Buckle Up – Your Daily Commute Is About To Cost You More

As I sat sipping my morning coffee and checking emails today, I noticed that my monthly Sun Pass toll statement popped up. Like many Floridians, I have a transponder that automatically charges my account whenever I use one of the Florida toll roads, and my bank account is automatically drafted whenever toll funds need to be replenished. So things are pretty much on autopilot, and honestly, I haven’t paid much attention to that aspect of my finances. I mean, when you’ve got to go, you’ve got to go, right?

Curiosity got the best of me, and I decided to take a closer look at what I was actually paying for tolls. Since I work from home, and don’t have a daily commute, how bad could it be? I normally only accumulate tolls for a once-a-week 40 mile trip into Tampa, running some local errands,or an occasional trip over to the Space Coast to cover a rocket launch.

I was a bit surprised to see that all those $1.16 or less charges from toll stations added up to a hefty bill of over $100.00 for the month. It got me to thinking, “What are those folks who have to commute for miles every day to and from work having to pay?” A quick Google search revealed numerous people were reporting tolls in excess of $200 every month. That can be a pretty big hit on any family’s budget.

Until April, we had the 2023 toll relief act that provided a 50% rebate to commuters with 35 tolls or more a month. That helped our toll burden a bit. Unfortunately, despite support from Governor DeSantis, the Florida Legislature allowed the Act to expire at the end of March 2025, with no plans to replace it. Ouch. In its first six months, the Toll Relief Program had issued over $470 million in credits, benefiting approximately 1.2 million customers monthly to the tune of about $400 a year on average

So where the heck is all this money going? In Fiscal Year 2024 (FY24), Florida’s toll roads generated over $1.2 billion in revenue. That’s an increase of $167 million, or over 14.9%, compared to the preceding year, due to the system-wide toll rate indexing implemented on July 1, 2023. 

According to Florida’s official website, Turnpike.com, the funds from toll roads go to building MORE toll roads, as well as maintaining, expanding, and operating existing toll roads.

What about all those gas taxes? Aren’t they supposed to maintain our roads? Exact annual revenue figures are difficult to determine due to the dynamic nature of tax rates and fuel consumption. A 2025 FDOT primer estimated that fuel taxes would generate $2.954 billion in revenue for the State Transportation Trust Fund. But as far as toll roads go, they are entirely funded by those who drive on them. In short, toll roads get NO funding from fuel tax revenue.

With the expiration of the toll relief act, there’s no doubt that your transportation costs are going up starting now. So how can you save a buck? If you haven’t already, get yourself a Sun Pass. The pass alone will save you 25% over the toll-by-plate system. Whether you are a resident or a Florida visitor looking to save , you can get the pass online or at Walgreens Drug Stores among other places. Try to plan for your trips on toll roads, and limit their use when you can. They are certainly easier to drive on, but not always necessary. Google and Apple maps are your friend. You can often find a non-toll route that will only cost you an extra few minutes in commute time, and likely be far more scenic.

As tolls continue to rise and relief programs expire, Florida drivers are left to shoulder the increasing financial burden of daily commutes. With no current plans from the state legislature to reinstate toll relief, we are again left to navigate the growing costs associated with Florida’s expansive toll road system. As the state continues to invest in infrastructure funded by toll revenues, the question remains: how will this impact your wallet in the long run?