DeSantis lifted tolls in Milton-affected areas through Oct. 14 | Fact check

The claim: Florida was charging tolls on Hurricane Milton evacuation routes as of Oct. 8

An Oct. 8 X post (direct link, archive link) shows a map of two possible traffic routes leading north out of Tampa, Florida. One route includes a notice indicating the tolls would cost $6.38.

“Why ... are tolls still in place on an evacuation route,” reads the caption on the post.

It was reposted more than 1,000 times in a day. Other versions of the claim spread on Facebook.

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Our rating: False

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended tolls in more than a dozen counties in the path of Hurricane Milton starting on Oct. 7. The order lifted tolls for seven days.

Toll suspension may be extended, governor's office says

The claim came as Hurricane Milton barreled toward Florida, a state still reeling from late September’s Hurricane Helene. Mandatory evacuation orders were in place in numerous counties.

But contrary to the social media posts, evacuees didn't have to worry about toll fees.

DeSantis announced tolls would be lifted in areas in Milton’s path starting on Oct. 7 at 10:30 a.m. The suspension order included thoroughfares in the following counties: Broward, Collier, Citrus, Hernando, Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Osceola, Orange, Lake, Seminole, Sumter and Polk.

The tolls on the route shown in the X post are all in these counties, according to Florida's Department of Transportation, meaning they would have been suspended by Oct. 8, when the post was shared.

The Florida Department of Transportation and Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise separately announced they’d suspended tolls at DeSantis’ direction.

Fact check: Payments of $750 are only part of federal financial assistance after Helene

The suspension was set to expire on Oct. 14, but it “may be extended as needed depending on evolving conditions,” DeSantis’ news release said. It went on to say motorists should check FL511.com for up-to-date traffic conditions and road closures.

Various other measures were in place to help Floridians evacuate ahead of the storm’s expected arrival, including free bus and Uber rides to shelters for residents in affected counties.

USA TODAY has debunked an array of claims related to hurricanes, including false assertions that the Biden administration spent FEMA hurricane relief money on “illegals,” that NEXRAD, doppler radar and HAARP were used to control Hurricane Helene’s path and that FEMA loans money to disaster victims and takes their land if it’s not paid back.

USA TODAY reached out to several users who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Our fact-check sources:

• Executive Office of Governor Ron DeSantis, Oct. 7, Governor Ron DeSantis Suspends Tolls to Assist Hurricane Milton Evacuations

• Florida Department of Transportation, Oct. 7, X post

• Florida Department of Transportation, June 2023, Toll Rates for Florida’s Turnpike System and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Toll Facilities West Central Florida

• Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, Oct. 7, X post

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Florida lifted tolls for Hurricane Milton evacuees | Fact check