Table of contents
Quick answer
Take it out, or seal it in the bag it came in. A toll transponder is not tied to one vehicle; it bills its own account whenever a reader picks it up, so a tag left on the windshield can ride through toll gantries on the carrier and charge you. Toll agencies tell customers to keep a tag in its Mylar bag or wrapped in foil to stop it being read in transit. On cashless roads that bill by license plate, keep your bill of lading: it shows the dates the car was on a truck.
Why a tag on a carrier can charge you
A transponder does not know what it is attached to. It answers any toll reader it passes, and the charge lands on the account it belongs to. A car loaded on a carrier travels the same interstates and turnpikes as the truck, often under the same gantries, for hundreds of miles.
The carrier pays its own tolls for the truck. A read from your tag on top of that is a separate charge to you, for a trip you did not drive.
What to do before pickup
- Take a removable tag off the windshield and keep it with you, or pack it with your own luggage if you are moving.
- If you would rather leave it in the car, seal it in the Mylar bag it came in or wrap it completely in aluminum foil, which is what toll agencies tell customers to do.
- Do not rely on the glovebox or a door pocket. They are not built to block a signal, which is why the agencies point to the bag or foil.
- Write down the pickup date. If a charge appears later, it is the first thing you will need.
Roads that bill by license plate
A growing number of toll roads have no booths at all. Instead of reading a tag, cameras photograph the plate and the toll agency mails a bill to the registered owner. A car's plate is visible on a carrier just as it is on the road, especially on the top deck.
- Keep the bill of ladingIt shows the date the car was picked up and the date it was delivered, signed by the driver.
- Check the date on any toll billIf the charge falls between pickup and delivery, the car was on a truck at the time.
- Dispute it with the agencySend a copy of the bill of lading with the dispute. Toll agencies deal with mistaken reads routinely.
After delivery
- Put the tag back on the windshield only after the car is off the truck.
- If you moved states, update the vehicle and address on your toll account, and check whether your tag works on the roads where you now live.
- Look over your toll statement for the shipping dates. A stray read is easier to dispute within weeks than months.
Frequently asked questions
Doesn't the carrier pay the tolls?
The carrier pays tolls for its own truck. Your tag is a separate device on your own account, and if it is read while the car is on the truck, the charge goes to you.
Can I just put the tag in the glovebox?
A glovebox is not designed to block a toll signal. Toll agencies tell customers to use the Mylar bag the tag came in or to wrap it in aluminum foil, or simply to take it out of the car.
What if my toll tag is a sticker on the windshield?
Sticker tags generally cannot be removed without damaging them. Ask your toll agency for its advice and watch your account for charges during the dates the car is being shipped.
I was charged a toll while my car was on the truck. What now?
Dispute it with the toll agency and include a copy of the bill of lading, which shows the pickup and delivery dates. A charge between those dates is strong evidence the car was not being driven.
Do I have to tell my toll agency I'm shipping the car?
No. There is nothing to report. Just remove or shield the tag, and update your vehicle and address on the account afterward if you moved.
Sources
Written and reviewed by the Haulwide editorial team. Editorial policy
