Is it worth getting Sunpass?

[disneyandme]

I live out of state but will be driving on toll roads while in Fl. Is it worth getting the Sunpass? I worry more about the lines backing up at the cash toll lanes than the savings themselves. I will be coming down 95 and then taking the toll road around Orlando.

 

[carolina_yankee]

We have EZ Pass, so we're used to the convenience here in the Northeast.

I wrestle with Sunpass for Florida, but we seldom drive so I'd have to call with the rental license info every time. That said, I hate not having exact change for the exits near Disney (I always forget when flying in), but have yet to be charged for running through the booth, fortunately.

There have also been backups on the road from the airport. I think if you're going to be doing a lot of toll driving, it could be worth it. Otherwise, is a 5 minute saving worth the effort and cost it takes?

Dirk

 

[fla4fun]

If you plan on making several trips to Florida, it might be a good idea, as you can save money at some of the toll booths. But otherwise, your best plan is to make sure you have plenty of coins, so you have the option of going through either the exact change lanes or the manned lanes, whichever has a smaller line. So long as you are traveling outside of rush hour, the booths don't really back up too badly. The worst for backups are morning rush hour heading toward Orlando.

 

[madams2]

I looked into this not long ago and there was something that made it seem not worth it unless you used it alot. Maybe a yearly fee??? Sorry but I don't remember but take a look. I decided against it

 

[Inkmahm]

I looked into this not long ago and there was something that made it seem not worth it unless you used it alot. Maybe a yearly fee??? Sorry but I don't remember but take a look. I decided against it

No yearly fee. I got one a couple years ago and bring it with me for every trip to Florida. I love it, especially now that Florida is going to "open road tolling." I just keep driving on through while others without the SunPass have to stop at the toll booths.

 

[pumpkinboy]

Living in Mass, and coming from Maine, we actually now have 2 EZ passes, since each state gives toll discounts for its own toll roads. The tolls in York, Maine (the southernmost toll in Maine) we refer to as the "get out of Maine Tax" given how steep it is; but we cut it significantly with our Maine EZ Pass.

Having been hooked on them, I bought me a SunPass in 2005 when we were going to be doing a good bit of driving on Florida toll roads. I hate stopping at the tolls booths and rummaging for singles & change, so I got it even tho it did not pay for itself until our fourth trip. Now that it's fully-amortized, I just enjoy skipping the stops on the Bee Line, the Greeneway, the Polk Parkway and Florida's Turnpike; this past February we flew into Tampa, drove to Vero Beach, then up to WDW, so we used it 5+ times.

Mainly, I just like not having to stop, so it is worth it to me. YMMV.

 

[pumpkinboy]

We have EZ Pass, so we're used to the convenience here in the Northeast.

I wrestle with Sunpass for Florida, but we seldom drive so I'd have to call with the rental license info every time. That said, I hate not having exact change for the exits near Disney (I always forget when flying in), but have yet to be charged for running through the booth, fortunately.

There have also been backups on the road from the airport. I think if you're going to be doing a lot of toll driving, it could be worth it. Otherwise, is a 5 minute saving worth the effort and cost it takes?

Dirk

Oh and Dirk, I had heard that some of the rental companies were putting SunPass in their Florida cars. So maybe you can just get one with your rental next time?

Here is an article I found on the subject.

 

[carolina_yankee]

Oh and Dirk, I had heard that some of the rental companies were putting SunPass in their Florida cars. So maybe you can just get one with your rental next time?

Here is an article I found on the subject.

Thanks for the article. It would be nice if they could come up with something like that for everyone. I still don't see why they don't do an EZ Pass agreement since there are so many Snowbirds. Oh well.

For folks who drive their own cars, there is a SunPass Mini that costs only $4.99 and comes with $4.99 in credit. Basically, it's a decal with a bar code that affixes permanently to your windshield. You have to buy it at a Publix, CVS, Navarro, or other approved places.

Cleck here for a .pdf explaining how it works.

 

[Michael623]

I looked into Sunpass a while back and the $25 purchase price seemed a bit steep since I only basically travel on 417 from the airport to disney a few times a year. I never encounter long toll lines. I'm also an EZ pass guy from MA who travels the Pike every day.

 

[MattM]

Like the above poster said...it costs $25, so you would need to run the numbers to see how many tolls you would have to go through to recoop the savings. If its just one trip, I wouldnt.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

I don't see why they don't do an EZ Pass agreement since there are so many Snowbirds.

E-ZPass uses a different technology than Florida's toll systems (SunPass,EPass, O-Pass) That's why E-ZPass does not work in Florida and Florida transponders don't work up north.

For folks who drive their own cars, there is a SunPass Mini[/URL] that costs only $4.99 and comes with $4.99 in credit. Basically, it's a decal with a bar code that affixes permanently to your windshield.

Emphasis on folks who drive their own cars to Florida since it's a sticker that is permanently affixed to the windshield. At this price everyone should get one although keep in mind you still have to put a cash balance onto the account. Of course that doesn't work for those in rental cars who need the SunPass that is transferable from car to car. At $25 for the transponder plus the pre-paid tolls, this is really only for someone who comes down here fairly often. But the tolls don't expire; even if you come down once per year it may be nice to avoid the toll booth hassle and fly through open-road tolling lanes at highway speeds.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Orlanr]

The cash lines are never crowded. Just get a roll of quarters before you leave home. You need the change over bills.

 

[MattM]

You can go through cash lanes with SunPass too. At most toll booths during rush hour, you will find that the SunPass lanes are often more crowded than the cash lanes. I guess people dont ever think to go through the cash lane, but as long as you see the SunPass logo, you're good to go!