Ok this is fishy, has this happened to anyone else???

[rav4200024drlimtd]

Ok I just called sunpass and they said it's only the cost of the toll at the time which was 1.25$ and I had no violations on my tag yet. She also said sometime people disregard the sunpass violation and just throw it away thats when it goes up to 100$ and then it gets worse from there.

 

[dennise]

We got a similar letter from alamo last April. We knew we missed a toll, but we were in the wrong lane and couldn't get over. I called them and the best they could do was remove the admin fee, which was better than nothing. I am not sure if we could have contacted them to make paymet arrangements as soon as it happended.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The rules are different for your personal car and for a rental car.

Here's the official "If you missed a toll and are not a SunPass Account Holder" page from SunPass:

http://www.sunpass.com/missedtoll.cfm

 

[SnackyStacky]

I actually have thought about this - but when you try to apply, you have to enter a vehicle make/model and license plate number. Can I put my own personal vehicle information even though I use a rental car?

Glad to hear that you got that resolved relatively painlessly.

Again I would urge those of you who come to Florida regularly to purchase a SunPass. A portable transponder that you can use in each car rental is $25; the SunPass Mini is only $5 and would be for people who visit in their personal car (since it has to be permanently affixed to work.) SunPass is valid at all toll roads in Florida and nearly every toll bridge, from the Panhandle to the Keys. They can be purchased on-line as well as at Publix, CVS and Turnpike service plazas.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I actually have thought about this - but when you try to apply, you have to enter a vehicle make/model and license plate number. Can I put my own personal vehicle information even though I use a rental car?

You can use the same SunPass Portable transponder for more than one car. But each car and its license plate must be listed on your account. So you can't sign up with only your own car's information and then simply attach the transponder to your rental car's windshield.

To use the transponder, you must log on to your account and add the additional car's description and license plate via Internet or phone. Then, I don't know how long it takes for the changes to become effective. (It takes up to 24 hours after you add funds for the funds to be on your account.)

What would worry me more is how long it would take to be effective when you remove a car from you account. If it's not instant, the next rental car customer could be incurring violations in a car with a license plate associated with your SunPass account.

Also, SunPass would then have the same license plate associated with your transponder and the rental agency. So if the transaction doesn't register and the SunPass folks go by the license plate, you could still have a violation against your car rental.

It seems SunPass isn't meant for rental car customers. For rental cars, there are the PlatePass or Pass24 programs where SunPass charges the rental agency and the rental agency charges you, along with a service fee of $2.50 per day for your entire rental period. That's a high service charge if you only drive between the airport and WDW at the begining and end of your vacation.

 

[seashoreCM]

But if you bring your own Sunpass (or Leeway or E-pass) and submit its usage transcript in response to a violation notice, would the agency take the charge or violation off of the rental company's record and would the rental company take the charge off your record?

 

[SnackyStacky]

That's exactly how it works in NYS, and why I still haven't signed up for one in Florida. I thought maybe there had been some change.

And no - I'm certainly not paying $2.50 a day for one of them.

It seems that they should be able to create a transponder that doesn't need to be tied to a specific vehicle, but rather to a person.

But, for now I'll just keep pulling to the side, paying the tolls and moving on.

You can use the same SunPass Portable transponder for more than one car. But each car and its license plate must be listed on your account. So you can't sign up with only your own car's information and then simply attach the transponder to your rental car's windshield.

To use the transponder, you must log on to your account and add the additional car's description and license plate via Internet or phone. Then, I don't know how long it takes for the changes to become effective. (It takes up to 24 hours after you add funds for the funds to be on your account.)

What would worry me more is how long it would take to be effective when you remove a car from you account. If it's not instant, the next rental car customer could be incurring violations in a car with a license plate associated with your SunPass account.

Also, SunPass would then have the same license plate associated with your transponder and the rental agency. So if the transaction doesn't register and the SunPass folks go by the license plate, you could still have a violation against your car rental.

It seems SunPass isn't meant for rental car customers. For rental cars, there are the PlatePass or Pass24 programs where SunPass charges the rental agency and the rental agency charges you, along with a service fee of $2.50 per day for your entire rental period. That's a high service charge if you only drive between the airport and WDW at the begining and end of your vacation.

 

[BobNed]

I have a portable Sun Pass transponder registered to my own car (Washington state registration) and it always works. I have never changed the registration to a rental car. Just used it earlier this month and I just checked the Sun Pass web site - all tolls charges are listed. Works perfectly.

 

[vicki_c]

I have a portable Sun Pass transponder registered to my own car (Washington state registration) and it always works. I have never changed the registration to a rental car. Just used it earlier this month and I just checked the Sun Pass web site - all tolls charges are listed. Works perfectly.

