Fleet Management News & Business Info | Commercial Carrier Journal
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/949884
1 Don't pay cash. Many tolling authorities will offer a discount for vehicles using a transponder, since cash transactions take more time and require significant overhead for the tolling authority. If you travel frequently on any given toll road, it makes sense to explore transponder options and associated discounts. It also allows vehicles to pass more quickly through toll facilities while tracking all fleet toll transactions much more efficiently than using cash. 2 Take advantage of volume discounts. Beyond the transponder discount, many tolling authorities will also offer commercial fleets volume discounts based on frequency of travel or volume of toll. For example, Bestpass gives small and mid-size fleets access to the highest possible volume discounts, which they would likely not qualify for on their own, with discounts of up to 20 percent available in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Colorado, among others. 3 Be wary of peak hours. Many tolling authorities charge higher rates during peak hours, primarily to reduce traffic congestion during weekday commutes and other busy times. Whenever possible, it makes good business sense for drivers to use toll roads during non-peak hours, which will allow them to move more quickly along the toll roads and through the tolling facilities while also costing less. 4 Watch out for violations. Approximately three percent of all electronic toll results in a misread, and not disputing these misreads can lead to a bill that is up to 60 percent costlier than it should be. Tracking violations and disputing them is a daunting task, especially when reviewing multiple statements and notices from a variety of tolling authorities. However, by paying attention to possible violations, you can keep costs down and pay only for the tolls that were actually incurred. 5 Minimize back-office inefficiencies. When you have accounts with multiple tolling authorities, you can spend hours or even days every month shuffling invoices and submitting payments through multiple interfaces. Wherever possible, consolidate your toll management. By aggregating multiple tolling accounts, you will save time in the back office while also giving you a more meaningful picture of toll usage across your entire fleet. ABOUT BESTPASS Bestpass is in the business of saving commercial fleets and drivers time and money. Founded in 2001 by the Trucking Association of New York, Bestpass provides nationwide stream- lined toll management services, including consolidated billing, volume discounts, violation processing and a single service compatible with more than 40 tolling groups and all transponder-based weigh station bypass networks. With more than 400,000 deployed transponders and more than 200,000 toll transactions every day, Bestpass is a trusted partner both on the road and in the back office. Visit our website, Bestpass.com