BEWARE - Thrifty Rental car "Administrative Fees"

[slindamood]

After our December cruise we rented a car from Thrifty at its Cape Canaveral location. We specifically asked if the car had a sun pass and were told it did. All of our FL rental cars for at least 5 years have had the pass but we asked just to make sure.

Today we got a bill from Thrifty, charging $15 for each time we went past a toll booth (Beachline, Rt 417, etc.) It was a total of 10 booths over the 2 weeks we had the car. $150 fine, called "administrative fees." The tolls were only about $9.

Has anyone else had this happen? We are contesting the charges because we were told the car had a sunpass. I will also report to the FL Attorney General. But it is a pain - one we will avoid by not renting through Thrifty again.

 

[MND]

My understanding is this is pretty standard and yes the fees are very high for the conveniance of by-passing the toll booth. However, if I remember correctly, the fees are listed in the rental agreement. Nevertheless, good luck in your dealings with the Florida Attorney Generals office.

Mike

 

[jliehr]

Unfortunate, but it's on their site. However it IS supposed to be capped at $105

https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar


Rental Car Company Options

Cost Per Day

Cost Per Rental Period

Opt-In Requirements For Using Toll Road

Customers are clearly notified of the potential of the $15.00 Admin fee when they decline.



Dollar

$8.99 flat fee per rental day

$45.99 maximum weekly fee. PlatePass® All-Inclusive Tolling must be sold for the length of the rental contract. It cannot be purchased only on certain days. PlatePass® All-Inclusive Tolling is a duration-based model and provides unlimited toll road access for a low daily fee per the length of the rental agreement.

Customer must either OPT-IN or DECLINE at time of reservation or at the rental counter. All daily charges are included on their receipt when they return the car. No billing is done after the fact unless they fail to select the tolling option and still uses SunPass. EPASS or LeeWay ONLY Lanes.

If not enrolled at time of reservation or at the rental counter, and user incurred toll charges by utilizing a dedicated or express lane, a $15.00 administrative fee + toll is assessed for each infraction to a maximum fee of $105.00. These fees and tolls are charged separately after the completion of the rental.



Thrifty

 

[slindamood]

I had not read the fine print (or maybe not so fine) on their site. I guess I was relying on the cars of other agencies in the past five or so years - multiple rentals in FL each year and all had the pass. Plus, the employee said the car had one when I asked and said we could go past. This was just not honest.

(I am an attorney but admit - on vacation I take the car and go and do not stand there reading the contract. Not that I would have found that info because I just now looked at it and cannot find the part about tolls. Plus, I would assume those would be tolls or charges not covered by a sunpass which I assumed we had. Obviously I did not read about the tolls on their website either. )

I just looked at the receipt and there is a list of all we declined. The prepaid toll option/sunpass is not listed among the declined coverage items. I do not remember being offered, otherwise I would not have asked the question about it.

Never again with Thrifty - I like the pass too much and will go with a company that provides them at low cost. And a company that is honest when I ask a question.

 

[mizzoufinal4]

So you're an attorney and you didn't read the fine print???? ummm....ok remind me not to ever retain you! lol

 

[mmouse37]

I had not read the fine print (or maybe not so fine) on their site. I guess I was relying on the cars of other agencies in the past five or so years - multiple rentals in FL each year and all had the pass. Plus, the employee said the car had one when I asked and said we could go past. This was just not honest.

(I am an attorney but admit - on vacation I take the car and go and do not stand there reading the contract. Not that I would have found that info because I just now looked at it and cannot find the part about tolls. Plus, I would assume those would be tolls or charges not covered by a sunpass which I assumed we had. Obviously I did not read about the tolls on their website either. )

I just looked at the receipt and there is a list of all we declined. The prepaid toll option/sunpass is not listed among the declined coverage items. I do not remember being offered, otherwise I would not have asked the question about it.

