Are all tolls electronic now?

[ctl]

We will be using a rental car in Orlando for our vacation. The rental car company are trying to offer a pre-paid toll tag, because they say that many of the tolls are now electronic and you cannot pay cash or credit card for them. We will only be driving in Orlando from the airport to WDW and Universal and between both USF and WDW. Is it true? Can you only pay tolls electronically now? How do I go about getting an electronic toll tag if that is the case. The rental car company are charging a $25.oo fee on top of the tolls to process this service. They also state that if you go through a toll and fail to pay they will charge $25 a pop, plus the toll. Any ideas? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[NancyIL]

Between the airport and WDW - the toll booths on 417 (MCO's south exit) still have cash lanes with real people working in them. However, the exit onto Osceola Parkway is unmanned, so you need exact change if you get off there.

 

[ctl]

I appreciate the help. Adding unnecessary dollars for the rental company can eat away at our already smallish budget. I just would hate to run through a toll where I couldn't pay cash or credit card and get zapped with a $25 fine from the rental co.

 

[goofy4tink]

The electronic tolls don't start until you get much further south!!! You'll be fine in the Orlando area.

 

[ctl]

Appreciate all the help.

 

[francie57]

The tolls that are manned on 417 are off to the right, almost looks like you have to exit but they are there. The tolls (2 of them each way) were $1.50 each when we were there 2 weeks ago.

 

[Tara]

The tolls that are manned on 417 are off to the right, almost looks like you have to exit but they are there. The tolls (2 of them each way) were $1.50 each when we were there 2 weeks ago.

If you take exit 3 instead of exit 6, there is a 3rd toll to pay. I can't remember how much it is - I don't think it's $1.50 though.

 

[NancyIL]

If you take exit 3 instead of exit 6, there is a 3rd toll to pay. I can't remember how much it is - I don't think it's $1.50 though.

That one was 25 cents the first time I went through it with absolutely NO change! It happened again when the toll was 50 cents. I had visions of getting a $100 ticket because I lacked a few quarters!

 

[GoldenOldie]

That one was 25 cents the first time I went through it with absolutely NO change! It happened again when the toll was 50 cents. I had visions of getting a $100 ticket because I lacked a few quarters!

It's now 75 cents as of July.

 

[NancyIL]

It's now 75 cents as of July.

Thanks! I usually get off 417 at Exit 6 (Epcot, Downtown Disney), but I have missed it occasionally when I wasn't paying attention. It's right after the 2nd toll booth after leaving the airport.

 

[bumbershoot]

That one was 25 cents the first time I went through it with absolutely NO change! It happened again when the toll was 50 cents. I had visions of getting a $100 ticket because I lacked a few quarters!

When DH went through one of the unmanned, exact change, tollbooths by mistake (his GPS apparently sent him there), he grabbed an envelope that has the address to send tolls into. I've seen them at the unmanned ones each time we've gone through.

Luckily I had brought my checkbook, so we wrote out a check for the toll (I think it was 50 cents), got a stamp and got it in the mail ASAP.

We had a rental car, so if we'd waited it could have gone to National and then to us with fees, but we must have gotten it to them in time!

 

[Brian Noble]

it could have gone to National and then to us with fees

For the record, National's toll-by-plate program is actually quite affordable.

https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

 

[I Love Pluto]

I cannot understand why our EZ Pass is not able to be used in Florida. Having their own Sun Pass is extremely inconvenient for those of us who drive. We're not going to a foreign country. Florida IS in the United States, isn't it?????

 

[vicki_c]

I cannot understand why our EZ Pass is not able to be used in Florida. Having their own Sun Pass is extremely inconvenient for those of us who drive. We're not going to a foreign country. Florida IS in the United States, isn't it?????

You make it sound like the other 49 states all use EZ Pass and that is far from the case. I agree though it would be nice. All the states had to make their own decisions when implementing these systems and that's what FL decided, for whatever reason- cost, technology, what the company that had the road contract recommended, etc. we ended up just getting the SunPass. It was worth it for us even with only 1-2 trips a year since we always have our car. Funny, we lived in FL for 2 years and didn't even buy one then, but now we live 900 miles away and have one!

 

[ctl]

That's a very helpful link. I guess I need to change my car rental reservation to one of the less expensive toll tag service companies. Much obliged!

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I cannot understand why our EZ Pass is not able to be used in Florida. Having their own Sun Pass is extremely inconvenient for those of us who drive. We're not going to a foreign country. Florida IS in the United States, isn't it?????

