Florida visitor toll pass?

[holyrita]

Question because I'm seeing differing answers online. Does the cost of a toll differ based on which apparatus you use? Are VTP/Sunpass tolls cheaper than a EZPass?

Now that rental cars are available in Terminal C I don't think it makes sense for us to trek to Terminal A to pick up a VTP, so we're trying to decide whether to bring our existing EZPass or purchase a Sunpass on arrival.

 

[CarolynFH]

Question because I'm seeing differing answers online. Does the cost of a toll differ based on which apparatus you use? Are VTP/Sunpass tolls cheaper than a EZPass?

Now that rental cars are available in Terminal C I don't think it makes sense for us to trek to Terminal A to pick up a VTP, so we're trying to decide whether to bring our existing EZPass or purchase a Sunpass on arrival.

On all the many times we've driven on the Florida Turnpike and the toll roads around Orlando, I've never seen a sign that indicated we'd pay a different toll if we had a different apparatus. So I don't think it matters. We have our own SunPass transponder and would bring it even if we were renting a car from Terminal A.

 

[1420Elexismc]

I think if you have your own transponder that’s definitely the way to go….we don’t that’s why we’re getting the toll pass…we are also flying southwest so we’ll already be in Terminal A

 

[gmi3804]

I think if you have your own transponder that’s definitely the way to go….we don’t that’s why we’re getting the toll pass…we are also flying southwest so we’ll already be in Terminal A

Terminal B is about 50 steps away. I always carry on, so wether I disembark at Terminal A or B, I go out the A side to get my VTP.

Also, responding to the question above, with VTP you always pay the lowest displayed toll with their service. I think it's the same if you bring your own transponder, but I'm not 100% sure about that, as I haven't researched the different reciprocal toll systems.

 

[EACarlson]

Question because I'm seeing differing answers online. Does the cost of a toll differ based on which apparatus you use? Are VTP/Sunpass tolls cheaper than a EZPass?

Now that rental cars are available in Terminal C I don't think it makes sense for us to trek to Terminal A to pick up a VTP, so we're trying to decide whether to bring our existing EZPass or purchase a Sunpass on arrival.

I paid the same with my Illinois I Pass as I did with VTP. MCO has said that there will be VTP machines at both B and C by the end of the year.

 

[erionm]

Question because I'm seeing differing answers online. Does the cost of a toll differ based on which apparatus you use? Are VTP/Sunpass tolls cheaper than a EZPass?

Nope. FL charges the same (lower) electronic rate regardless of where the transponder was issued.

 

[Disney_David]

When I had friends in town I bought them a $5 sun pass mini sticker. It’s a one and done, as you can’t use it after you take it off the windshield. But it was easy enough and economical given the amount of times they went though tolls.

Publix, rest stops, CVS, etc carry them

It maybe another option?

 

[mickmom728]

My husband downloaded the app on his Android and for some reason he couldn’t access it when we got to the kiosk so we had to download it on my Apple phone. It’s very easy to use but make sure you don’t forget to take it out of the car before you turn your rental in! We forgot and when my husband went back to get it they had already processed the car and we couldn’t get it back so we were charged the ten bucks.
Also as some have stated, make sure the toll thing that is permanently in the car is not opened!

 

[EACarlson]

My husband downloaded the app on his Android and for some reason he couldn’t access it when we got to the kiosk so we had to download it on my Apple phone. It’s very easy to use but make sure you don’t forget to take it out of the car before you turn your rental in! We forgot and when my husband went back to get it they had already processed the car and we couldn’t get it back so we were charged the ten bucks.
Also as some have stated, make sure the toll thing that is permanently in the car is not opened!

I don't recall if I put this tip in this thread or one of the others I've posted on. Make sure you already have the app and have logged into it at least once before leaving home. The first time I ended up standing next to the machine for 20 minutes trying to get my phone to download, log in and register the app and tag while in the basement of MCO, which is not exactly cell phone signal conducive.

