I have never used this road but have at times wanted to to save time and miles. I have noticed signs that state com-veh over 5 ton GVW must have an electronic toll transponder. Does anyone know if they accept EXPass or must you have another transponder specific to this road in Ontario?
407 Toll Road in Ontario
- Thread starter MYGIA
- Start date
No, they don't accept EZ Pass. You need a specific transponder, same as you need specific transponders for the the tolls in Florida, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and California.
On the 407, if you are a commercial vehicle you must have an electronic transponder installed. If you don't, you can still use the Toll Road, but you'll pay through the nose to do it. For cars and less-than-5000kg vehicles (cargo vans), it's 18-19.85 cents a mile (peak or off-peak), plus 25 cents per trip, plus video toll (VTC) charges of $3.25 (video records you license plate).
For single-unit trucks, it's between 36-49.7 cents a mile, plus 50 cents per trip, plus $50 for the VCT. The $50 VTC is currently temporarily discounted to $15 per trip, but it appears they are doing that, and then also fining the driver for not having a transponder under the Highway Traffic Act, which is way more than $50. See, they realized that a $15 video toll and then a fine for not having the transponder gives them more revenue than the $50 VTC.
Oh, I forgot about the $15 collection fee for them having to mail you a bill, and the $18 enforcement fee for having to enforce the law against you, and, if you dispute the charges and want to file an appeal, they charge you $100 for that, too. These are for both cars and trucks.
An otherwise cheap-ish toll could end up costing you well over $100. More if you appeal it.
I've never ventured onto the 407, but I know several who have. Not one, as far as I know, have ever done it again.
407 ETR - Tolls & Fees
On the 407, if you are a commercial vehicle you must have an electronic transponder installed. If you don't, you can still use the Toll Road, but you'll pay through the nose to do it. For cars and less-than-5000kg vehicles (cargo vans), it's 18-19.85 cents a mile (peak or off-peak), plus 25 cents per trip, plus video toll (VTC) charges of $3.25 (video records you license plate).
For single-unit trucks, it's between 36-49.7 cents a mile, plus 50 cents per trip, plus $50 for the VCT. The $50 VTC is currently temporarily discounted to $15 per trip, but it appears they are doing that, and then also fining the driver for not having a transponder under the Highway Traffic Act, which is way more than $50. See, they realized that a $15 video toll and then a fine for not having the transponder gives them more revenue than the $50 VTC.
Oh, I forgot about the $15 collection fee for them having to mail you a bill, and the $18 enforcement fee for having to enforce the law against you, and, if you dispute the charges and want to file an appeal, they charge you $100 for that, too. These are for both cars and trucks.
An otherwise cheap-ish toll could end up costing you well over $100. More if you appeal it.
I've never ventured onto the 407, but I know several who have. Not one, as far as I know, have ever done it again.
407 ETR - Tolls & Fees
RLENT
Veteran Expediter
I might resemble that remark ....
I ran the 407 exactly twice ..... and I got the bill about a month or so later ..... which was entirely incorrect (about double what I actually owed - they had charged me for being a heavy-duty vehicle for one thing which, by their own standards and fees was incorrect)
I spent the next 6 months in repeated telephone conversations with them, trying to get them to correct the bill .... sometimes, they would change the amount due .... but it would always be wrong.
It finally took me somewhat less than my usual diplomatic self and suggesting that they were utterly incompetent ... because after better than a half dozen calls on my part they still couldn't get it right.
They finally corrected the amount due to zero (after I had calculated the correct amount due and had paid that months prior) and left me alone.
Never again.
Jack_Berry
Moderator Emeritus
I might resemble that remark ....
I spent the next 6 months in repeated telephone conversations with them, trying to get them to correct the bill .... sometimes, they would change the amount due .... but it would always be wrong.
It finally took me somewhat less than my usual diplomatic self and suggesting that they were utterly incompetent ... because after better than a half dozen calls on my part they still couldn't get it right.
Never again.
were they french seperatists, maybe?
Just one of many. I didn't want to start naming names. Figured everyone could fess up here if they wanted to.I might resemble that remark ....
