Rental Cars & Toll Roads Question

[DVC Daisy]

We don't have any mandatory toll roads here, so this is all very new to me.

When you rent a car, do you rent a "device" that is used to automatically pay your tolls and then the total amount of your tolls you pay the rental car company when you return your car?

Do they charge for the device? Is it the same amount for all of the rental car companies, or do their prices vary?

And finally, do you have the option to just pay cash when driving on the toll roads?

Sorry for all of the questions, but here our freeways are "free" unless you opt to go into a special lane. We do pay to cross bridges, and some of them are just starting to do away with the cash pay lanes.

Any help would be really appreciated!

 

[conniehar90]

I believe it is different with all rental companies. You DO have the option to pay cash which is what we always do. On our last trip, we rented with National and my DH spaced out and went through the automatic lane. We had not rented any device but I think something must be built into the car. National has a good program and we were only charged $2.50 for the toll. I think other rental companies have really high fees so check with your rental company for their policy.

 

[DVC Daisy]

Thank you Connie. I am hoping that there is just the option to pay cash. It sounds like there is from what you found. That is great.

 

[gmeh1]

I believe it is different with all rental companies. You DO have the option to pay cash which is what we always do. On our last trip, we rented with National and my DH spaced out and went through the automatic lane. We had not rented any device but I think something must be built into the car. National has a good program and we were only charged $2.50 for the toll. I think other rental companies have really high fees so check with your rental company for their policy.

Nothing built into the car, it is toll by plate. You were charged 2.00 for the "daily rate" and .50 for the toll.

 

[gmeh1]

We don't have any mandatory toll roads here, so this is all very new to me.

When you rent a car, do you rent a "device" that is used to automatically pay your tolls and then the total amount of your tolls you pay the rental car company when you return your car?

Do they charge for the device? Is it the same amount for all of the rental car companies, or do their prices vary?

And finally, do you have the option to just pay cash when driving on the toll roads?

Sorry for all of the questions, but here our freeways are "free" unless you opt to go into a special lane. We do pay to cross bridges, and some of them are just starting to do away with the cash pay lanes.

Any help would be really appreciated!

Yes, you can pay cash, just read the signs for the cash lanes. For more information on the rental car programs: https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

 

[DVC Daisy]

Yes, you can pay cash, just read the signs for the cash lanes. For more information on the rental car programs: https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

Thank you

 

[Donna M]

It would be a good idea to have some quarters too in case you get off at a toll that is unmanned. Do be careful about making sure to head to the right when the toll approaches so you can pay cash. We always get a receipt too; just in case of a discrepancy.

 

[DVC Daisy]

It would be a good idea to have some quarters too in case you get off at a toll that is unmanned. Do be careful about making sure to head to the right when the toll approaches so you can pay cash. We always get a receipt too; just in case of a discrepancy.

Ok, driving should not be this complicated

Quarters, stay to the right, get a receipt, perfect info, got it! Anything else?

And people say we are crazy drivers in California.

Thank you so much for the help!

 

[gmeh1]

Ok, driving should not be this complicated

Quarters, stay to the right, get a receipt, perfect info, got it! Anything else?

And people say we are crazy drivers in California.

Thank you so much for the help!

You can let us know your opinion about the Orlando drivers. LOL But, I am from the NE and have driven the Long Island Expressway (which is NUTS), but, I-4 around here makes the LIE look like a primrose path. Totally insane around here (and it is NOT because of the tourrists).

 

[seashoreCM]

Usually there is a daily rent for the "device" as provided by the rental company. Sometimes the "rent" maxes out after so many days of rental.

On some rental cars the "device" is already there and you must make sure it is switched off (switch on the side) to not be charged the daily rental rate or whatever.

For some rental cars you must tell the agent you do not want to sign up for automatic toll paying before you sign the papers and take the car.

The "toll by plate" system has no specific "device" and the toll plazas sense the car as a "violator" and the rental company is billed for the tolls at a contractual rate.

By get over to the right, sometimes you must go down what looks like an exit ramp to pay the toll using cash. Only those drivers with "devices" or who signed up for the toll paying system the rental company has, may use the main lanes at the toll plaza.

Out of state "devices" (like EZ-pass) do not work in Florida. (Also, Florida's don't work out of state but anyone can get one for use in Florida.)

About 50 miles of Florida's Turnpike (parallels the free I-95 there) has all electronic tolls, no cash. The electronic system will be gradually expanding northward.

 

[DVC Daisy]

About 50 miles of Florida's Turnpike (parallels the free I-95 there) has all electronic tolls, no cash. The electronic system will be gradually expanding northward.

We will be basically just driving from MCO to WDW, then to Universal & back to MCO. Any idea if the all electronic section will be on our route?

And thanks for the info on actually "exiting" when getting to the right to pay cash. Extremely helpful!

 

[Capt_BJ]

We will be basically just driving from MCO to WDW, then to Universal & back to MCO. Any idea if the all electronic section will be on our route?

And thanks for the info on actually "exiting" when getting to the right to pay cash. Extremely helpful!

it will not

WDW to Universal you'll see no tolls, unless you get REALLY REALLY lost.

 

[Capt_BJ]

About 50 miles of Florida's Turnpike (parallels the free I-95 there) has all electronic tolls, no cash. The electronic system will be gradually expanding northward.

