Rental Car Companies Toll Policies

[jaykorf001]

I am preparing to rent a car in Orlando. I swear I'd seen someone say that the different rental companies handle the toll roads differently?? For example, do some charge the toll every day of the rental whether you drive on the toll road or not and some charge the toll only on the days you actually drive thru the toll gates?? If so, does anyone know which company does what? Thanks!

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[Horace Horsecollar]

This page has the answers: https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

 

[OKW Lover]

I know that Avis charges a per day fee (capped at some amount that I can't recall) if you use their SP feature at any time during your rental. Yes, they charge the daily fee even on days you don't actually go through a toll booth.

Of course you can just pay cash at these toll booths and avoid the issue altogether.

 

[rwdavis2]

Just take a roll of quarters and pay cash.

 

[aubriee]

Just take a roll of quarters and pay cash.

That's what we do. We just carry a mini M&M container full of quarters and keep it in the glove box for tolls.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

You may also want to read this DISboards thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3202367

 

[meballard]

For one off or irregular trips, a quarter roll is definitely the easiest/cheapest way to go for Orlando (quarters both for the unstaffed change only booths, and to avoid the cash only lines that can get long).

If you go regularly, or don't want to deal with the quarters (or intend to drive to areas that are automated only), personally I recommend getting a SunPass. One time $25 fee, and you can add rental cars to your SunPass profile, and just put it up in the car, and not worry about it.

The tolls are a little bit cheaper than the cash ones (they didn't use to be, but I noticed on my last trip or two they were), you can use the fast lanes through the toll areas, and if you drive somewhere that doesn't have the booths (like when I got to Miami in the last couple years) the savings on that trip pretty much paid for the toll transponder by itself.

 

[MillauFr]

Don't the cash only lanes get backed up? When I used to drive through Chicago I remember getting stuck behind people in line searching their purse/wallet for change. Very inefficient system. Seems like the transponder lanes where you don't even have to slow down seem far superior.

 

[meballard]

Don't the cash only lanes get backed up? When I used to drive through Chicago I remember getting stuck behind people in line searching their purse/wallet for change. Very inefficient system. Seems like the transponder lanes where you don't even have to slow down seem far superior.

I have seen the manned cash only/receipt lanes get backed up.

The exact change only/no receipt lanes generally have little to no backup.

Of course the transponder only lanes move at full speed.