BEWARE - Thrifty Rental car "Administrative Fees"

[bumbershoot]

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

Yiu feel that was an agency endorsement? I think they had a problem with budget, searched, found this, and vented. A mention of another company at the end is hardly an endorsement imo.

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

I know it's three years old, but the op didn't decline the sun pass coverage. They wanted to USE it. So fees for declining it then using it shouldn't have come into play.

 

[kendall]

On my recent visit to Orlando, I declined the rental car sunpass option. Instead I downloaded the PayTollo app on my phone and used it instead - easy to set up and worked perfectly! Super convenient.

 

[robinb]

On my recent visit to Orlando, I declined the rental car sunpass option. Instead I downloaded the PayTollo app on my phone and used it instead - easy to set up and worked perfectly! Super convenient.

I don't think if that would work with rental car companies (like Hertz) that have "toll by plate" via PlatePass. It seems that PayTollo collects the money from you and pay the toll road authority. We tried that once when we ended up at a 50-cent unmanned toll but didn't have any change with us. We drove through (didn't have a choice) and sent a check for the toll when we got home. Our check was returned because PlatePass had already paid the 50-cent toll ... and then charged us $24.75 for the pleasure of doing "business" with them. I would think that PlatePass would STILL charge you since they have the agreement with Hertz.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

I don't think if that would work with rental car companies (like Hertz) that have "toll by plate" via PlatePass. It seems that PayTollo collects the money from you and pay the toll road authority. We tried that once when we ended up at a 50-cent unmanned toll but didn't have any change with us. We drove through (didn't have a choice) and sent a check for the toll when we got home. Our check was returned because PlatePass had already paid the 50-cent toll ... and then charged us $24.75 for the pleasure of doing "business" with them. I would think that PlatePass would STILL charge you since they have the agreement with Hertz.

All of the tolling authorities here charge a fee for the billing by plate option, even if you are driving your own vehicle, unless you have a SunPass. It is normally a couple bucks for the billing period. That's why I suggested just buying a SunPass, especially if you are planning future Florida visits. You can move it from vehicle to vehicle and even register each rental (or your own car) online so that if it doesn't scan correctly and they have to do the bill by plate, you won't get charged the administrative fee, it will just be charged to the SunPass account associated with that vehicle. The rental car companies also always charge a fee for any kind of interaction with either tolling authorities or law enforcement. A guy I work with received an unexpected charge of 50 Euros (at the time, about $60) on his credit card ~3 months after his trip to Italy. When he contacted the rental car company to find out the reason, they said it was a fee for providing information to the police. Sure enough, a couple weeks later he received a bill for 150 Euros from the police for a parking violation in Italy.

 

[RedSox68]

Geez, I haven't rented a car in Florida in 20 years, and this Sunpass is new to me. We are renting a car in Palatka to use in St. Augustine for a week in December. Will I need a Sunpass for that area?

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

Geez, I haven't rented a car in Florida in 20 years, and this Sunpass is new to me. We are renting a car in Palatka to use in St. Augustine for a week in December. Will I need a Sunpass for that area?

SunPass is valid over the entire state for all toll roads. So if you plan on driving on any toll roads (and we have a ton of them in Florida), and especially if you plan on returning in the future, I'd highly recommend a SunPass.

 

[RedSox68]

SunPass is valid over the entire state for all toll roads. So if you plan on driving on any toll roads (and we have a ton of them in Florida), and especially if you plan on returning in the future, I'd highly recommend a SunPass.

How long are they good for? We might return to Miami next year to do the Cuba cruise and rent a car. Can I just pay tolls with cash or is that not allowed?

 

[robinb]

All of the tolling authorities here charge a fee for the billing by plate option, even if you are driving your own vehicle, unless you have a SunPass. It is normally a couple bucks for the billing period.

You missed my point. The company PlatePass charged us $24.95, not the tolling authority. Hertz has an agreement with them to pay all the tolls and you can pay Hertz for it in advance when you rent the car. If you don't pay for it and you go through an unmanned toll, you will be charged a penalty by PlatePass. In this case, it was $24.95 for a 50-cent toll.

But yeah, I've been thinking about getting a SunPass for a while. For right now I make sure I have some pocket change with me in case we end up at another unmanned toll.

 

[cruiser21]

How long are they good for? We might return to Miami next year to do the Cuba cruise and rent a car. Can I just pay tolls with cash or is that not allowed?

I was wondering the same thing. We rented a car in Orlando many times from 2010-2015. I always just paid cash at the toll booth.

 

[RedSox68]

All of the tolling authorities here charge a fee for the billing by plate option, even if you are driving your own vehicle, unless you have a SunPass. It is normally a couple bucks for the billing period. That's why I suggested just buying a SunPass, especially if you are planning future Florida visits. You can move it from vehicle to vehicle and even register each rental (or your own car) online so that if it doesn't scan correctly and they have to do the bill by plate, you won't get charged the administrative fee, it will just be charged to the SunPass account associated with that vehicle. The rental car companies also always charge a fee for any kind of interaction with either tolling authorities or law enforcement. A guy I work with received an unexpected charge of 50 Euros (at the time, about $60) on his credit card ~3 months after his trip to Italy. When he contacted the rental car company to find out the reason, they said it was a fee for providing information to the police. Sure enough, a couple weeks later he received a bill for 150 Euros from the police for a parking violation in Italy.

I'm confused -- we have driving through Florida with our own car many times over the past decade -- and I have never gotten any type of penalty or fee from toll authorities. Am I missing something? Is this new? If you drive through the tolls and just pay cash, doesn't that alleviate all this -- even with rental cars?

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

How long are they good for? We might return to Miami next year to do the Cuba cruise and rent a car. Can I just pay tolls with cash or is that not allowed?

SunPass never expires. I've had mine for more than 10 years. When my old one became obsolete, they sent me a new one.

 

[BuzzLightyearInTampa]

I'm confused -- we have driving through Florida with our own car many times over the past decade -- and I have never gotten any type of penalty or fee from toll authorities. Am I missing something? Is this new? If you drive through the tolls and just pay cash, doesn't that alleviate all this -- even with rental cars?

Paying cash is OK and there is no extra penalty, but many places in Florida nowadays don't give you that option. Also, the SunPass fee is often lower than the cash rate.