SunPass actually predates EZPass. When a number of different systems on toll roads in the NE United States decided to unify their systems, they went with a completely different technology for EZPass than was being used in Florida. So it's not Florida's fault. And there is way too much money already invested in Florida to pull it out and replace it. That's why the two systems are not interoperable.

Within Florida we have SunPass, Orlando's E-PASS and Fort Myers' LEEWAY systems. Fortunately these 3 systems ARE interoperable with each other. If you have a SunPass you can use E-PASS lanes around Orlando, and v.v. But since a transponder from outside Florida won't work here, you should buy a Florida transponder if you come here even just once annually. Not only do you save a LOT of time not stopping (or even slowing down) to pay tolls but at most toll plazas the transponder toll price is lower than the cash price. And the Florida-based transponder is valid on all toll roads and nearly all toll bridges in Florida, from Pensacola in the panhandle to toll roads around Miami.

BobK/Orlando

 

[VLee]

Our rental car by Budget was equipped with an electronic toll device. There was an additional charge to use this of about $15, plus the tolls charged.

HOWEVER, if I had read the fine print by the device, I would have seen where I could have turned the device off and just paid my tolls like I have done in the past. I really had not even noticed it and nothing was mentioned at the rental counter.
When I got to the first toll booth and ready to pay, the attendant told me I had the device in my car. Next time, I will surely look for the turn off switch. My son-in-law, who also had a rental car, had turned his off.

 

[h&D3]

do I still get charged the $14.95 from Budget.

I just made our reservation with Budget for next years trip. This new toll thing was a shock to me.

I think $14.95 + tolls is a ton of extra $$ that they are passing onto visitors. But alas, who isn't. Right?

So if I understand this correctly, I can either:
1.) Use their electronic system in the car and get charged $14.95 + any tolls that we rack up during our stay
OR
2.) I have the ability to turn the system off, and I can still pay the charges at the toll booth when we get there? From all I've read, it sounds like ALL attendants accepting cash have been removed. Is that in the case I need change back? What if I have exact change? (I always make sure we have at least $10 in quarters when we go, for tolls, misc items etc)

I just want to make sure I'm clear and not get charged a fine or something.

We never use the toll roads during our trip anyway, with the exception of getting to the AKL and then back to the airport.

When we traveled with family years ago, I knew that there used to be a way NOT to get on the toll roads. It used to bring us on Sand Lake road (or one other road) that was the frontage road. The same road that that guy used to sell hot dogs on and you could watch the planes takeoff and land at. But I can't recall on how to get to that road. I think it used to then take you by the Florida Mall and down to international drive. But, that was years ago and I'm not even sure if that still exists to do that. Anyone know?

 

[Danibelle]

Between the airport and WDW - the toll booths on 417 (MCO's south exit) still have cash lanes with real people working in them. However, the exit onto Osceola Parkway is unmanned, so you need exact change if you get off there.

Most of the booths can be used by cash customers. If you use these booths, you have a choice between Sunpass and cash.

 

[gmeh1]

do I still get charged the $14.95 from Budget.

I just made our reservation with Budget for next years trip. This new toll thing was a shock to me.

I think $14.95 + tolls is a ton of extra $$ that they are passing onto visitors. But alas, who isn't. Right?

So if I understand this correctly, I can either:
1.) Use their electronic system in the car and get charged $14.95 + any tolls that we rack up during our stay
OR
2.) I have the ability to turn the system off, and I can still pay the charges at the toll booth when we get there? From all I've read, it sounds like ALL attendants accepting cash have been removed. Is that in the case I need change back? What if I have exact change? (I always make sure we have at least $10 in quarters when we go, for tolls, misc items etc)

I just want to make sure I'm clear and not get charged a fine or something.

We never use the toll roads during our trip anyway, with the exception of getting to the AKL and then back to the airport.

When we traveled with family years ago, I knew that there used to be a way NOT to get on the toll roads. It used to bring us on Sand Lake road (or one other road) that was the frontage road. The same road that that guy used to sell hot dogs on and you could watch the planes takeoff and land at. But I can't recall on how to get to that road. I think it used to then take you by the Florida Mall and down to international drive. But, that was years ago and I'm not even sure if that still exists to do that. Anyone know?

Not sure where you read that all toll attendants are gone, but, they are not. I don't know of anyway to bypass those tolls and probably would not anyway, too many traffic lights and traffic. I would part with the 2.00+/- to save myself the aggrevation of the above mentioned things.