. I got 150 in my head instead of 180 and messed up subsequent calculations. Increasing the fuel tax by 150% doesn't increase gas prices by 150%. It increases them by a fixed amount as the fuel tax is a constant amount, $0.20 per gallon.
noncongruent@reddit
Whoops, forgot we were talking about the tax only. The increased tax does disproportionally affect people at the lower end of the economic scale as they are more often living further from employment simply because they can't afford to live closer. This increases their dependence on a vehicle, and transit can't pick up the slack even remotely due to the last mile problem.
DigitalArbitrage@reddit
The problem is politicians put a cap on taxes funding transportation into the state constitution back in the 1990s. We need to amend the state constitution to raise highway funding to where it needs to be.
GettingBy-Podcast@reddit
But subsidize healthcare, and that's communism.
shwampchicken@reddit
No one should ever take those stupid express lanes. They shouldnât even exist in the first place
Comfortable_Fruit847@reddit
Get on 183W around 5PM going through Euless and Bedford, itâs $22-$24
Ineedfunding007@reddit
How can I use my toll perk points I got a billion
EuphoricRent4212@reddit
You should see the one on 183 through the mid cities to 820
hellasalty@reddit
Not defending HOW they use the money generated from these tolls, but this is actually by design. its variable rate depending on traffic. If it was always cheap, everyone would take the toll road and it would be just as congested as the main highway, defeating the purpose of the express lane. By increasing price with traffic, it ensures that any one vehicle in the express lane can maintain an average speed of 55mph. What really needs to happen is ban any vehicle with more than 2 axles from using these lanes. It's extremely frustrating to pay $5+ dollars to use a road and being stuck behind a semi going 40mph, watching the main highway traffic pass you
Magnusprim3@reddit
Stop voting for republicans who give our roads to the toll companies.
In fact almost everything wrong with this state is because people keep voting for republicans. 31 years - 3 republican governors.
mmmarklar@reddit
i wish Texans would wake up to this. They vote against their own interests so much bc they can't vote for the welfare queens, transgenders, Mexican gangs, or whatever fox news has programmed them to think. Trickle down economics is a fairy tail and has been proven as such. it's just so stupid.
No-Doughnut324@reddit
Ive been avoiding the tolls, I can technically afford it but it just pisses me off so much I dont want to gove them any of my money
Jazzlike-Mission-172@reddit
And then people get in the left lane going 65mph
MOOOOOVE
fouiedchopstix@reddit
Is anyone following the guy on TikTok attempting to get us a class action lawsuit against NTTA?
Anuud_man@reddit
Lol yes, yes I am traffic is no fun I like to go zoom zoom
cfpresley@reddit
Congestion based pricing
notnotluke@reddit
This. At least when you pay the toll you move quickly. Some toll roads a you pay and sit in bumper to bumper traffic. Sometimes the $20 express lane is worth it (not be late to an important meeting or appointment).
chardeemacdenn@reddit
Whereâs the French 75 when you need them
Upsiderhead@reddit
Good, then it's working as intended.
CaptainZhon@reddit
The same system that creates the traffic congestion issues on the highways is the same system that allows for toll roads to be built and the toll companies to charge based on traffic congestion. Make it make sense.
FiftyShadesOfBlack@reddit
During rush hour the tolls are always at $20+ on 121W around Bedford đĽ˛
gottheronavirus@reddit
I just ride my bike, tolls don't apply
Typical-Promotion470@reddit
I got charged $24 using the toll road on 121. Just to get from Central to 820! Oh yeah, I was stuck in traffic while the non toll payers were flying by next to me.. so irritating lol
Upbeat-Lobster-4977@reddit
Stop driving on them and the prices will go down. Especially the for profit lanes that Jack the price up to buy another vacation home with the money you needed just to get to work! Roads in DFW with private profit built in 1) North Tarrant Express (NTE) â Fort Worth core corridors Includes: I-820 (NE Loop) SH-121 / SH-183 (Airport Freeway) I-35W TEXpress lanes Who gets paid: Cintra Meridiam Dallas Police and Fire Pension System Structure: 50+ year concession Private consortium runs it They collect tolls and profit after costs/debt 2) LBJ Express (I-635 TEXpress lanes â Dallas side) Who gets paid: Cintra Institutional investors Structure: Long-term concession (~50 years) Private operator keeps toll revenue 3) SH-130 (Austin area â important example) Why it matters: Fully privatized model (originally) Investors lost money â bankruptcy â ownership shifted đ Proof that: These are real profit vehicles But they can fail hard if traffic projections are wrong âď¸ Contrast: NOT profit-driven (NTTA roads) Examples: Dallas North Tollway President George Bush Turnpike Sam Rayburn Tollway These are run by North Texas Tollway Authority Key difference: No shareholders But still pays billions in bond interest to investors đ So money still leaves the systemâjust indirectly đ Bottom line (no fluff) True âprofit-takingâ roads in your area: North Tarrant Express (your Fort Worth lanes) LBJ Express (Dallas) NOT profit-taking (but still paying investors): NTTA roads
TeknoBlast@reddit
This is just crazy. I know traffic is horrendous, but unless I'm a super super in a hurry, I'm tough out the traffic. Fuk them rates.