 

[leebee]

Last time in FL I used my EZPass from Maine and it didn't pick up one of the exit/entrance tolls. This was on an unmanned exit. I had to pay the surcharge to the rental company in addition to the toll. Whatever... fortunately it was with Hertz and not Dollar (Hertz charges for using their transponder only on the day a charge is incurred, whereas Dollar charges you for every day of the rental once you incur a toll once). I just wonder if a VTP would work a little better than my EZPass from Maine.

 

[gmi3804]

Last time in FL I used my EZPass from Maine and it didn't pick up one of the exit/entrance tolls. This was on an unmanned exit. I had to pay the surcharge to the rental company in addition to the toll. Whatever... fortunately it was with Hertz and not Dollar (Hertz charges for using their transponder only on the day a charge is incurred, whereas Dollar charges you for every day of the rental once you incur a toll once). I just wonder if a VTP would work a little better than my EZPass from Maine.

It does, and they’ll clear up any charges for missed tolls.

 

[holyrita]

Question because I'm seeing differing answers online. Does the cost of a toll differ based on which apparatus you use? Are VTP/Sunpass tolls cheaper than a EZPass?

Now that rental cars are available in Terminal C I don't think it makes sense for us to trek to Terminal A to pick up a VTP, so we're trying to decide whether to bring our existing EZPass or purchase a Sunpass on arrival.

I went the EZPass route but when trying to add the rental car license plate to my account I got an error that I couldn't because it was already registered to another account! Right now we're keeping our fingers crossed that it'll work otherwise we'll probably get a larger than normal bill from the rental car service :'(.

 

[EACarlson]

I went the EZPass route but when trying to add the rental car license plate to my account I got an error that I couldn't because it was already registered to another account! Right now we're keeping our fingers crossed that it'll work otherwise we'll probably get a larger than normal bill from the rental car service :'(.

If the plate is still registered to another account, then if your EZ Pass doesn't register, the charge will go to that account, not the rental car company's.

 

[lilmc]

don't recall if I put this tip in this thread or one of the others I've posted on. Make sure you already have the app and have logged into it at least once before leaving home. The first time I ended up standing next to the machine for 20 minutes trying to get my phone to download, log in and register the app and tag while in the basement of MCO, which is not exactly cell phone signal conducive.

I always have connectivity issues until I’m outside the parking garage leaving the airport. I screenshot the QR code in advance (yes, it flashes an error message when you do this, but I was advised to do so by an employee who told me it’s how to work around the connectivity issues and it’s always worked).

 

[3kidz4dis]

What do we tell the car rental company so that the charge does not go through their transponder?

 

[gmi3804]

What do we tell the car rental company so that the charge does not go through their transponder?

You don't really tell them anything; you won't be charged unless you indicate on the rental agreement that you want to use their toll service.

Some cars have a transponder on the window, so be sure to turn it off (there are clear instructions on the device) if you don't want to use it. I think I've only gotten one car in all the years I've rented cars that had one of these.

 

[EACarlson]

What do we tell the car rental company so that the charge does not go through their transponder?

In all of the 25 or so rentals I've had since 2019, only one of them had an actual transponder in them. Every other one used PlatePass. PlatePass is like a toll system of last resort. First the toll system looks for a transponder, then it compares the plate number to FL registered accounts, then it looks for EZ-Pass registered accounts, then it looks at PlatePass. That's one of the reasons it's important to have the rental plate number in your EZPass account.

 

[h&D3]

Good thing I found this on mousesavers... I have some questions.

Normally we rent from Alamo (usually end up getting a good rate from them via costco) - They claim that their acceptance in the Toll Pass is automatic when you rent from them their cost is. $19.95 maximum for the ENTIRE RENTAL Since we stay 18 days, this breaks down to a little over $1 a day. So I'm still getting charged for the tolls no matter if I use their transponder or get a Toll Pass tag.

1.) If we get the Florida Visitor Toll pass to use, how do I turn the transponder off in the rental car? Or do I not need to? From what I understand, it registers to the license plate for tolls. I just don't want to get double charged.

2.) Does the Florida Toll pass override the one in the car then since it goes by the license plate?

3.) If I'm charged both by the Florida Toll Pass AND the rental car company for tolls, what do I do?