Never again with Thrifty - I like the pass too much and will go with a company that provides them at low cost. And a company that is honest when I ask a question.

I live in NY but am in Florida quite a bit.....I ordered my own SunPass and set up an account and the device can be moved from rental car to rental car. Used it a few times with no problems so far.

MJ

 

[robinb]

After our December cruise we rented a car from Thrifty at its Cape Canaveral location. We specifically asked if the car had a sun pass and were told it did. All of our FL rental cars for at least 5 years have had the pass but we asked just to make sure.

Today we got a bill from Thrifty, charging $15 for each time we went past a toll booth (Beachline, Rt 417, etc.) It was a total of 10 booths over the 2 weeks we had the car. $150 fine, called "administrative fees." The tolls were only about $9.

Has anyone else had this happen? We are contesting the charges because we were told the car had a sunpass. I will also report to the FL Attorney General. But it is a pain - one we will avoid by not renting through Thrifty again.

Have you contacted Thifty? You say that you specifically asked for the SunPass and was assured that it was included so it sounds like the agent made a mistake. You should have been charged the weekly fee for the SunPass which would have been $92 for your 2 weeks. I'm sure if you call them up they will reduce the charges to $92.

 

[MND]

I live in NY but am in Florida quite a bit.....I ordered my own SunPass and set up an account and the device can be moved from rental car to rental car. Used it a few times with no problems so far.

MJ

I think this is a wise idea.

Mike

 

[deltapilotwife]

we got our own surpass also. Got hit with the same "administrative fees" when it didn't register- 3 times. Needless to say, I was not happy but I was able to pay the tolls with surpass on line then sent the proof to Dollar and wasn't charged.

 

[slindamood]

Thanks for all the suggestions.

After a little research I have found that fees for a sunpass in a rental car vary and I erroneously assumed this rental would be similar to prior rentals.

Thrifty and Dollar are unique in requiring an Opt-in for the sunpass. All of the other rentals serving MCO have an automatic opt-in if you use the express lane. And the other companies have FAR lower fees, thus my shock at Thrifty.

** Thrifty and Dollar charge $46 per week, no upper limit (so my two weeks would be $92 and per month, $184.
** Avis and Budget charge $3.95 per rental day with $16.95 per rental month upper limit.
**National, Alamo and Enterprise charge $2.95 per day that you actually use the express lane. $14.75 maximum per rental period.

Thrifty started their program this past Oct. 22. I made my reservation before that so would not have noted it on their page at that and did not look back at their page before arriving in FL. I am not likely to win anything because their updated page put me on notice of their fees.

In the future I will rent from companies that have low costs, as I have done in the past, or get my own Sunpass.

 

[mmouse37]

we got our own surpass also. Got hit with the same "administrative fees" when it didn't register- 3 times. Needless to say, I was not happy but I was able to pay the tolls with surpass on line then sent the proof to Dollar and wasn't charged.

Good info..thanks.

MJ

 

[Ravenne]

(I am an attorney but admit - on vacation I take the car and go and do not stand there reading the contract. Not that I would have found that info because I just now looked at it and cannot find the part about tolls. Plus, I would assume those would be tolls or charges not covered by a sunpass which I assumed we had. Obviously I did not read about the tolls on their website either. )

That's interesting...the info was not listed on the contract that you signed, but it's listed on their website. You signed and agreed to what's on the paper. Does what's listed on their website still apply even though it's not on the paper you signed? I'm not an attorney but I am curious about the wording and legality of what's signed and agreed upon vs what's on their website.

 

[robinb]

Is that one of the unmanned toll plazas? We just pay with cash.

I would still call Thrifty. You should be able to get $60 back from them.

 

[slindamood]

That's interesting...the info was not listed on the contract that you signed, but it's listed on their website. You signed and agreed to what's on the paper. Does what's listed on their website still apply even though it's not on the paper you signed? I'm not an attorney but I am curious about the wording and legality of what's signed and agreed upon vs what's on their website.

