I work for a company that only allows running the Indiana Indiana Toll and Ohio Turnpike as required to meet a tight delivery schedule. Since I work for a flatbed company that pays hub mileage, bonus pay for LTL/OD loads, and I am getting good consistent miles(eg. 13,500 miles in May), I don't really have much to complain about(As a truckdriver I am entitled to complain :-) )
So generally I run, like today, from Lake Station, IN to Youngstown, OH by following route I94E=>IN49S=>US30E=>I69N=>I469S=>US30E=>I71N=>I76E =>I80E. This is a total of 384 miles(and BTW in Indiana there is 6 stoplights on IN49 and 28 lights on US30). By way of the toll roads it 355 miles and up to $59.25 for a fully load 5 axles truck. It took about 7.5 hours driving the slow route whereas the toll roads would take 5.5 to 6 hours.
So from a financial and business position which way is really more cost effective? Which way would burn less fuel(65mph toll roads/fewer miles vs. 0-55/65mph variable speeds/more miles)? What are the road taxes paid going the 2 different ways? Do trucks pay road taxes and toll on the turnpike?
I am sure there many other factors(eg. safety, maintenance costs, etc.), but they are hard to measure by cost.