Toll roads can be a major inconvenience for drivers looking to save money or avoid unnecessary fees. Thankfully, with the growing popularity of navigational apps like Apple Maps, there’s a way for users to bypass these costly routes. This article will explain how to effectively use Apple Maps to avoid tolls and potentially save time and money during your travels.
Like many other navigation apps, Apple Maps constantly evolves and updates its features to meet user expectations. One such feature is the ability to provide alternative routes that don’t include toll roads. By incorporating this setting into your navigation preferences, Apple Maps will automatically suggest paths free of tolls, optimizing your driving experience.
To make the most of this valuable feature, users need to understand how to enable and effectively use the avoid tolls setting in Apple Maps. In the following sections, we will guide you through the step-by-step process, ensuring a hassle-free driving experience without the burden of extra fees.
Avoid Tolls on Apple Maps
iPhone and iPad
To avoid tolls using Apple Maps on an iPhone or iPad, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your device.
- Scroll down and tap on Maps.
- Under the Driving & Navigation section, tap on Navigation & Guidance.
- Enable the Avoid Tolls toggle switch. This will make Apple Maps route your trips without toll roads by default.
Remember that avoiding tolls may result in longer travel times, depending on the area and available alternate routes.
Mac
On a Mac, Apple Maps also provides an option to avoid toll routes when getting driving directions. Follow these steps:
- Launch Apple Maps on your Mac.
- Enter your starting point and destination for the desired route.
- Click on Directions and select the car icon to get driving directions.
- Under the route summary, click on the Options button.
- Check the box for Avoid Tolls.
Once you’ve selected this option, Apple Maps will display routes that avoid toll roads. As with the iPhone and iPad, avoiding tolls on a Mac may lead to longer travel times.
Adjusting these settings on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac allows you to navigate with Apple Maps while avoiding toll roads. Remember to consider the potential increase in travel time when making these adjustments.
Alternative Routes
Google Maps
Google Maps offers a way to avoid tolls when planning a route. To do this, users can follow these steps:
- Open the Google Maps app or website.
- Enter the starting and ending destinations.
- Tap or click on “Directions.”
- Choose the car icon for driving directions.
- Tap or click on the three-dot menu next to the driving mode.
- Select “Route options.”
- Check the box for “Avoid tolls.”
After these steps, Google Maps will display alternative routes that do not include tolls. Users can review each option and select the most convenient one for their needs.
Waze
Waze, another popular navigation app, also allows users to avoid tolls. The process for this is quite simple:
- Open the Waze app.
- Tap on the search icon and input the destination.
- Tap on “Settings” in the bottom left corner.
- Scroll down to “Navigation” and tap to open.
- Tap on “Route options.”
- Toggle on the “Avoid toll roads” option.
Once users enable this setting, Waze will automatically calculate routes without tolls for their journey. It is important to note that avoiding tolls may lead to longer travel times or a less direct path. However, these alternative navigation options can be highly beneficial for those looking to save money or avoid heavy toll road traffic.
Navigation Settings and Features
Driving Options
Apple Maps provides users with various driving options within the Maps app to tailor their navigation experiences. Users can avoid toll roads and highways by accessing these settings:
- Open the Settings app on the device
- Scroll down and tap on Maps
- Tap on Driving & Navigation
- Toggle on the options for “Avoid Highways” and “Avoid Tolls.”
By enabling these options, Apple Maps will prioritize non-toll and non-highway routes when providing directions.
UI and ETA
The user interface (UI) of Apple Maps is designed to be user-friendly and easy to understand. When navigating with driving options enabled, the app displays toll-free and highway-free routes on the map. Additionally, it provides the estimated time of arrival (ETA) for each route, allowing users to compare travel times and make informed decisions about their preferred routes.
Additional Settings and Features
Aside from the driving options mentioned, Apple Maps offers other features that can enhance a user’s overall navigation experience:
- Turn-by-turn voice guidance with adjustable volume levels
- Live traffic information and incident reports
- Lane guidance, indicating the optimal lane for a turn or exit
- Speed limit information and warnings for exceeding the limit
- Integration with Apple CarPlay for a seamless in-car experience
Users can customize their navigation experience within Apple Maps to best suit their preferences and requirements by taking advantage of these settings and features.