The problem is, they don't have great big signs warning the dumb Americans that they shouldn't go on that road. The locals know, but nobody else does. If they had a sign that said:
AVERAGE TOLL FOR TRUCKS
WITHOUT TRANSPONDERS
--------> $98 <--------
WITHOUT TRANSPONDERS
--------> $98 <--------
That would do it.
Turtle you've got the rates wrong! Those charges are by the kilometer not the mile. A heavy vehicle (over 4500kgs or 9900lbs) is charged .395/kilometer or .636/mile. Yes the rates vary slightly as the tiime of day matters and part of it you are on. So the part from Hamilton to Missisauga (403-403) is lower by a cent per km or 1.6 cents/mile and the rest is charged the higher rate during the day (most of it). So remember it is charged by kilometer not mile making the charges per mile higher priced, but then you drive less miles than kilometers, but still they rip you off.
Transponder in this case is highway specific but getting one is easy as you can apply online and the monthly (or yearly) fee is not much. But is it worth it? Depends on the number of trips you do up here.
The signage prior to getting on the highway does specify a heavy vehicle does have to have a transponder. So don't have a 407 transponder, don't use the highway. One other point about signage is they do have signs stating that out of province vehicles will be billed, but none are located prior to getting on the highway but a few miles along it. Nice to do it that way. Also they do have a sign mentioning the VTC for non transponder vehciles but of course few of those and again miles along the highway.
Yes it does save some miles and time as I utilize it with my Sprinter. My ST does not have a transponder yet as I'm looking at the numbers for the trips and the costs involved in using the 407. I've only had two trips in the last year for the ST where the 407 would have been a good idea, otherwise I've done good timing without it.
Rob
Transponder in this case is highway specific but getting one is easy as you can apply online and the monthly (or yearly) fee is not much. But is it worth it? Depends on the number of trips you do up here.
The signage prior to getting on the highway does specify a heavy vehicle does have to have a transponder. So don't have a 407 transponder, don't use the highway. One other point about signage is they do have signs stating that out of province vehicles will be billed, but none are located prior to getting on the highway but a few miles along it. Nice to do it that way. Also they do have a sign mentioning the VTC for non transponder vehciles but of course few of those and again miles along the highway.
Yes it does save some miles and time as I utilize it with my Sprinter. My ST does not have a transponder yet as I'm looking at the numbers for the trips and the costs involved in using the 407. I've only had two trips in the last year for the ST where the 407 would have been a good idea, otherwise I've done good timing without it.
Rob
Rlent, how long ago were your bad experiences with the 407 ETR? Just curious. I know in years past the admin end was impossible to deal with. I have found there has been great improvement in more recent years. They seem to speak and understand English now, and seem able to deal with whatever issue you're calling about.
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(this part sounded like it was also written to Rlent, but it wasn't, so I edited it to make it more obvious that it is just general)
From the website Turtle posted you will see the annual transponder charge is only $21.50CAD, which is only like what, $1.79CAD/month?? If you have a fleet it's only less than $10CAD for additional vehicles per YEAR under the same account.
The 407 is generally a beautiful place to be, (at least in comparison to the other highways around Toronto). It gets you where you're going in way less time with way less frustration. If you are having to travel these roads, it's worth figuring out the costs according to the posted link, factoring it in to your trip costs, and determining if it's worth it to consider it as a cost of doing business. If it's worth it to you to come to Canada in the first place, it might also be worth it to consider the 407.
=================================================
(this part sounded like it was also written to Rlent, but it wasn't, so I edited it to make it more obvious that it is just general)
From the website Turtle posted you will see the annual transponder charge is only $21.50CAD, which is only like what, $1.79CAD/month?? If you have a fleet it's only less than $10CAD for additional vehicles per YEAR under the same account.
The 407 is generally a beautiful place to be, (at least in comparison to the other highways around Toronto). It gets you where you're going in way less time with way less frustration. If you are having to travel these roads, it's worth figuring out the costs according to the posted link, factoring it in to your trip costs, and determining if it's worth it to consider it as a cost of doing business. If it's worth it to you to come to Canada in the first place, it might also be worth it to consider the 407.
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