Sunpass on 417 issues

[katallo]

Just wondering if this has happened to anyone else.

We have a Sunpass transponder. We entered rental car info at the airport. Got on 417 to WDW. Went through the two toll plazas by using an EPass/Sunpass lane. Then exited on exit 6 for Disney. Our toll for exit 6 is posted. However, the two tolls on 417 did not post. We called and they said this road might not pick up the transponder. Why? They didn't know. It worked fine last year.

Now, if it doesn't post I'll be billed by Budget. I really don't see the sense in keeping Sunpass if we can't be sure where to use it. We felt comfortable using a lane with a Sunpass sign but evidently we shouldn't have.

I guess it will be best to pay cash on the trip back to the airport. Really frustrating.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have a portable transponder that I uses, my dd (a CM) has the stick on permanent one. Neither of us have had that issue.

 

[ClapYourHands]

What is the best way to get a portable transponder for Sunpass? We don't live nearby, and I'd like to avoid paying ridiculous rental-car rates for tolls. Is there a way to get it online?

 

[sam_gordon]

What is the best way to get a portable transponder for Sunpass? We don't live nearby, and I'd like to avoid paying ridiculous rental-car rates for tolls. Is there a way to get it online?

I got an Epass last year. https://www.cfxway.com/e-pass/get-e-pass/. I've used it on rental car (when we flew) and our van (when we drove). It's worked fine.

I think it's funny, in 2017, we drove down and went on Poinciana Parkway (whichever one has the $2.50 in tolls). We never got billed (it's only done by pay by plate, no toll booths). When I got the transponder and put in our van's license plate in August(?) of 2018, two days later, the tolls from Christmas 2017 posted.

 

[Capt_BJ]

https://www.sunpass.com/en/signup/transponderclassify.shtml


*************
for OP: how old is your transponder? Is it the old style with lights and 'beeps' and needs a battery ... if so that style was discontinued several years ago ... there was a free replacement program. If the transponder fails to read the system falls back to 'toll by plate' ... if you entered the rental information correctly you should be covered. I use a sunpass on the stretch quite regularly and have never had a problem.

I see folks with the old transponder still in their car quite routinely. Since the account is valid they don't realize they are paying the toll by plate rates ....

 

[joelkfla]

What is the best way to get a portable transponder for Sunpass? We don't live nearby, and I'd like to avoid paying ridiculous rental-car rates for tolls. Is there a way to get it online?

https://www.sunpass.com/en/home/index.shtml

 

[katallo]

OP here. It's a newer version. 2 years old with no battery. There were 3 tolls within 30 minutes and the one from Exit 6 (last one) posted right away. It's very strange.

 

[Capt_BJ]

one thought ... if you get into details of 417, and actually most of the toll roads around Orlando, you find that there are two different toll road entities. Most of 417 (and the Beachline) are under CFX Central Florida Expressway, but parts are under Florida turnpike and while it would be logical to assume only the TURNPIKE is under the turnpike authority, it don't work that way!! <Welcome to Florida ... the rules are different here>

you can see this on a map here: https://www.cfxway.com/wp-content/u...Map-of-CFX-Roads-Accepting-E-ZPassFinal-1.pdf <more readable if you click this link>

You MIGHT be seeing a difference in posting times between the two systems ..... check now and see if the charges appear, having been a bit of time passed.

 

[katallo]

Thanks Capt BJ. I'm hoping but it's been 5 days.

 

[jeff_h]

Thanks Capt BJ. I'm hoping but it's been 5 days.

I've also got a Sunpass transponder to use when we get rental cars from the airport -- do you have and use the Sunpass mobile app? There's a function in there to add a vehicle to your account and designate it as a rental car and enter a date/time for start and end of the rental, and any charges for that license plate should bill to your account instead of billing back to the rental agency. I do this each time and not sure if I even need to stick the transponder on the windshield but do so anyway, I want any tolls to post to my account rather than to get snagged by the daily fees that get assessed by the rental companies if they get charged first.

 

[amcnj]

I have an EZ Pass transponder, and have noticed that it can work fine at one toll plaza, and then at the next one a half hour later, “Toll Unpaid Proceed” comes up.

I have no idea why that happens, but it is not infrequent.

 

[joelkfla]

I have an EZ Pass transponder, and have noticed that it can work fine at one toll plaza, and then at the next one a half hour later, “Toll Unpaid Proceed” comes up.

I have no idea why that happens, but it is not infrequent.

E-ZPass is not accepted at SunPass toll booths, it is accepted only at E-Pass toll booths.

SunPass or E-Pass should each work at the other's toll booths.

 

[amcnj]

E-ZPass is not accepted at SunPass toll booths, it is accepted only at E-Pass toll booths.

SunPass or E-Pass should each work at the other's toll booths.

I was only commenting on how such transponders do not necessarily work 100% of the time, not whether they are accepted everywhere. These issues were in another state, not FL. Hope I didn’t confuse anyone!

 

[joelkfla]

I was only commenting on how such transponders do not necessarily work 100% of the time, not whether they are accepted everywhere. These issues were in another state, not FL. Hope I didn’t confuse anyone!

OK. Sorry, I assumed you were talking about using E-ZPass in FL.

 

[katallo]

Update. Tolls never posted so I guess will have to use the cash lanes going home

 

[NotUrsula]

FWIW, I use mine on 417/Osceola all the time, and I've never had it skip any of the tolls.

 

[katallo]

Notursula, I'm curious. On 417 from MCO to WDW do you use the EPass/Sunpass lanes or the cash lanes? Our toll on Osceola exit for WDW worked fine. It was just the two on 417 from the airport.

 

[Capt_BJ]

I'd continue to use your pass and get a print out of the toll listing showing the one that DID post and use this to appeal any charge you get from the rental company or the highway ... but I would also CONFIRM that the rental car info is CORRECTLY entered in the SUNPASS system ... one digit off in the tag can cause problems if the transponder burped and the system fell back to 'toll by plate'. Were it me, I'd go so far as to DELETE the current entry and re-enter the info.

Side bar: There was a big system 'upgrade' earlier this year that worked NOT and caused HUGE billing problems. The State is trying to recover a TON of $$ from the contractor that runs the system and waived all sorts of fees and fines people were wrongly stuck with. Everything is SUPPOSED to be fine now, altho back bills are STILL being sent. I doubt this is impacting you but DOES impact what some will say about the system . . .

 

[NotUrsula]

Notursula, I'm curious. On 417 from MCO to WDW do you use the EPass/Sunpass lanes or the cash lanes? Our toll on Osceola exit for WDW worked fine. It was just the two on 417 from the airport.

Sunpass lanes.

 

[katallo]

Thanks. We will try again this weekend to use the EPass/Sunpass lanes. DH wanted to try to see if Sunpass would work in the cash lanes. It's confusing because in MD if we use EZ pass at the bay bridge and use the cash lanes it will register and a light will appear with "paid ez pass"