Have you booked your car yet, Tone? Dollar and Thrifty are the main rental companies which use Pass24. You pay upfront at $6.99 per day for the duration of your rental, so, even though it includes tolls, it's an expensive option for those who'll have a car for their entire trip. Hertz uses the PlatePass system which is activated if you use the SunPass or ePass lanes. It costs $2.50 for each day you activate it, up to a
maximum of $10 in a month. (Use it one day = $2.50, 2 days = $5.00, 3 days = $7.50, 4-31 days = $10.00). Tolls are charged on top at the same rate you'd pay at the booth. Both the charge and the tolls are collected from your credit card after you return home.
Avis and Budget operate their own very similar scheme (called eToll), again linked to the car's licence plate and activated by passing through the express lanes. $2.50 per day used, maximum $10
per week. Alamo and National's TollPass is virtually identical with charges of $2 per day, maximum $6
per rental period. SunPass is a completely independent scheme, but you'd need to purchase a SunPass Mini Sticker ($4.99); activate it online, by phone or in person; and pre-load it with sufficient funds before using the express lanes. You can't buy it before you collect your rental car because you need the licence plate number to activate it.
SunPass Mini
It's worth bearing in mind that more and more toll roads in Florida are being converted to cashless schemes, with Miami leading the way. Parts of the Turnpike are affected. Also, as Kev's already mentioned, the electronic schemes make for a quicker, more pleasant journey. If you do choose to use one, you can elect to join the new toll lanes which are in effect on the heavy-usage sections of the I-95. The tolls vary according to traffic density, but are clearly displayed. They run alongside the regular lanes, separated by plastic poles. When we drove up from Miami in March, we didn't need to take advantage, but we'd have had no hesitation in doing so had the traffic been bad.
95 Express