I'm waiting for my Sun Pass to come in the mail. I verified with them before I ordered it that you don't need to add the information for a rental car in Florida, so I'm glad to hear you confirm. It will work for us because we usually drive our own car anyway, but will be able to use it for our rental on our next trip.

The SunPass rep said using the rental company's option (the $2.50/day) for the toll transponder was ANOTHER option we might want to consider, but getting our own transponder was fine. He said because SunPass already has all the information on the cars from the rental companies, adding the rental car info to your account was not necessary.

 

[seashoreCM]

When you fill in the form to pay after the fact, you put in the plate number of the car you are driving because that is the car and plate number that would be cited for any violation.

Which means, you need to write down the plate number of your rental car before you are done with the car. Once in a blue moon the plate number in your rental contract is wrong.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

When you fill in the form to pay after the fact, you put in the plate number of the car you are driving because that is the car and plate number that would be cited for any violation.

Which means, you need to write down the plate number of your rental car before you are done with the car. Once in a blue moon the plate number in your rental contract is wrong.

I take a picture of the license plate when I 1st pick it up just in case I ever have to report it stolen.

 

[3lilpiggies]

I think this violation notice must only come if you are driving a car that is registered in FL. We drove down this past July. Well, we went the wrong way and low and behold there was a toll there. It was unmanned and I did not have the exact change so I went through it. Upon turning back around and going the right way, there was a manned booth. We told the attendant we had to run the toll could we pay her, did she have an address, phone number what could we do- really was an honest mistake. She told us not to worry about it because they know there are a bunch of tourists in the area and there is a grace. Just as long as we werent repeat offenders. Unfortunately, when people rent cars- they dog them- run tolls, get parking tickets, speed all kinds of things. So the cars must be out of their grace period. I think if we would have rented a car, we probably wouldve had to pay the toll. FYI.

 

[c.hook72]

We went to Florida back in July and rented three different cars from Alamo. Now today, November, we have all received letters from Alamo.
Dear Alamo Customer,
Thank you for choosing Alamo for your rental needs in the past.
We recently received the referenced violation notice for a vehicle which was rented to you at the time of the violation. Consistent with applicable laws and the terms and conditions of your rental agreement, we have promptly paid the balance due and expect to be reimbursed for our cost along with an additional administrative fee.
In accordance with the terms of the rental agreement you signed, you are responsible for "...legal violations, parking, tolls incurred by Owner against vecicle, driver, or Owner occuring during the Rental Period, unless caused by Owner. Owner may charge an administrative fee." The administrative fee listed below is assessed by Alamo Rent-A-Car not by the issuing agency
Pursuant to the agreement provisions, we are notifying you of your liability and we will process the following charges on the credit card presented at the rental counter.
If you wish to dispute the amount above, please contact the undersigned within 6 days from the date of this letter. Otherwise, we will process the charges to your credit card 6 days from the date of this letter.

Total Amount Due = $11.00

Citations Department
PO Box 22233
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74121


What's fishy is all three different vehicles and all three different families have received this letter. We tried to dispute it, but was told they are in Oklahoma, there is nothing they can do. How could all three vehicles have a violation??? The citation amount was $1.00 and the administration fee was $10.00!

Please let me know if anyone else has received such a letter....
Thanks!

I live in Italy, and spent my vacations in Florida last summer. My husband and i use to spend summer in Miami and this IS THE VERY FIRST TIME WE RECEIVE SUCH A COMMUNICATION. We know all Miami exits very well and we saw no booths, nor we've been requested to pay a cent.
The violation code description was "VIOLATOR" - no indication about the place violation occured. We can't call the toll free number (you are not allowed to call such numbers from Europe) and we don't want to send money or credit card numbers through regular mail. Could anybody help us?

 

[seashoreCM]

I live in Italy,...and we don't want to send money or credit card numbers through regular mail. Could anybody help us?

Write a snail mail letter asking for the time and place of the violation.

Send it to whomever sent you the notification of the violation.

Do not write to the city or state or the police just because the person (or company or rental agency) who wants you to pay told you to. The person who wants you to pay has to explain that the charge is valid first.

There is a slight chance that a rental car agency may choose to absorb the toll rather than communicate with someone in a different country.

 

[clkelley]

So, I went to Publix yesterday but was so pressed for time I totally forgot about checking out the little stick on Sun Pass thing. I did find a toll free number on their website you can call:

1-888-865-5352

I have a sticker SunPass for my personal vehicle. (I manage to get down there 3 or 4 times per year so it is WELL worth it for me).

You can purchase the sticker at Publix, CVS, etc AND on the main turnpike service centers.