Social Media and Tips
Sharing on Facebook and Twitter
Many users find valuable advice on avoiding tolls using Apple Maps through social media platforms like Facebook and Twitter. These channels help gather tips from people who frequently travel in certain areas and know the best routes. Search for groups or pages dedicated to navigation tips or relevant topics to get started. Once you join these communities, engage in conversations and share your experiences to obtain real-time information and learn more about toll-free routes.
Tip of the Day
One useful feature within these online communities is the “tip of the day.” Users often share their discoveries, such as new shortcuts or alternate paths that could help others save time and money. To make the most of these daily tips, consider subscribing to pages or turning on notifications to receive updates from your preferred sources of information.
- Example tip: Enable “Avoid Tolls” in Apple Maps settings to generate toll-free routes automatically.
- Example tip: Look for local user-generated maps or alternative mapping services with reliable toll-free route suggestions.
Remember, utilizing social media platforms and watching the “tip of the day” can significantly improve your navigation experience and help you avoid tolls using Apple Maps.
Real-Time Traffic Data
Apple Maps offers real-time traffic data to ensure that users have access to the most accurate and efficient travel routes. This feature updates regularly to reflect changing conditions, such as road construction, accidents, or temporary closures.
The app can warn users about busy roads and high-traffic areas through real-time traffic data, especially during peak hours. This information is precious for commuters, helping them avoid congestion and minimize delays during their daily commutes.
Users can get the most out of Apple Maps’ real-time traffic data by:
- Enabling the traffic layer: To view real-time traffic conditions in Apple Maps, users can tap on the “i” icon in the top right corner of the screen and select “Show Traffic.”
- Setting the app to display traffic on the route: By toggling on the “Show Traffic on Route” option in the route settings, users can focus on the traffic specific to their journey.
- Paying attention to color-coding: Apple Maps uses different colors like red, orange, and green to represent heavy, moderate, and light traffic flow, respectively. These indicators allow users to identify congested areas at a glance easily.
Transit and Public Transport Support
Apple Maps provides transit and public transport support on iOS devices, making it convenient for users to navigate routes without relying on toll roads. Integrating transit options like buses, trains, and subways offers comprehensive route planning for city dwellers and tourists.
CarPlay, Apple’s in-car system, also supports transit and public transport information. This feature allows drivers to choose alternative routes, avoid toll roads, and find parking spaces near their desired location. In addition, real-time updates on public transport schedules enable users to make better decisions while planning their trips.
Street View functionality is currently unavailable in Apple Maps; however, it offers detailed maps and 3D views of landmarks, buildings, and terrain. These features assist users in orientating themselves within an area and provide a visually immersive experience when exploring a city.
Here’s a quick summary of Apple Maps transit and public transport support features:
- Transit options on iOS devices
- CarPlay integration
- Real-time public transport schedule updates
- Detailed maps and 3D views
By incorporating these features, Apple Maps aims to cater to the diverse transportation needs of its users while helping them avoid tolls and find the most efficient route possible.
Customizing Route Options
Trip-By-Trip Basis
Apple Maps allows iPhone users to customize route options on a trip-by-trip basis. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open Apple Maps.
- Enter your destination.
- Tap “Directions.”
- Choose “Drive.”
- Next to the estimated travel time, tap the “i” icon.
- Under “Avoid,” toggle on or off your desired options (tolls, highways, and ferries).
Customizing individual trips provides flexibility, allowing users to choose the best route for each journey.
Avoiding Ferries
Some routes may include ferries, which can increase travel time and cost. To avoid ferries in Apple Maps, follow these steps:
- Repeat steps 1-5 from the “Trip-By-Trip Basis” section.
- Toggle on “Ferries” to avoid them.
By avoiding ferries, users can save time and possibly save on transportation costs.
Avoiding Freeways
For those looking to avoid freeways, Apple Maps provides an option to do so. To avoid freeways in Apple Maps, follow these steps:
- Repeat steps 1-5 from the “Trip-By-Trip Basis” section.
- Toggle on “Highways” to avoid them.
