Map programs & tolls

Factual Questions
1
  1. Is there any map program that calculates tolls on your given route?
    In Google Maps, Garmin, &/or Mapquest, I’ve only seen indications that “this route has tolls”, not how much those tolls are. Leaving NJ between Philly & 40 miles north, there are nine different bridges, but 4½ different toll agencies running those bridges. Tolls range from free to > $12 (prices for cars only). Unless you’re a local, you wouldn’t even know who all the tolling authorities are to know what websites to look up to determine your tolls for a given route; however, it should be relatively simple for a map website to have an API hook into the various tolling authority websites to give that info.
  2. Google & Garmin both have “Avoid tolls” options; is there any website that has a minimize tolls option, say I’m willing to drive ___ extra minutes to save an additional toll? IOW, not the fastest route but don’t route me an extra hour out of my way to make it free either.

Going to Lawn Guyland from the south (PA/NJ) it always tries to route me up over the GW. This is the same mileage as taking the Outerbridge/Verazzano & supposedly one minute faster (BS, the GW is always backed up) but it’s also $13-$18 more in tolls (off/peak time & cash vs. EZ-Pass) between extra tolls on the NJ Turnpike & the Throgs Neck Bridge tolls. On a three hour drive, I’m more than willing to take one extra minute to save that much.

2

I sometimes use a website and called Tollsmart. There’s also a smartphone app, but I’ve never used it. It’s not all I wish it could be, but it’s better than nothing. They’ll typically give you two or three proposed routes from point A to point B, with information on the miles, time, and tolls for each route. The routes they propose are not always the ones I would consider to be the best. If you want to force it to take a particular route that doesn’t come up automatically, it has the ability to accept intermediate waypoints. Be warned that some of their proposed routes are bizarrely long.

It would be more convenient if you could see a side-by-side comparison of the different routes. Unfortunately, you have to click on the different tabs to look at them one at a time.

3

Toll Guru

4

Waze shows total tolls on the same page that displays the “Go Now” button. Apple Maps shows routes with and without tolls with times, but not dollar amounts.

5

We just took a day trip to northern Michigan, and my wife set our route on Google maps to avoid highways. Great way to see the countryside.