I live in FL and drive around the state routinely. Recently drove from Cape Canav' to Key LArgo - down on 95 and back on the turnpike - used the "extension" both ways... live close to Orlando and go to the city and the parks not infrequently. Recently also drove turnpike up to I-10 then Tallahasee.


The only portion of the Turnpike I've experienced with 'all electronic' tolls is the "turnpike extension" which is the western by-pass around Miami for folks heading to/from the Keys. The beginning of this section is well signed and explained on the turnpike web site. There are a few other small toll roads in FL that are all electronic - the CrossTown in Tampa is one - and there are optional "pay" express lanes in the Miami area. If a car does not have a transponder the system takes a photo of the lic' plate and a bill is sent with a "small" admin fee added.

The PROBLEM is when you are in a rental car - that bill goes to the rental car company who adds THEIR processing fee. The State's fee is small and some rental companies add a HUGE fee. Any car going thru an electronic gate without a transponder results in a bill going to the owner. ALL the toll booths around Orlando HAVE electronic only lanes. Go thru one in error and BINGO the bill goes to the owner/rental company and as I said some are cool on this and SOME take a pint of blood.

See https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

Since we must expect that SOME car owners drive these same roads and SOME of these folks just might make the same toll lane mistakes BUT have not been here complaining of outrages fees and charges one might suspect this is a rental company problem . . .

I'd read the info at the site provided and choose my rental company accordingly - or just keep a roll of quarters handy and keep to the right!

****
for the CA poster

I lived in north Bay (Marin) and worked in Alameda - the bridge tolls were no more or less a burden to follow then this.....

 

[carl59]

If you go out the back way (Rt 417) from MCO. You will have only 2 to 3 tolls to pay, depending on your exit, two are the "exiting" type. WDW to Unversal has no tolls.

 

[goofy4tink]

it will not

WDW to Universal you'll see no tolls, unless you get REALLY REALLY lost.

Now that's funny!!!

I have driven from both Sanford and MCO down to WDW. I have never had an issue paying cash for any toll. It's painless. I haven't asked for a receipt either!! I like to have one dollar bills in hand as well as quarters, but I have yet to find an umanned toll booth in that area.
When you are on the highway, and you approach the toll booth area, you will be given plenty of time to move over to the right. It is actually a multi-laned offshoot. You barely slow down until you get to the booth, then pay, and off you go again. Easy.

 

[Brian Noble]

As the Captain and others have said, you can always use cash, and if you don't, different companies charge different premiums for toll-by-plate. For my money, the National/Alamo/Enterprise rate structure is worth it: $2 per day, only on days you use toll-by-plate, up to a maximum of $6 per rental. So, for $4 I avoided the cash lanes to and from the airport. Granted, I probably only saved a grand total of 20 second, but still, it's vacation. Live a little!

 

[Capt_BJ]

for the record ... the cash lanes, especially on 528 near the airport, can have 10 to 15 cars queued up quite routinely.

On one hand this should delay you no more than 5 minutes.

On the other hand I know many who will remember this as 45 minutes . . .

 

[DVC Daisy]

Thank you so much everyone for the awesome information

I would personally rather be able to use the electronic lanes - so much easier, but I have been chasing cheaper car rental rates and I did not want to have to rule out any company because of outrageous electronic toll costs. My lowest rate until yesterday was with Dollar, and from the very informative Sunpass link posted, it seemed like paying cash would be the way to go if I went with them.

I was able to get a much lower rate today with Avis and they do not seem outrageous with their electronic toll costs

Either way, I will probably end up going with the cheapest rate I can get for my car (full size or larger) and then go by the Sunpass info to decide on how to pay the tolls.

This has been so informative! Thank you.

 

[DVC Daisy]

YES!

An update - I was finally able to get a great rate with National - my favorite rental company. They seem to be the most "electronic toll friendly" company too - so I don't have to worry about the cash pay

 

[onemaybaby]

Doing a search looking for an answer to my question and came up with this thread, so I thought I'd just continue along. Looking at a car rental company with Thrifty, through carrentalsavers and in the fine print there was this:

PLEASE NOTE- THERE ARE TOLL ROADS WITHIN THIS AREA THAT HAVE CONVERTED OR WILL BE CONVERTING TO ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLLING OR CASHLESS TOLLING. IN THESE AREAS THERE IS NO OPTION FOR A RENTAL CAR TO STOP AND PAY THE TOLLS IN CASH. IF YOUR TRAVELS WILL TAKE YOU ON A TOLL ROAD IN AN AREA WHERE THERE IS NO OPTION TO STOP AND PAY CASH FOR THE TOLLS, PASS24 IS THE PERFECT SOLUTION. IF YOU CHOOSE NOT TO SELECT THE PASS24 PRE-PAID TOLLING OPTION AND TRAVEL ON ONE OF THESE ALL-ELECTRONIC TOLL ROADS, AND DO NOT HAVE YOUR OWN TOLLING DEVICE IN THE VEHICLE, THE APPLICABLE TOLL WILL BE PAID FOR YOU AND AN ADMINISTRATIVE FEE OF USD 25.00 WILL BE ADDED TO EACH TOLL UTILIZED.

I will be travelling from MCO to WDW for four days and then on to Cape Canaveral to drop of the car. Will I come across tolls? And will I come across tolls that there is no option to pay cash? I don't want to have to pay the $8 per day for the Pass24 if not needed.