tell me what i need to know about SunPass...

[gigi1313]

last year we rented a car for a few days and were told by a Florida State Trooper that rentals had built in SunPasses and to go thru the express lane... well, when the car rental company sent us bills for $75/toll, i was more than surprised and upset... after a few conversations, they kindly waived some of the fees but (rightly so) charged us the amount of the actual tolls...

so, this year, we obviously want to do things a little differently (and legally! LOL!)...

how do we go about getting a SunPass or will it just be easier to carry lots of coin and go thru the tolls... our plans have us driving from MCO to WDW, down to Wellington (near Boca) and back to WDW and then MCO...

suggestions more than welcomed!

 

[seashoreCM]

Sunpass through your car renatl agency includes a daily fee. Sometimes you have to activate at the rental counter before using the express toll lanes.

If you already have your own Sunpass or Epass (EZ pass does not work), let your rental agent know so you are charged on your own account and not the rental company account.

You can order a Sunpass on line and also some Florida stores and convenience stores sell a "paper" "Sunpass Lite" that sticks on your windshield.

 

[pumpkinboy]

We have a SunPass and have found it very convenient, tho not really necessary for us Northerners. We keep about $10 in the SunPass account for our once annual trip on Florida tollways, and (don't tell) loaned it to friends for their trips.

The website is: https://www.sunpass.com/index

 

[ccgirl]

I would just keep the spare change. They really don't add up to that much $$. Make sure you keep actual change too because some of the booths are unmanned toll booths (forget where) that you just toss exact change in a basket.

 

[Lewisc]

I would just keep the spare change. They really don't add up to that much $$. Make sure you keep actual change too because some of the booths are unmanned toll booths (forget where) that you just toss exact change in a basket.

Some of the FL tollroads are converting to cashless. People without Sunpass will be billed the cost of the toll plus a service fee (photoplate).

The rental companies charge a service fee. Chances are it won't have a Sunpass but the rental car companies will be charged (photoplate). You'll pay much higher fee if you don't sign up for the rental plan and get billed from the rental agency after the fact.

 

[ccgirl]

Some of the FL tollroads are converting to cashless. People without Sunpass will be billed the cost of the toll plus a service fee (photoplate).

The rental companies charge a service fee. Chances are it won't have a Sunpass but the rental car companies will be charged (photoplate). You'll pay much higher fee if you don't sign up for the rental plan and get billed from the rental agency after the fact.

Do you know when this is going into effect? Thanks.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Not all rental car companies do the Photoplate which is what OP learned the hard way. I have NO idea why a Trooper would know about this or tell them what he did.... Toll Road administration is generally not a trooper's job.

You can ask your rental car agency what they do. I just pay the tolls and have never had an issue.

 

[Lewisc]

Do you know when this is going into effect? Thanks.

http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-electronictolling/about.html

I don't know when (or even if) the toll roads around WDW will be converting to cashless.

 

[Lewisc]

Not all rental car companies do the Photoplate which is what OP learned the hard way. I have NO idea why a Trooper would know about this or tell them what he did.... Toll Road administration is generally not a trooper's job.

You can ask your rental car agency what they do. I just pay the tolls and have never had an issue.

I'm pretty sure all the rental agencies do automated tolls. Some may do Sunpass but I think Photoplate is more common.

You have to sign up (and pay a service) fee when you rent your car. The OP learned you have to sign up (and pay a service fee) in advance if you want to pay your tolls through the photoplate program.

 

[clkelley]

I have a SunPass sticker for my personal vehicle that I drive to Orlando several times a year pulling a camper. It has been wonderful!!

However, for rental cars you really only have three options.

Buy a regular SunPass transponder and bring it with you for use in the rental car.

Pay the tolls with cash.

Sign up for the rental company's payment system.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

(They don't... I asked last time I rented from Thrifty.. No photopass.... I am not sure Dollar does either. National and Hertz do I beleive. It is not required. With Hertz you don't have to sign up, you just start paying once you use it the first time. Can't recall with National)

As of right now there are no tolls between MCO and WDW that don't have a cash option. Some of the exit ramps may require exact change however.

 

[Lewisc]

I have a SunPass sticker for my personal vehicle that I drive to Orlando several times a year pulling a camper. It has been wonderful!!

However, for rental cars you really only have three options.

Buy a regular SunPass transponder and bring it with you for use in the rental car.

Pay the tolls with cash.

Sign up for the rental company's payment system.

Why can't you use the sticker? Just scrape it off before you return the car. It costs $5 but you get $5 worth of tolls. Don't use $5 of tolls? You'll lose a few dollars. Probably less then the service fee charged by the rental agency.

edited to add--To avoid confusing anyone reading the post, the sunpass sticker can't be re-used. Once you remove it from your rental car it's worthless. You'll forfeit the rest of your free tolls.

