Everyone needs to go to work, some have long commutes others have short commutes. Avoiding the commute is a hard thing to do and some commutes even come with a price. We call them tolls and many people pay the toll to get to work. Tolls help states afford local projects or improvements to the area but tolls are also a major pain point for many commuters. We line up, in rush hour traffic, just wanting to get to work and sometimes, we need to pay to get across a bridge or stretch of highway.

There are plenty of ways to help others start their day off right, one is to pay the toll for them as a surprise good deed.

Why We Pay The Toll

Most roads are built using government funds and are kept up through the same funding. To help cover the costs of these roads, many highly used roads have tolls. In areas where there are bridges, those bridges will have tolls. If there are no bridges, some roads come with tolls. Every car that passes through that toll is contributing to keeping roads in good condition and sometimes even building new roads. When we pay the toll, it’s usually no more than $6, but not everyone can afford an extra $6 every time we drive to work.

Pay The Toll for The Car Behind You

Not every toll comes with the possibility to pay for someone else. Some toll roads come with a scanner that scans your license plate and sends a bill or collects payment through other means like FastTrack. But there are still toll roads that have toll bridges and those offer us a unique opportunity to do something nice for a complete stranger. Next time you drive through a toll booth, double the cost and ask the toll booth attendant to put the extra money towards the car behind you. When the next car pulls up, the toll attendant will let them know that someone has already paid their toll. While it seems like a simple act, it could really help someone start their day off with a smile. In fact, that random act of kindness could start a chain reaction of good deeds to be done throughout the day. Your small act may inspire not only the driver behind you to do something nice, but also the toll booth attendant. Both people may go their separate ways and do a good deed for someone else, and so on.