But of course, they'll never adjust the rates because there are people that are willing to pay those rates.
cfbswami@reddit
huh?
That 4 mile stretch on 183 - Euless to Hurst - is often $25 afternoon rush hour
Defiant_Salary6711@reddit
Don't pay it.
scatmanjack6120@reddit
They also got it written into law that they can charge for any vehicle on the tollroad- including your totaled vehicle that is being transported on the back of tow truck after an accident⌠(gotta add remove your plates to post accident checklistâŚ)
DFWTrojanTuba@reddit
Iâve seen $34 on the I-66 toll in Northern Virginia. This is nothing lol.
Danilo-11@reddit
The solution to reduce traffic on toll roads is to increase prices (remove poor people out of them)
SlackBytes@reddit
Toll roads are amazing if youâre rich
vacation_bacon@reddit
Or bad with money and chronically late (comme moi)
SlackBytes@reddit
For example. Say youâre rich and your hoa or some organization is saying you canât do this or itâs a fine. Well the rich guy can just eat fines. Meaning the law affects everyone in the neighborhood except him.
Tolls are the same. Rich can take them everytime not just during emergencies.
HOV lanes is the best solution imo.
TheSpivack@reddit
Just like how Jeff Bezos pays $1000 in fines per month because he wants his hedges and fences to be higher than the city allows.
justonemom14@reddit
So basically your average person couldn't afford to be a Bezos hedge.
jvon24@reddit
This is why I tell people Texas isnât a cheap place to liveâŚ.
Dapper_Connection526@reddit
more than minimum wage lol wtf
PomeloPepper@reddit
When they first started an acquaintance of mine stopped on the highway in an ice storm. Bumper to bumper traffic was barely moving, and the Express lanes had surge pricing of $22. Completely empty.
He finally figured out he was being needlessly frugal in that case, since he'd barely moved in 30 minutes. He took the Express lane to get home, then watched the still ongoing traffic jam on the evening news.
imperial_scum@reddit
I've seen $25 on 35W coming from Arlington
mansonsturtle@reddit
Yay free market capitalism and privatization of everything!
I_SmellFuckeryAfoot@reddit
stop using it?
SnooHabits3911@reddit
Then donât use it
rickcinbigd@reddit
Winning
nandrizzle@reddit
Back in my day the damn tollway costed a damn .25
kmelby33@reddit
But no state income tax! Lol
NonFungibleTokenism@reddit
no it isn't, its in control! the whole point of the dynamic toll is to have fewer people find the price acceptable so you dont have the toll lane also get congested
Would you rather pay 2.5$ to sit in traffic the exact same as if you'd paid nothing?
thatsoonerguy@reddit
The Express is an absolute last resort
jaslr4@reddit
Welcome to TX
WHATTHEFUCKZGOINGON@reddit
Tolls are scams.
deleted_by_reddit@reddit
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UnknownQTY@reddit
This isnât a toll lane, itâs an express lane.
DragonChowhound@reddit
Try the toll stretch on 121 through Bedford
ChosynLabs@reddit
Thatâs nothing. Virginia tolls go up to $60 one way.
carabear85@reddit
Fucking ridiculous! Thatâs more than minimum wage!
Sturdily5092@reddit
The HOV was meant to encouragee drivers to ride-share and save on gas but these prices are more than double the price of gasoline even at today's prices. So what's the point?
txstubby@reddit
Have you seen how complex it is to get an HOV discount, everyone in the car needs the GoCarma app on their phones, and the discount only applies to certain TxEpress lanes and then not during rush hour or at weekends.
txstubby@reddit
My understanding is that the toll authorities in North Texas try to keep the speed on the toll road above 55 mph, if the speed on the toll road drops below 55 mph they increase the toll to discourage people from using the toll road. Unfortunately this has the opposite effect, people see the high toll and assume that the non-toll road is severely congested and take the toll road.
One thing not a lot of people realize, in most cases maintenance of the non toll road is paid from the tolls, however I'm certain that when designing a toll road they deliberately create choke points on the non toll road to ensure that the toll road gets used.
I will agree that the tolls can be excessive, driving North on 35W from Ft Worth at 10pm on a Sunday night, the toll road was something like $2.45 but there was minimal traffic on 35w and no delays. Earlier on the Sunday evening, at around 6pm, going south on 35W towards Ft Worth the toll was something like $7.50 and that saved me around 10 minutes in traffic.
LAJimm9@reddit
Texas - the home of regressive taxation
BranSolo7460@reddit
Yup. In an economical system where everything we need is commodified for profit, this is the inevitability.
If we can get enough people to ditch their toll tags and refuse to pay, we can force prices lower, or to phase out the tolls all together. We, the working class people who have to commute have more power than they do, we just need to organize.
TransportationEng@reddit
If only everyone boycotted the managed lanes...
holdbold@reddit
You can get a day pass for DART if you want to
Realistic_Strategy44@reddit
stop moving
LandlordTiberius@reddit
Because FUCK YOU, thatâs why
Curtisaarond@reddit
There's no reason why the cost of the toll should go up
El_alacran214@reddit
Looks about right đđ˝
JRLDH@reddit
Thatâs the best idea for this type of luxury road. Itâs basically always âExpressâ because it keeps the masses out. Including me, most of the time.