 

[clkelley]

Why can't you use the sticker? Just scrape it off before you return the car. It costs $5 but you get $5 worth of tolls. Don't use $5 of tolls? You'll lose a few dollars. Probably less then the service fee charged by the rental agency.

Honestly, it didn't occur to me!! That's a GREAT idea!!

Question is, can you get one before your trip? I bought mine at the Okahumpka service center on the way home when they first came out, then activated and applied it to my vehicle right before the next trip.

 

[Lewisc]

(They don't... I asked last time I rented from Thrifty.. No photopass.... I am not sure Dollar does either. National and Hertz do I beleive. It is not required. With Hertz you don't have to sign up, you just start paying once you use it the first time. Can't recall with National)

As of right now there are no tolls between MCO and WDW that don't have a cash option. Some of the exit ramps may require exact change however.

AFAIK all rental agencies off a way to avoid the toll both. Sunpass. Photoplate. Some other alternative

Thrifty's website:

Breeze through the express lanes with prepaid tolls. Choose Pass24® and forget about waiting in long lines, scrambling for change, or waiting for receipts. Selecting this option gives your vehicle unlimited 24-hour toll usage for a flat daily fee.

Pass24® is available in Dallas, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Houston, Jacksonville, Key West, Miami, Orlando, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Just add Pass24® to your reservation and you'll be on your way, without taking a toll on your travel time.

Dollars' website

Breeze through the express lanes with prepaid tolls. Choose Pass24® and forget about waiting in long lines, scrambling for change, or waiting for receipts. Selecting this option gives your vehicle unlimited 24-hour toll usage for a flat daily fee.

Pass24® is available in Dallas, Denver, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Houston, Jacksonville, Key West, Miami, Orlando, Tallahassee, Tampa and West Palm Beach. Just add Pass24® to your reservation and you'll be on your way, without taking a toll on your travel time.

Same company same deal.

edited to add I'm sure you asked. The idiot from the agency probably didn't have the slightest idea what photoplate is. You made a mistake and asked about photopass? Pictures at Disney. didn't know enough to mention Pass24.

 

[Lewisc]

Honestly, it didn't occur to me!! That's a GREAT idea!!

Question is, can you get one before your trip? I bought mine at the Okahumpka service center on the way home when they first came out, then activated and applied it to my vehicle right before the next trip.

You can get it online. Not sure if there is a delivery charge.
https://www.sunpass.com/selectAcceptAgreementPurchaseTransponder

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-electronictolling/about.html
I don't know when (or even if) the toll roads around WDW will be converting to cashless.

Not anytime soon. There are only a handful of toll roads in Florida that require Sunpass and also have a Toll-by-Plate system.....and they're not around Orlando. So cash is always accepted on all Orlando-area toll roads.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Lewisc]

Not anytime soon. There are only a handful of toll roads in Florida that require Sunpass and also have a Toll-by-Plate system.....and they're not around Orlando. So cash is always accepted on all Orlando-area toll roads.

BobK/Orlando

The toll roads around Orlando have photo plate pass. It's used to bill rental car companies and is used to bill people who don't pay the toll.

The technology system is in place. All they have to do is change the policy. Let any driver take advantage of photo plate and get rid of the cash lanes.

I agree it's not happening anytime soon (12 months). I'm sure they'll wait and see how the first section of the tpk works with the new policy.

 

[Disneyfanfour]

Hey, just jumped into this thread to find out more about purchasing the $15 Sunpass. Does anyone know how many tolls there are between the airport and WDW? And how much are they per toll? What if we wanted to drive on over to Daytona or down to Tampa from WDW? Any idea on how many and how much the tolls are around those places?

 

[tkldisney]

If you take the 417 south from MCO you have two $1.25 tolls to Exit 6. If you continue to Exit 3, then there is a .50 toll (unmanned & exact change only). I always have exact change for going to and from airport.

Since we drove down last year and stayed for a month, I purchased a sunpass mini at our first turnpike stop. $4.95 and I added additional 10.00 and it worked immediately. I called and registered it and got 4.95 credit. Your dollar amount never expires, but mini cannot be transfered to another vehicle or removed. After returning home I went online and ordered transponder for $25.00. We are going down again for month, but driving different car. I can transfer the dollars on the mini to the transponder so nothing lost. Most of the info can be found on sunpass website. The transponder will work on any car. I even took it down and used on rental. It's definitely easier using express lanes and there were some exits/entrances that required you have sunpass. Not sure about driving to Daytona or Tampa, but you can look at tolls on website too.

 

[Tiggeye]

Just ordered my pass also. We are going down in October and then in December. It seemed that with the daily fee the rental car company charge it will pay for itself on the first trip.