Nexus and Toll Questions for Driving to Orlando from Toronto

[Etch]

So long story short, I've moved our March break flights to later this year and we're driving to Universal instead. I've driven to Myrtle Beach about 6 years ago but have not gone all the way to Florida before. My plan is to take the I90/79/77/95/4 route.

We received our Nexus cards in 2020 a few days before everything shut down. So we haven't had a chance to actually use them yet. A couple of questions:

1. If someone in the know could run me through the Nexus procedure at the land border it would be much appreciated. I believe they told me to fan out all 4 cards at the scan reader at the same time. I assume the interaction with the guard is then the same as a normal lane?

2. For our route I assume it would be best to just use the Nexus lanes at the peace bridge as opposed to going out of the way to the Nexus only whirlpool bridge?

3. It looks like the toll roads on the route are a) Peace Bridge, b) I90, C) I77 (are there two separate tolls for I77 in West Virginia and Virginia?) Am I able to just pay cash at all of these tolls?

Will also take any driving advice that anyone is willing to give and I'm watching the weather forecast as well.

 

[hcortesis]

We are scheduled to fly this Saturday but of course we won't know for sure until Friday. So I have been looking at a few options. It seems like the Whirlpool bridge has the shortest waits (actually showing no waits) as they only service Nexus card holders. I think you just show one card to drive across? and then all cards must be shown to the agent. Whirlpool entrance doesn't open until 7:00 am I believe. Don't know much more than that and I hope I don't need to find out!

 

[Average Joes]

1. I don't know for those crossings but for the crossing I have done there was a scanner (half a page sized? and grey) that reads the cards. It will be somewhere between the booth and where you are given the green light to pull up. Pretty easy to see. You can put all the cards up for scanning at once. Same interaction with the guard. The only exception I can recall is that they might ask you the reason you gave to obtain the Nexus card. They probably won't ask you to see the nexus cards but they might.

 

[soccerra]

For a land border, every occupant of the vehicle has to be a NEXUS card holder. You hold all the cards up to the reader, there will be a digital display telling you how many cards it reads. If the number matches the cards you scanned you carry on to the Border Agent. We have had everything to a normal border interaction from a normal lane to where we have basically roll down the window, they verify the cardholders and away you go. Should work somewhat the same going both directions. Have never used them crossing in Ontario, but have used a couple times at BC border crossings..
Couple of good links
https://www.cbsa-asfc.gc.ca/prog/nexus/land-terre-eng.htmlhttps://www.cbp.gov/travel/trusted-traveler-programs/nexus/cardHave a good trip!

 

[Benchedguy]

We are driving to Orlando this weekend from Toronto and are looking into EZ Pass or Uni Pass for tolls. It doesnt look that difficult and we are most likely doing Uni Pass with a prepaid account. Can let you know (most likely after the fact) how it goes. Hopefully someone else will have better info for you.

 

[C&B Young]

At the Peace Bridge in Ontario you often speak to a border agent over an intercom, rather than face to face in person.

 

[Jo-Anne]

We are driving to Orlando this weekend from Toronto and are looking into EZ Pass or Uni Pass for tolls. It doesnt look that difficult and we are most likely doing Uni Pass with a prepaid account. Can let you know (most likely after the fact) how it goes. Hopefully someone else will have better info for you.

We are driving in April from Toronto to Orlando so would love to know your experience with tolls along the way and if its worth getting something in advance or just paying at toll booths or the plate photo which I assume they would mail us a bill. Also interested to hear how your border crossing went. I know the Arrive Can App is for coming back into Canada, but it it as simple as showing our vaccination QR code to border guard to cross into US? Have a great vacation!

 

[damo]

We are driving in April from Toronto to Orlando so would love to know your experience with tolls along the way and if its worth getting something in advance or just paying at toll booths or the plate photo which I assume they would mail us a bill. Also interested to hear how your border crossing went. I know the Arrive Can App is for coming back into Canada, but it it as simple as showing our vaccination QR code to border guard to cross into US? Have a great vacation!

It is that easy.

We got mailed a bill from the tolls in NY that used to be a cash payment.