Turnpike going cashless in Orlando

[joelkfla]

Florida Turnpike is gradually converting the Orlando area to cashless tolling. I noticed yesterday that the toll booths at the I-4/Turnpike interchange have been deactivated. Signs at Turnpike entrances now say "SunPass or Toll-by-Plate".

This means, of course, that if you don't have a compatible transponder (SunPass, E-PASS, or Uni), you will be subject to the mercies of whatever rental car company you're patronizing.

 

[MICKIMINI]

Thanks for posting! I figured it was just a matter of time. I typically order the $5 SunPass annually but bought the regular one a month ago. Eventually we will drive back and forth in retirement, but for now, I will stash it in my carry on luggage and register my rental plate. The rental car companies will be laughing all the way to the bank...

 

[JimMIA]

It's about time! Miami-Dade went completely cashless years ago, and it has done wonders to expedite traffic. On most of our expressways, you go through the toll station at 70 mph without even the slightest slowdown or congestion.

 

[Callie]

I don’t think it does but does the I pass from Illinois work?

 

[MMSM]

I always wondered if my ez pass from NY works. We are all toll booth free in western NY.

 

[Heather07438]

The ez-pass lanes on the Garden State Parkway have also done wonders for traffic flow. They did leave some toll booths off to the side for the ill-equipped.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

I don’t think it does but does the I pass from Illinois work?

Illinois IPass is an EZPass. The FL DOT has been promising compatibility for quite a while, but not there yet. I purchased a Uni to use when we travel (to FL and elsewhere in the eastern US) with a rental car, since I prefer to leave my IPass transponders in our own cars. I just update the license plate info online when we pick up the rental.

 

[loves to dive]

Hmmm interesting. Hubby has a peach pass for his truck so he can use the express lanes when he has to work in Atlanta and he upgraded it last year when we took the RV to Fort Wilderness so we didn't have to go through the tool booths then. I think it is some sort of physical bar code thing he had to attach to the truck so probably no letting me use it in my car when I drive down. I usually keep a bag in my car with coins and dollar bills just for toll booths and vending machines. If they go cash less do they just take a picture of your license plate and send you a bill later? How do you know it is right and can you dispute it if it isn't?

 

[JimMIA]

If they go cash less do they just take a picture of your license plate and send you a bill later? How do you know it is right and can you dispute it if it isn't?

Yes, they match the picture with your vehicle registration and send you a bill, which includes a small "administrative fee." However some rental companies charge their own additional fees which can be much more.

Getting one of the transponder options would probably save you money.

On disputes, you can check the billing with the toll charges shown on the website of the appropriate agency -- which would probably be either the Florida Turnpike or the local expressway authority (not sure what it's called in Orlando). The tolls for each toll station are shown.

 

[joelkfla]

I don’t think it does but does the I pass from Illinois work?

I always wondered if my ez pass from NY works. We are all toll booth free in western NY.

There are 2 toll systems in the Orlando area: E-PASS is the local toll agency, and SunPass is by Florida's Turnpike. Either transponder will work on both, but the multi-state E-ZPass currently works only at E-PASS toll points. E-ZPass won't work anywhere else in FL.

The Turnpike is all SunPass. Most other roads in Central FL are shared by the 2 systems, with some segments SunPass & others E-PASS. Signs at road entrances and at the toll points indicate which system is the owner. There are usually signs along the road when you pass from a segment owned by one system to the other.

If you're in your own car and you go thru a cashless toll point without a compatible transponder, a bill for the toll will be sent to the address on your car's registration, with a reasonable service charge added. If you do it in a rental car, the rental company's toll handling agent will bill you, possibly with an unreasonable service charge.