But itâs great having the option bypassing significant traffic in a (even minor) âemergencyâ.
They should make it $50 or $100 so that itâs guaranteed to be available if itâs actually needed.
If it were $1, all youâd accomplish is ruining the âExpressâ part as it will be bumper-bumper just like the DNT.
yarmulke@reddit
Or, how about we invest in some actual infrastructure that is proven to reduce traffic, and is also much safer, like public transportation!
JRLDH@reddit
Well, yes, but that isnât about that.
yarmulke@reddit
Any post about frustration with transportation is about that.
JRLDH@reddit
That attitude ruins discussions like that because you can always bitch about lack of public transportation in Texas especially. So what are you adding to this particular discussion?
I at least gave a reason why higher fares can be beneficial. Youâll understand this if you happen to be in a situation where you HAVE to be somewhere and traffic is bumper-bumper but for $20 or so you can bypass it.
Not sure why this is difficult to understand and how your rant about public transportation is useful. There isnât an express train under 635.
Faedaine@reddit
Its based on demand. If more people get on it, the cost rises so that other people stay away. Thats the whole point. It keeps the express lane ... express.
Ok_Education9679@reddit
but we don't have a state income tax so it's fine /s
Barack_Odrama_007@reddit
Itâs doing its job! You donât have to pay this if you stay on the mainlines. If yâall fuck up the mainlines as yâall RELIABLY do, then they will raise the toll lane prices because they need to keep it flowing. They want to price you out to keep paying cars moving.
Stop fucking up the main highway and they wouldnât have justification to jack up rates.
Tiiimmmaayy@reddit
So annoying because Google Maps doesnât prices these express lanes in. I donât mind taking the DNT or Sam Rayburn so I donât want to hit âavoid tollsâ, but whenever I head over to Fort Worth Iâm like cool, no traffic and should only cost $2.
Then google tells me to get on the express lanes where itâs like $7-$10. I avoid it and then sit in bumper to bumper traffic until I cave and take the express lanes. I never learn my lesson. Thankfully I rarely head into Fort Worth.
I technically donât even pay for tolls; my company reimburses me. I just donât like paying those absurd prices on principle.
poop_pebbles@reddit
You just move here or something?
SimpleVegetable5715@reddit
Itâs dumb, especially with how much property tax we pay. We could afford decent roads.
Current_Analysis_104@reddit
Thatâs crazy! I use to be able to go all month on $40 for tolls but thatâs doubled. NTTA is government owned nonprofit so the profit is supposed to go back into roads and bridges. NTTA made $712 million in profit last year. I guess that toll way extension is pretty expensive!
Tipsy247@reddit
I don't use it. I specifically told Google maps to avoid tolls
FirmOwl7086@reddit
But here's the kicker they'll charge you $7.00 to just drop you in traffic down the road with everyone else
DallasOil@reddit
Basic supply and demand. Sometimes getting hosed is worth the time savings.
jffadvisors@reddit
Donât pay it. Wait in traffic. Only you know how much your time is worth.
Bluetheron@reddit
Saw $24.50 on 114 near Southlake.
sophiasjunk@reddit
Literally highway robbery
Dajoeman@reddit
I swear I saw $24 10 minutes ago on the 121 Express
TRON700@reddit
It's Highway Robbery at THIS point đ¤Źđ¤ˇđťââď¸
RunningWolf63@reddit
TOLL SYSTEM IS NOT REDUCING TRAFFIC. It is unstainable. STATE ENTITIES SELLING CADILLAC PUBLIC SERVICE WHEN WE AS A SOVIETY ARE LOOSING TENS OF MILLIONS ON LOST TIME AND PRODUCTIVITY SITTTING IN TRAFFIC.
JJ82DMC@reddit
What'll really wreck you is if you take 183 west express during rush hour from 35, and you drive, and drive, and drive, and eventually 15 miles later you finally see the sign for your toll, hovering around $22.
I might be driving home, but I not that much in a rush to get there.
SpeedSignal7625@reddit
Donât worry, DNT will be paid off and toll-free by 1970.
god_partic1e@reddit
Free market, capitalism, government bad, blah blah blah welcome to Texas.
loves2ride1@reddit
This is actually nothing. I pay this daily, this is cheap,sometimes itâs over $20.
yarmulke@reddit
âI suffer so everyone else should tooâ -ass mentality.
serolf1813@reddit
Unsustainable...how much do these people believe we are making around here? Wages are definitely not keeping up with inflation.
yarmulke@reddit
Well itâs owned by people who arenât even around here soâŚ
DeltaDP@reddit
I saw $20 in ft worth
vacation_bacon@reddit
Uh I spent like $17 already today
Lurcher99@reddit
Been to Ft. Worth/Saginaw lately? That's cheap
heavisidepiece@reddit
First time?
Inter-Being01@reddit
Literal "Highway Robbery!"