I just checked the Thrifty site and it turns out they do not have the information on their site. The site with the information that jliehr referred to is the SunPass site. Thrifty site merely mentions that in some states you can prepay for electronic charging of tolls. This is not adequate information.

So - information not on Thrifty site, not in the contract. I was not told about opting in and according to my receipt, I did not opt out. The only information is on the SunPass site. I don't think Thrifty had adequate disclosure to consumers, but we will see.

 

[UCFGrad01]

I live in NY but am in Florida quite a bit.....I ordered my own SunPass and set up an account and the device can be moved from rental car to rental car. Used it a few times with no problems so far.

MJ

I did the same. They've made their site even easier now, you can just click on "add a rental car" and even specify the dates/times you will be there using it, just in case you forget to delete the rental from your account after you return it.

 

[MillauFr]

I only plan on going to Florida once and I will get a SunPass for our rental car. I believe the stickers are only $5. Much cheaper than what any of the rental cars charge. Florida really needs to update their technology so they can prevent this nonsense. $100+ dollar charges? Seriously? What a joke.

Get rid of all of the manual toll booths and baskets that you throw quarters into. There is no reason you shouldn't be able to use your cell phone as a transponder. Or you should be able to use your transponder that you purchased in another state.

 

[Joyce Bouri]

After our December cruise we rented a car from Thrifty at its Cape Canaveral location. We specifically asked if the car had a sun pass and were told it did. All of our FL rental cars for at least 5 years have had the pass but we asked just to make sure.

Today we got a bill from Thrifty, charging $15 for each time we went past a toll booth (Beachline, Rt 417, etc.) It was a total of 10 booths over the 2 weeks we had the car. $150 fine, called "administrative fees." The tolls were only about $9.

Has anyone else had this happen? We are contesting the charges because we were told the car had a sunpass. I will also report to the FL Attorney General. But it is a pain - one we will avoid by not renting through Thrifty again.

 

[Joyce Bouri]

BUDGET RENT A CAR is no better. When I went to pick up my car and asked for Sunpass, first he had no reply.. so I explained how I usually pd $40 on Sunpass with other rental companies, the man at the counter told me they dont have that. I further explained how I was traveling up/down florida turnpike through a part that only takes sunpass. His answer.."no". He said we only charge by plate and you just drive and pay the tolls later that we bill you. I asked how much in tolls would that be and provided my to and from drstiations. He said "i dont know, i dont drive down turnpike, i just go by plane between orlando and Miami.

Later i investiated online which verified i absolutely need Sunpass.

I decided to drive down turpike and ask. Youbg man e,olained how pay by plate doest work at a certain point and unless you are getting on the turnpike & driving ovet 100 miles the ticket system to pay cash wont work.

I called Budget customer service ,lady said they do offer Sunpass.she said I would have to go back to the car rental place to get one if i still wanted ir.she then verified my car was indeed not equiped with sunpass.Huh,So I decided to complain .
The man i spoke to next says "maybe they ran out of the sunpass boxes at that lovation

When I got back home I emailed complsint and was told by a budget ". Please note that we do not offer SunPasses for sale at our rental facilities. You are, however able to utilize the SunPass already located in the car for an additional charge."

Gee wiz, IF that were the case why didnt any of the 3 other people I spoke to explain that. I told him my previos car rental companies "offered"Sunpass" and they explained hiw it worked.

These people dont know or care how much trouble they make. They dont care if there customers pay more in tolls or gas to get around tolls if even possible

Budget is also the same comp as dollar ans Avis..BEWARE.

In the past, I did okay with a company called ACE


Joyce

 

[undertheradar]

Sorry about your trouble, but a 3 year bump to endorse another rental car company?

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

i recommend everyone who drives a rental car in FL car to buy a SunPass. You can stop at any Publix supermarket and pick one up. It is also very easy to go online then and setup an account. Then just take it with you when you go back home and bring it with you the next time.