Beware ! Cashless Toll Roads in Florida

[cruzyduzy]

You probalby didn't know this, but TOURISM is the biggest contributor to the economy here in Florida.

 

There is nothing so sneaky about it at all. Most people who live here are familar with how the toll system works. The toll system is designed for the convenience of the residents, not tourists.

 

 

If TOURISM is the biggest contributor to the economy, it looks like the state would want to make it easier for tourists, not just convenient for residents.

 

Reading fine print is all well and good, but if you don't even know there is a problem with tolls, then you are caught off guard. How would you go about reading the fine print when you don't even know it exists?

[ducklite]

If TOURISM is the biggest contributor to the economy, it looks like the state would want to make it easier for tourists, not just convenient for residents.

 

Reading fine print is all well and good, but if you don't even know there is a problem with tolls, then you are caught off guard. How would you go about reading the fine print when you don't even know it exists?

 

The roads that are cashless and the exits with unmanned toll barriers are marked as such. If the tourists don't bother to read the signs (or are too busy looking around and miss them) there's really not much that can be done.

 

Florida makes it incredibly easy for tourists. But there's only so much that can be done for those who refuse to pay attention.

 

By the way, there are a number of cashless toll roads in Texas and Colorado as well. Might want to educate yourself before traveling to either of those states.

[ducklite]

At this time there is ONE toll $1.25 on the Beachline ....Rt 528....from the airport.

 

They are almost done building another closer to the Cape... don't know when it will open but pretty soon.

 

They have booths at both of them.

 

Those who live around the area know how to get around most of the toll booths around Orlando IF they have time but not on 528

 

Alas I also have to use a transponder for picking up and dropping off family at the airport.

 

UNLESS the TAG of the car you are using is registered with the Sun pass... you will probably get fined.

So this is one consideration when renting and purchasing the pass.

 

Make SURE the tag is registered by the rental company and you should get it in writing.

 

People need to squawk at the Florida AG about getting ripped off.

 

http://myfloridalegal.com/contact

 

She's really great at ripoffs.

 

As long as the transponder is read, it won't trigger a look at the TAG. I gave my transponder to a friend who was visiting from out of state last month because she wanted to take a day trip that required travel on the 429, 408, and Tpke (or a slow boat to China). We didn't register it to her car, she just held it up as she went through tolls.

 

Nobody is getting "ripped off" because all the details are disclosed when you reserve and rent the car. Just because they don't bother to pay attention, well, you can't fix stupid.

[ducklite]

It seems as though FL has found a new source of revenue - hit the tourists hard with sneaky tolls and the rental car companies have benefited with extra charges. Thank you FL.

 

I drove to FLL last month on my now annual pilgrimage. Luckily I had found out about the "rip off" before leaving so I did buy a SunPass that I affixed to my car windshield. I can see the problem though with rental cars.

 

I rented one time from Dollar several years ago in another state because it appeared "cheaper" (it was not). I learned about all the extra charges and have never rented from them again. The few times I now have to rent, I look at the big three. Having traveled by air every week in my job the last 25 years before I retired, I have a lot of experience with car rental companies.

 

Uh, your state also has cashless toll roads and similar penalties. Those who live in glass houses...

[patseacruiser]

I had an issue with this once before and the penalty was $100+ fine through the rental agency so I bought a transponder for $25 at publix, set up an account that when it goes below $20 it refills. I carry it with me when I travel and when I get the rental I go on my phone and put it the new license plate for the rental in the sunpass website and in seconds I'm ready to go. Since I find myself in South Florida so much I just don't want to worry if I'm getting penalized or not. The new transponders don't beep as said before.

[Lily14]

We're renting from Hertz in Fort Lauderdale and driving about mid-way down the Keys and back the next day. Can anyone give me advice as to the easiest thing to do regarding the tolls? I'm so confused! Thank you so much!

 

We rented from Hertz in FLL and drove to Key West and back in November. The car had a transponder in it. Hertz billed our credit card for the tolls about month later. I can't remember the exact amount, but it wasn't anything crazy...maybe $20.

 

We were pretty clueless about this. We went the way the GPS told us to go, which was over the toll roads.

[Gathina]

I still think it would be a whole lot easier if people actually read the fine print and understood what they were getting themselves into....too much common sense I guess..or just go through the toll booth and pay the extra .25 you might pay for not having a sunpass

 

That's the Sun Pass.

 

They don't care ....BUT....If you paid the rental car for a sun pass and they then send you a bill for more.............. that should be sent to the Florida Attorney General Pam Bundi.

 

http://myfloridalegal.com/Contact.nsf/Contact

 

Everyone has to decide IF they are being taken by the rental car agency to garner more income.

 

That's why it's important that the renter take down the plate number, have a letter ready for the rental agency that states you PAID for a sun pass and the car plate is registered with sun pass.

Edited March 11, 2012 by Gathina

[sunscreen]

Just wanted to update everyone regarding sisinlaw who was billed on credit card for not paying toll. She requested a copy of the picture showing them supposedly going thru unmanned toll booth as opposed to dropping their coins in at the first toll leaving Orlando Airport. She received nothing in the last two weeks and yesterday called again and spoke with mgr who was surprised the matter was not cleared up and immediately credited her card back the $16 charge. I know its not much but it was still obviously an error on their part. Glad to see that there is still some hope on recovering unsubstantiated costs.

[baby_tran]

We'll be driving down to Miami from Toronto in our own car. We're using I95 on the way down, we'll do an overnight trip to Key West, then drive home the I75 route.

 

I assume I'll need a Sun Pass.

 

Do I buy it as soon as I enter the state of Florida or wait till I'm closer to Miami? How much would I need to load onto the Sun Pass for this whole Florida trip? Should I get the $4.99 or $25 version? For either version, I'll need to deactivate once I'm out of Florida?

 

Thanks

[Jman1118]

We'll be driving down to Miami from Toronto in our own car. We're using I95 on the way down, we'll do an overnight trip to Key West, then drive home the I75 route.

 

I assume I'll need a Sun Pass.

 

Do I buy it as soon as I enter the state of Florida or wait till I'm closer to Miami? How much would I need to load onto the Sun Pass for this whole Florida trip? Should I get the $4.99 or $25 version? For either version, I'll need to deactivate once I'm out of Florida?

 

Thanks

 

You do not need a sunpass, just use cash on I-75. If you do want a sunpass, you only need the $4.99 version.

[Jiffymom]

I am renting a car one way from key west to Miami .Budget quoted me a price than added 7 dollars per day for toll roads I said we would be in Key west for four days not driving on the highway she said it didn't matter they put that extra fee on all rentals

[MmmMango]

Sounds like life is getting more complicated; going from Miami to Orlando in early December using a Hertz rental (48 hrs), and making two round trips from Orlando airport to Port Canaveral transferring incoming family. After reading these posts I am starting to worry about all the potential toll charges. I asked a friend but they weren't very helpful as they use a transponder so couldn't tell me what each toll charge is.

 

Do you recommend I search out one of these Sun Pass transponders or should I stock up on rolls of quarters? If there are no booths then quarters won't help and I can't afford to be stuck with a padded rental co. bill after the fact.

[miamiyogi]

Do you recommend I search out one of these Sun Pass transponders or should I stock up on rolls of quarters? If there are no booths then quarters won't help and I can't afford to be stuck with a padded rental co. bill after the fact.

 

I wouldn't bother with the SunPass. