Rental Car Pre-paid Toll Program Explained

[ZekeKelso]

I don't know if this has been covered or not, but since there is confusion about how the program works, I thought a post might be helpful.

First, my story: I fly into Orlando and head for the Dollar counter. The woman takes my info, then tells me about their new $6/day pre-paid toll program (side note - Dear Dollar, the main reason I use you is Dollar Express, allowing me to avoid answering these questions and the upselling. It works everywhere else. Please change your procedure at MCO. Thanks.) I don't remember exactly what she said, but I sure left with the impression that I would have a transponder in my car.

I start my trip whizzing through the express lanes for a bunch of tolls. But I start to get a bit worried as I don't see the green light saying I'm OK. So at the next toll plaza I go to a lane that's either cash or transponder. The gate doesn't go up, so I roll down my window and ask the guy, "don't I have a transponder"? Nope he tells me. He says he's had lots of confused cars who have paid the fee to their rental company, but have no transponder. So I pay the toll. And start thinking about all those express lanes I've driven through. And the $100 fine signs. Crap - this is going to be fun to explain.

I end up paying cash for the rest of my tolls and get to the airport extra early knowing I'll have a fight on my hands. I mention my problem to the woman checking in cars and *she* tells me what's going on. The clerk who sold me on the program (and presumably has lots of customer service training) couldn't explain it. The guys working the toll booth couldn't explain it. But the woman with limited English skills checking in the car explained it perfectly. She was really nice and wrote me up a note telling the folks at the counter to take the toll-charge off my bill AND to reimburse me the $8 in tolls I paid in cash. Which they did with no problem.

So, here is how the program works. There are no transponders in the car. You *must* go through the express lanes. The toll-enforcement cameras will take a picture of your license plate as if you are skipping the toll. But your license plate number is in their computer so they don't send a ticket. If you go through a manned toll booth, they have no way of knowing you are in the program and will make you pay.

For most folks just going from the airport to WDW, the toll program isn't worth it. But if you plan to drive around much, it's a nice option. Even if you end up with less that $6/day in tolls, being able to use the express lanes is wonderful. As long as you know you can use them.

 

[seashoreCM]

TRW -- Toll Running Waiver. No, that's not what they call it but for six dollars a day the car rental company agrees not to charge you or bill you for running the drive through transponder toll lanes without a transponder.

Just like CDW, Collision Damage Waiver, the rental company agrees not to charge you or bill you for damage to the car if you have an accident.

 

[ducklite]

So on a weekly rental you'll pay $42 using this concept.

You'd be better off buying a SunPass for $25 in advance, having it mailed to you, and having it for future visits. You'd have to do a few hours of driving on toll roads every day to hit $6 in tolls around here. It's not like up north where there are bridge and tunnel tolls that quickly add up.

 

[fla4fun]

So on a weekly rental you'll pay $42 using this concept.

You'd be better off buying a SunPass for $25 in advance, having it mailed to you, and having it for future visits. You'd have to do a few hours of driving on toll roads every day to hit $6 in tolls around here. It's not like up north where there are bridge and tunnel tolls that quickly add up.

I agree. I use the toll roads to drive to work and only pay $3.00 per WEEK in tolls. The only way I would pay $6 per day is if I were going out of Orlando on one of the toll roads (say, the Beachline to the beach). I have the transponder and it's great. Just make sure you get the SunPass and not the E-Pass (SunPass is issued by the Turnpike Authority and E-Pass by the Expressway Authority - two different companies, but both can be used on each other's roads). There have been way too many billing problems in the news with the E-Pass.

 

[CPT Tripss]

What's the deal with SunPass/E-Pass?
Will FL ever join up with us Northerners and accept EZPass?

 

[ducklite]

What's the deal with SunPass/E-Pass?
Will FL ever join up with us Northerners and accept EZPass?

Or maybe the northeast should join with FL and accept SunPass...

 

[OlderMan]

I've used an E-Pass for over 5 years without any problems......

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

1. Considering the thousands of tolls paid daily with the E-PASS and SunPass transponders, there have been relatively few problems. Most problems occurred a few years ago having to do with E-PASS tolls not registering properly in SunPass lanes.

2. SunPass is generally easier for a tourist to acquire because they're sold at Publix, CVS and at service plazas on the Turnpike. For E-Pass you'd have to go to one of their service centers. But either one costs $25 plus your first batch of prepaid tolls. Regardless of which one you have, they are valid in each other's lanes as well as at O-Pass lanes in Osceola County and LeeWay lanes in Lee County.

3. Buying the pre-paid toll program from the rental car company is not a Toll Waiver program similar to CDW for collision damage waiver. This is a state-authorized program implemented by a vendor who has signed on most of the major rental car companies. The terms the companies offer to their customers vary. $6/day or $42/week with Dollar is not a good deal for anyone just hanging around Orlando in tourist districts. Airport to Disney is only $2 each way; Disney to the Beach is only $3.25 each way. But if you've got a trip to Miami planned, it may be a good deal because the Orlando to Miami tolls can run close to $15 each way.

4. There are currently no plans to make the Florida systems interoperable with the E-ZPass system of the northeast and midwest. They use completely different technology and the equipment can't talk to transponders from other systems. But anyone who comes to Florida at least annually should consider buying a SunPass for $25 (plus initial prepaid tolls) just to save the hassle of long lines at toll booths. And anyone in Florida who travels the toll road corridors from Illinois to Maine at least annually should consider getting an E-ZPass, particularly since they are FREE (plus initial prepaid tolls), from many of the toll authorities that issue E-ZPass.

BobK/Orlando

 

[theparsons]

Is there somewhere online to see the toll roads? I've never dealt with roads that have tolls (except bridges around San Francisco). What happens if you don't have coins....do they take debit cards, lol.....or Disney dollars?

So, I'm wondering if I should consider this $25 pass.....but have zillions of questions, lol. How long is it good for? Is it the kind of thing where you pay $25 and can then travel anywhere you want all month (or some period of time), like the public bus passes we have here?

I'm flying into Tampa..will be driving to Clearwater, then to Orlando, all around Orlando....probably a few trips to Clearwater, at least one trip to Tampa and whereever else we discover we want to go. We'll be there a month.

Any advice, websites to do some calculating? Websites to understand the Sun Pass better??

Thanks!
Jan

 

[pickles]

ok, not totally related, but I had a rental car a couple weeks ago and was driving around IL. Those toll roads TOTALLY confused me and it wasn't until I went thru 3-4 booth areas that i realized I was bypassing something I shouldn't.
By the time I got home and was able to check info online it was too late to pay online. I have not said anything to the rental company..anyone have exp with how this will be handled and what kind of fine Il has for this?

I was use to some booths on 95 in MD, but these IL ones are totally..well ********

 

[ducklite]

Is there somewhere online to see the toll roads? I've never dealt with roads that have tolls (except bridges around San Francisco). What happens if you don't have coins....do they take debit cards, lol.....or Disney dollars?

Many are manned and you would pay with cash. Most people who don't have Sun Pass/E Pass carry a couple dollars in assorted coins to toss in the basket at unmanned booths/lanes.

So, I'm wondering if I should consider this $25 pass.....but have zillions of questions, lol. How long is it good for? Is it the kind of thing where you pay $25 and can then travel anywhere you want all month (or some period of time), like the public bus passes we have here?

You buy the transponder and have to put $25 on it. Most people just have it linked to their credit card to automatically replenish when the funds get low. Unused funds never expire, and the transponder is yours forever, you just have to repalce the battery every couple of years. Tolls are paid on an as-used basis, there is no "monthly" pass. You can order it in advance and have it shipped to your home.

I'm flying into Tampa..will be driving to Clearwater, then to Orlando, all around Orlando....probably a few trips to Clearwater, at least one trip to Tampa and whereever else we discover we want to go. We'll be there a month.

Any advice, websites to do some calculating? Websites to understand the Sun Pass better??

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

It explains the program and has a link to a toll calculator.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

Jan/Parsons:
Clarifying. A Sunpass transponder costs $25 and then you have to put a minimum of $25 in prepaid tolls on it. Most people put a credit card on it for replenishment purposes; once your balance drops below $10 another $25 in prepaid tolls is charged to your credit card. If you want it operational upon arrival in Florida then order one via the internet or over the telephone using the link Ducklite gave you. If you buy one here upon arrival then it takes another 24-hrs before you can use it.

There is a list of toll roads in Florida on Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Toll_Roads_in_the_United_States
All of the roads listed there accept SunPass.

SunPass is the statewide system and most toll roads will display the SunPass logo on the sign. Most (but not all) of the toll roads in Orange County (Orlando) are operated by a different entity and will only display the E-PASS logo. But even though these roads make no mention of SunPass, a SunPass transponder is valid at E-PASS tolls. E-PASS actually has superior toll facilities in that those paying cash have to "exit" off the main road to pay at a toll booth while those with an E-PASS or SunPass transponder remain on the highway mainline (at full highway speeds) and pass under the detection system. A picture of what I'm referring to is also on Wikipedia; click on the picture to make it larger. This is also a good example of how the sign only refers to E-PASS yet a SunPass is quite valid there too:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Forest_Lake_Toll_Plaza.jpg

Pickles:
The toll roads around Chicago use the I-PASS system which is part of the E-ZPass system of the northeast U.S. They also have the "high speed tolling" in many locations. What you did was bypass the tolls by staying on the mainline. A few incidences is not likely to get you in trouble but if you lived there and bypassed the tolls continuously, you'd receive a traffic citation in the mail. It's doubtful the rental car company will hear anything either so I wouldn't worry about it. You're hardly the only one who has made that mistake!

BobK/Orlando