It is $4.99. Once you get the sticker, you must register it on the website at www.sunpass.com and add funds to it. (It takes about 24 hours for the account to be active.) The $4.99 is also added to your sunpass account as toll funds. (The $4.99 expires within 30 days of activating the SunPass account). So the sticker is essentially free. You add your license plate to your SunPass account. The sticker must be attached to your windshield permanently, so it is not good for rental cars. I have mine set up with my credit card, so that when my balance gets low, it adds more money to my SunPass account.

Also, if you are towing a camper, it is a good idea to list the camper and it's tag number on your SunPass account so that it can easily add the extra axle charges to your account.

 

[vicki_c]

I thought I would just return to report -- the SunPass transponder (the full size one, not the sticker thing) worked just great on our rental car during our trip - no problems at all. Beeped at all the tolls just like it was supposed and gave us the green light!

Just like the SunPass rep told me it would (if you recall, some people on the thread said you couldn't use it with a rental car). So if you make frequent or even infrequent trips to Florida that involve driving, you might consider getting one. It costs $50 ($25 for the unit and $25 in prepaid tolls to start) and they currently do not charge any kind of monthly fee for it -- like MD does now for EZPass. It was really great knowing we didn't have to worry about having change -- and some of the toll booth lines when we were there a few weeks ago were really backed up, but we were able to avoid that with the SunPass.

 

[SnackyStacky]

I thought I would just return to report -- the SunPass transponder (the full size one, not the sticker thing) worked just great on our rental car during our trip - no problems at all. Beeped at all the tolls just like it was supposed and gave us the green light!

Just like the SunPass rep told me it would (if you recall, some people on the thread said you couldn't use it with a rental car). So if you make frequent or even infrequent trips to Florida that involve driving, you might consider getting one. It costs $50 ($25 for the unit and $25 in prepaid tolls to start) and they currently do not charge any kind of monthly fee for it -- like MD does now for EZPass. It was really great knowing we didn't have to worry about having change -- and some of the toll booth lines when we were there a few weeks ago were really backed up, but we were able to avoid that with the SunPass.

Thank you for the update! I think I may buy one before we head down later this year.

One question for you, though - when you fill in the information to order one, did you put your own personal vehicle information?

 

[wrwillow]

I agree this is fidhy. I recieved the same letter to Citations Department pobox 22233 Tulsa, Oklahoma from Enterprise rental company, 2.50 for citation amount and 10.00 for admin fees.
So what is really weird is I was charged from the 13th of Nov to 16th of Nov for dropping car off yet no drop box to leave keys, so didn't return keys till the 16th, Yet dropped off vehicle on the 13th so technically if "they" looked me up I was still with vehicle. I called enteprise and formed aa dispute with charges dropped yet no ticket no explanation and thry told me no one drove the car while it was in front of enterprise yet I was not in it. So who was???? Really really weird some sort of conspiracy with the "citation" and car rental companies, I live in Colorado. Not sure how I am going to pursue this, it will be interesting and I am finding many articles on the web of the same happenings of sorts. Willow

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

One question for you, though - when you fill in the information to order one, did you put your own personal vehicle information?

Yes, give them your personal vehicle information. It's possible that one day you'll be using it with your own car. But there is nothing to keep you from bringing it with you and using it in rental cars. Just lay it on the dash or hold it up to the windshield as you pass through toll plazas. This is great for those who regularly visit Florida. Readers please note that SunPass is the name of statewide system and is valid from the panhandle to the keys. But around Orlando most of the tolls are labeled as E-Pass. SunPass is valid in E-Pass lanes even though the SunPass logo is not displayed on the signs. SunPass also works in the Fort Myers/Lee County area at toll plazas marked LeeWay. SunPass is not valid in the midwest and northeast at E-ZPass facilities nor is an E-ZPass transponder going to work in Florida.

I agree this is fidhy. I recieved the same letter to Citations Department pobox 22233 Tulsa, Oklahoma from Enterprise rental company, 2.50 for citation amount and 10.00 for admin fees.
So what is really weird is I was charged from the 13th of Nov to 16th of Nov for dropping car off yet no drop box to leave keys, so didn't return keys till the 16th, Yet dropped off vehicle on the 13th so technically if "they" looked me up I was still with vehicle. I called enteprise and formed aa dispute with charges dropped yet no ticket no explanation and thry told me no one drove the car while it was in front of enterprise yet I was not in it. So who was???? Really really weird some sort of conspiracy with the "citation" and car rental companies, I live in Colorado. Not sure how I am going to pursue this, it will be interesting and I am finding many articles on the web of the same happenings of sorts. Willow

Ask them to send you the photo that goes along with the violation. The toll authority who sent them the bill had to provide them a photo showing the vehicle and date/time stamp. It should also identify which toll plaza the violation took place at.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Halle]

Starting to sound like a Florida touist scam to me. Dh and I went through two toll places on two seperate days that were unmanned. We did not have change (now I always travel with change), we received a letter from Dollar and a charge (can't remember the amount).