NSW Toll Relief Limitations

SlavOz on 03/06/2020 - 11:24

So after going to renew my rego, thinking that the $6,230 I spent on tolls last year would net me the Toll Relief and get me a free rego, I left disssapointed.

Turns out that you're only eligible if your toll provider is based in NSW. For those who use an interstate toll provider, you get nothing.

I'm not sure why this stipulation was added. I'm a NSW resident, the car is registered in NSW, all my toll travel has been in NSW, but because I didn't sign up for one of the local toll companies (I think there are only 2), I'm ineligible. What's the point of that? It almost sounds like the NSW toll providers have a customer referral program going with the government. Did anyone else face this issue?

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Comments

  • GG57 on 03/06/2020 - 11:42

    Was it in the T&C's?

    • kerfuffle on 03/06/2020 - 11:43
      +3

      Yes

      As OP has mentioned in the past that he used to also live in Melbourne, I'm going to guess that his toll provider is based in Victoria.

      • GG57 on 03/06/2020 - 11:46
        +1

        /thread

      • SlavOz on 03/06/2020 - 11:55
        +1

        I'm going to guess that his toll provider is based in Victoria.

        Yep I'm with Eastlink, but it actually had nothing to do with previously living in Melbourne. I signed up for them while I was already living in Sydney.

        Reason? Because I had a bunch of unpaid tolls which added up to over $700 in admin fees alone. Eastlink was the only provider that didn't charge admin fees to pay outstanding tolls, so I took out an account with them.

        • kerfuffle on 03/06/2020 - 11:59
          +3

          Guess you'll now be using that $700 you saved to pay for your rego ;)

          • SlavOz on 03/06/2020 - 12:04

            @kerfuffle: Indeed I will. I wonder if the government knew that when making the rules. NSW toll providers are a rort so maybe they didnt bother saving those of us who have an interstate provider. Reserve the help for those who need it most.

            • kerfuffle on 03/06/2020 - 12:12

              @SlavOz: No idea.

              That being said, I don't remember paying admin fees when paying unpaid toll notices with my E-Toll account. Just paid them as normal (even when paying friends' toll notices so they didn't get slugged an admin fee). These were all NSW toll roads though.

              Only admin fee I had to pay was video matching fees when my first tag was dying and intermittently working.

    • SlavOz on 03/06/2020 - 11:49

      Yep, hence the way I found out. I'm used to expecting terms and conditions but this just took me by surprise. Surely there would be lots of people in NSW who use other toll providers so it seems unfounded. Whoever I spoke to about it in the past, including the RMS reps, always just said that the only thing you need to qualify is to spend at least $1300 on tolls in the last financial year. Nobody ever mentioned you needed to pay those tolls in a certain way.

      • kerfuffle on 03/06/2020 - 11:55
        +1

        It's actually at least $1352 and will probably be higher next financial year.

        Source: recently qualified for free rego (my toll provider is E-Toll)

        I guess you'll be changing toll providers for the next financial year …

  • salmon123 on 03/06/2020 - 11:46

    the $6,230 I spent on tolls last year

    How did you spend that much and it's not for "business"? $25/day?

    The rego fee waiver only applies for private cars, not business cars.

    I think there are only 2

    myEToll, link-t, eway for NSW. I see a few others in other states too.

    In addition to this, you might get your toll pass through a 3rd party, like Caltex Star Card.

    What's the point of that?

    Looking at the RMS website, they put the blame squarely on the toll pass providers for not registering with the NSW toll relief scheme.

    Another big F U from Glayds and Dom to the residents of NSW…

    • GG57 on 03/06/2020 - 11:51
      +1

      But if you meet the T&C's, you get the benefits - correct?

      • salmon123 on 03/06/2020 - 11:53

        Yeah - if you sit on Galyds's finger and take a long spin, you might get some benefits.

    • SlavOz on 03/06/2020 - 12:02
      +1

      How did you spend that much and it's not for "business"? $25/day?

      Private travel to the office. M7 and M2 twice a day. It turns a 1hr 20 minute single trip into 30 minutes (25 on a good run).

      Sometimes I stay with friends who live even further out so I need to travel even longer on the toll road. Not that hard to exceed $5k in tolls if you're committed to saving time and avoiding the hell that is Sydney's traffic lights.

      • salmon123 on 03/06/2020 - 12:05

        Private travel to the office. M7 and M2 twice a day.

        Fair enough

        Not that hard to exceed $5k in tolls if you're committed to saving time and avoiding the hell that is Sydney's traffic lights.

        At $6230/year you probably want to consider your choice to home/work/friends … it's a lot of money (At least for me). Not to mention the petrol/maintenance/depreciation of a car.

        • SlavOz on 03/06/2020 - 12:10

          Not to mention the petrol/maintenance/depreciation

          All of which are a lot lower if you travel on an open road. Nothing worse for a car than to sit idle in stop-start traffic. Small consolation I guess.

    • WreckTangle on 03/06/2020 - 19:56

      Wait , theres more than one toll etag company? Do they al charge the same? Can i choose any of the 3?

  • barozgain on 03/06/2020 - 11:55

    sorry for noob q: so if I use more than$1300 on tolls, I don't pay any rego fees?

    • kerfuffle on 03/06/2020 - 11:58
      +1

      Read this. Figures quoted on that site are since out of date. FY19-20 spend requirement is $780 $811 (edited) for half-price rego and $1352 for free rego, and expected to rise for FY20-21.

  • tsunamisurfer on 03/06/2020 - 12:04
    +2

    $6k a year on tolls?

    Please West Australians…don't ever let any government put tolls on our roads.

    • spackbace on 03/06/2020 - 12:14
      +3

      No tolls, pokies only in the casino… gotta love this state sometimes

      Now if only we'd get our proper cut of the GST ;)

      • salmon123 on 03/06/2020 - 12:26

        Now if only we'd get our proper cut of the GST ;)

        How is it that all the states thing they're being short-changed on GST? NSW/Vic/Qld certainly do. It's the first time I've heard it from WA, but I don't read many WA newspapers. Are TAS/NT really that big a drain on the rest of the country (I'm guessing SA is neither here or there)?

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