For the additional $1/day, it doesn't seem like extra stress to use the Florida Toll Pass System, but if I'm going to rent from someone like Dollar where it's $53.00/week then it certainly would make it worth it.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Good thing I found this on mousesavers... I have some questions.

Normally we rent from Alamo (usually end up getting a good rate from them via costco) - They claim that their acceptance in the Toll Pass is automatic when you rent from them their cost is. $19.95 maximum for the ENTIRE RENTAL Since we stay 18 days, this breaks down to a little over $1 a day. So I'm still getting charged for the tolls no matter if I use their transponder or get a Toll Pass tag.

1.) If we get the Florida Visitor Toll pass to use, how do I turn the transponder off in the rental car? Or do I not need to? From what I understand, it registers to the license plate for tolls. I just don't want to get double charged.

2.) Does the Florida Toll pass override the one in the car then since it goes by the license plate?

3.) If I'm charged both by the Florida Toll Pass AND the rental car company for tolls, what do I do?

For the additional $1/day, it doesn't seem like extra stress to use the Florida Toll Pass System, but if I'm going to rent from someone like Dollar where it's $53.00/week then it certainly would make it worth it.

The Alamo information is not exactly correct. They do not have transponders in their rental cars (at least, I have never had an Alamo rental with a transponder) so they use toll-by-plate instead. You do not have to opt out of their toll charge system, but you can simply substitute your own transponder or pay cash for your tolls and then the toll-by-plate will not be charged. If you use a transponder of your own (EZ-Pass, Sunpass, Unipass, Visitor Toll Pass all qualify), that is charged instead. Just be sure to register the license plate of the rental car on the transponder website or app in case the transponder is not read and charges revert to the toll-by-plate. Although you can let Alamo handle it for their daily or rental-period fee using toll-by-plate, the tolls themselves are slightly more expensive than when using a transponder. Also, Alamo only charges the daily fee for those days when you actually incur tolls, so you might be charged a lot less than the $19.95 if you don’t use any toll roads during most of your stay.

If you use Visitor Toll Pass or another transponder option and still get charged through toll-by-plate, you should be able to get a refund of the excess charges. You would have proof of having paid the toll through your account using the app or web site. In practice, I have never had this happen using my own transponder and registering the license plate on the app. For example, I use a Unipass from the Central Florida Expressway system, same as the Visitor Toll Pass. Driving from MCO to WDW using the south exit from the airport onto 417, the toll charges are usually visible on the app by the time I arrive at the resort. Returning to the airport, toll charges usually appear by the time I’m in the terminal and access the app to remove the license plate information so I don’t get a toll-by-plate charge from the next person renting that vehicle.

 

[EACarlson]

Good thing I found this on mousesavers... I have some questions.

Normally we rent from Alamo (usually end up getting a good rate from them via costco) - They claim that their acceptance in the Toll Pass is automatic when you rent from them their cost is. $19.95 maximum for the ENTIRE RENTAL Since we stay 18 days, this breaks down to a little over $1 a day. So I'm still getting charged for the tolls no matter if I use their transponder or get a Toll Pass tag.

1.) If we get the Florida Visitor Toll pass to use, how do I turn the transponder off in the rental car? Or do I not need to? From what I understand, it registers to the license plate for tolls. I just don't want to get double charged.

2.) Does the Florida Toll pass override the one in the car then since it goes by the license plate?

3.) If I'm charged both by the Florida Toll Pass AND the rental car company for tolls, what do I do?

For the additional $1/day, it doesn't seem like extra stress to use the Florida Toll Pass System, but if I'm going to rent from someone like Dollar where it's $53.00/week then it certainly would make it worth it.

1.) You don't, if you have the VTP and license plate registered it with VTP there is nothing you need to do to not get double charged.
2.) Yes. The PlatePass system is the system of last resort, it will try many other things. VTP incorporates two of those earlier checks so it won't be a problem.
3.) Call the rental car company and show them that the toll was paid in the app. On the rare occasions it's been double charged the rental company almost always refunds.
Tolls with a transponder are discounted, usually in the neighborhood of 20% on the way to Disney. If going out east to the coast it's a 60% savings.