SunPass

[1000th happy haunt]

I purchased a SunPass recently and will be using it for the first time in May.

Is there any way to confirm that the SunPass transponder is working correctly BEFORE I go through a toll booth? I don't want to get a ticket for not paying a toll.

 

[ducklite]

Not that I know of. Just make sure that the tags for the car you are driving are registered with SunPass, because you can get a ticket if they don't match up. It's rare, but it does happen.

Anne

 

[1000th happy haunt]

We're renting a car and I plan on calling SunPass before we leave the garage at MCO with the information.

 

[safetymom]

It can take up to 24 hours before it shows up in the system. If there is a problem you can explain that you were using a rental car.

If you don't plan on doing a lot of driving why are you getting a SunPass?

 

[1000th happy haunt]

I do a lot of driving while on vacation at WDW. But mostly we got the SunPass for the convenience.

 

[Edd]

At the Sunpass office they have set up a lane you can go through to see if the pass is working. There are two spots in Orlando that I know of one on W. Colonial and one on Goldenrod.

 

[cherylp3]

the tester at goldenrod wasn't working the last time I was there.

Cheryl

 

[Delaware Mike]

There was a rumor floating around that SunPass was one day gonna convert over to EZPass. Anyone know if this is fact or fiction?

 

[cranbiz]

Wouldn't that be nice.

I already have an EZ-Pass and really don't like the idea of getting a SunPass too!

At this point, I try to avoid the Orlando toll roads like the plague (unless I/m in the county vehicle)

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

As far as I know:

1) There are no plans for Sunpass to work with the EZPass system. They are a completely different technology that would be very expensive to get to interoperate.

2) Edd, the "Sunpass" offices you mentioned are actually E-PASS offices operated by the Orlando-Orange County Expressway Authority, the toll authority for most (but not all) toll roads in Orange County. You can test EPASS there but I'm uncertain if their devices will test Sunpass.

3) Once you activate a Sunpass, it usually doesn't begin working until the next day. Drivers should not plan to purchase a Sunpass upon arrival in Florida and expect to use it immediately.

4) No one will get a ticket for one or two missed tolls. When skipping tolls becomes a habit you'll be mailed a Uniform Traffic Citation (a ticket).

5) For those interested, you can purchase a Sunpass transponder at Publix and CVS stores throughout Florida and then call in to activate it. If you want it working before you get here, order via the internet from the www.sunpass.com website and activate it ahead of time. Sunpass is also sold at service plazas on Florida's Turnpike. Those of you in Orange County can also purchase an E-PASS from an E-PASS Service Center: there is one on Goldenrod off TOLL 408, on SR50 at Kirkman and in the West Oaks Mall center court in Ocoee.

6) Sunpass is the state-wide system good on all toll roads in Florida and on nearly every toll bridge. E-PASS is Orange County's system. O-PASS is Osceola County's system and LeeWay is Lee County's system. THESE ARE ALL INTEROPERABLE and you can use any of them anywhere in the state. This is different than EZPAss which is the system used in the Northeast United States and EZPass does not work in Florida and none of the Florida systems work in the Northeast. I-PASS from Illinois is interoperable with EZPass of the northeast, but also does NOT work in Florida.

7) Don't even get me started about PikePass, K-Tag, FasTrak and all the others!!

BobK/Orlando

 

[ducklite]

Wow BobK! A fountain of info! I've never heard of LeeWay before. Learn somthing new every day!

Anne

 

[Edd]

Thanks for the infor., Bob. I have an e-pass and never thought there was a difference.

 

[BigTigger]

As far as I know:

This is different than EZPAss which is the system used in the Northeast United States and EZPass does not work in Florida and none of the Florida systems work in the Northeast. I-PASS from Illinois is interoperable with EZPass of the northeast, but also does NOT work in Florida.


BobK/Orlando

FastPass in MA is a similar technology as SunPass, but alas not compatible. They made it compatible with EZPass, but that took awhile as EZPass is a passive system and FastPass an active one. Leave it to MA to pick a unique system when everyone else from Maine to Delaware was already on EZPass or heading that way (must have been a good bribe or kickback in there for some MA Pike politico!!).

 

[1000th happy haunt]

I've done some thought about this. I got the SunPass transponder directly from SunPass, and they claim it's activiated. But the first time I use it I'll go through a SunPass/Exact Change lane, just to be sure, since you have to stop if you're using that lane.

I was lucky enough to purchase the SunPass on half-price day a little while back. It was the 50th anniversary of the Florida Turnpike, and they had a one-day special for the transponders. It cost only $12.50 instead of $25.00. Someone from SunPass told me they sold 40,000 transponders that day.

 

[NikP]

I'm Canadian and know little about toll charges. We have only one toll highway in Ontario. My question is "Do you still get charged the same fee as the amount charged at the toll booth? Or do you get a discounted rate because you have a transponder?

 

[cranbiz]

FastPass in MA is a similar technology as SunPass, but alas not compatible. They made it compatible with EZPass, but that took awhile as EZPass is a passive system and FastPass an active one. Leave it to MA to pick a unique system when everyone else from Maine to Delaware was already on EZPass or heading that way (must have been a good bribe or kickback in there for some MA Pike politico!!).

It's actually Fast Lane in MA ( I think someone has too much Disney on the brain )

And yes, like anything in the Comm of MA it's always linked to a bribe, kickback, etc. (I worked for the state up there for 8 years)

 

[1000th happy haunt]

I believe EZpass in the northeast charges the same amount as if you were manually paying. However, SunPass in Florida charges a reduced amount when you use the SunPass Transponder. I don't know if the other Florida systems also charge a reduced amount.

So instead of $.75 for each toll, I think it's $.50 for each toll.

SunPass has a toll savings page on their website.

 

[~Brandy~]

We're at WDW so often that we've discussed getting a SunPass. Does it seem like the same transponder would work for quite a few years? Although $25 isn't too much for the convenience, I'd hate to have to replace it in a year or two.

 

[safetymom]

I use mine quite a bit and it is still going strong almost 4 years later. You might have to replace the battery after a year or two.

 

[ducklite]

I believe EZpass in the northeast charges the same amount as if you were manually paying. However, SunPass in Florida charges a reduced amount when you use the SunPass Transponder. I don't know if the other Florida systems also charge a reduced amount.

So instead of $.75 for each toll, I think it's $.50 for each toll.

SunPass has a toll savings page on their website.

Actually with EZPass, you do get a break on tolls during some hours of the day on some stretched of road.

In Florida it depends on the particular road as well. For example there is never a discount on the 429, but I believe there is one on the Beachline. (I'll be honest I don't pay much attention, but I do know the 429 doesn't discount. Figures because that's the toll road I probably use the most. ) The discount is not going to make up for the cost of the transponder if you aren't using it regularly.

We recently had to replace the battery in the first transponder that we aquired back in 2003. If you take it to Radio Shack in Florida, they have the right batteries and will replace it for free for you--less the cost of the battery of course.

It will start to make a screachy sound and blink red as you go through the tolls when the battery is getting low. HTH.

Anne