Avoiding freeways may result in a more scenic drive but may also increase travel time.
Managing Apple Maps on iOS Devices
iPhone Life Insider
iPhone Life Insider is a subscription-based service offering useful tips and tricks that benefit iOS device users. Among the tools they provide are valuable ways to efficiently use Apple Maps, particularly for those running iOS 10.
To avoid tolls in Apple Maps, iPhone Life Insider recommends navigating to the app settings and adjusting the preferences. To do this, follow these steps:
- Open the Settings app on your iOS device.
- Scroll down and tap on
Maps
. - Tap
Driving & Navigation
. - Turn the switch for
Tolls
to the off position.
By following these instructions, Apple Maps on iOS 10 devices will route users around tolls, saving them money and inconvenience during their travels.
Jamf Pro
For businesses or organizations using Apple devices across their workforce, Jamf Pro provides a comprehensive device management solution. This system enables IT administrators to manage and enforce app settings on enterprise iPhones, including Apple Maps.
IT administrators can create and deploy configuration profiles to enrolled devices to configure Apple Maps settings, such as avoiding toll roads. These configuration profiles can be customized to the organization’s specific requirements. Here’s how to create a configuration profile for Apple Maps:
- Log in to the Jamf Pro console.
- Navigate to
Devices
→Configuration Profiles
and clickNew
to create a new profile. - Under
General
, enter a name and description for the profile. - Select
Restrictions
from the list of categories and enableAllow modification of device settings
. This permits admins to set default values for Apple Maps. - Scroll down to
Maps
, and enable theAvoid Tolls
setting. Save the configuration profile.
Once the configuration profile is deployed to enrolled devices, Apple Maps settings will be managed according to the parameters set by the IT administrator, including avoiding toll roads.
Following these procedures, users with iOS 10 devices and IT administrators managing multiple Apple devices can effectively avoid tolls by configuring Apple Maps settings accordingly.
Additional Navigation Apps
Several navigation apps are available for Android and iOS platforms that offer a variety of features and integrations. One such app that seamlessly integrates with Instagram is CarPlay. CarPlay aims to provide users with an effortless experience navigating the app while sharing their favorite driving moments and car-related adventures with friends and followers.
CarPlay is compatible with a wide range of GPS-enabled devices and vehicles, ensuring users have an accurate and up-to-date navigation system. The app’s integration with Instagram allows users to:
- Share their current location or destination with friends via Instagram Stories.
- Upload pictures or videos from their car, showcasing scenic routes and points of interest encountered during their journey.
Additionally, CarPlay is available on both Android and iOS devices, making it a versatile navigation app, regardless of the operating system used on a smartphone. Some features offered by CarPlay, among others, include:
- Turn-by-turn voice navigation with real-time traffic updates and alerts.
- Customizable destination list to include favorite places, most frequented locations, and more.
- User-friendly map interface with various map styles and easy-to-read symbols.
CarPlay’s compatibility with Apple Maps app further enhances its usability, especially for iPhone users who prefer to remain within the app ecosystem. This ensures a seamless and consistent experience when switching between the two platforms, should the need arise.
FAQs
How do I avoid tolls using Apple Maps?
To avoid tolls on Apple Maps, follow these steps:
- Open Apple Maps on your iPhone or iPad.
- Input your destination in the search bar.
- Tap on “Directions.”
- Select the car icon for driving directions.
- Scroll up to reveal the “Avoid Tolls” option.
- Toggle the switch to enable “Avoid Tolls.”
- Apple Maps will now reroute your directions to avoid toll roads.
Is the toll avoidance feature available in all countries?
The “Avoid Tolls” feature in Apple Maps may not be available in all countries or regions. Availability depends on Apple Maps’ coverage and data accuracy in a specific region.
Does avoiding tolls guarantee the shortest or fastest route?
No, avoiding tolls may result in a longer or slower route, as Apple Maps will prioritize routes that don’t have toll roads. If a faster route is critical, consider avoiding the toll avoidance option.
Are there any other features to optimize my route?
Apple Maps allows you to avoid highways and select more eco-friendly routes. You can find these options under the same settings as the “Avoid Tolls” feature.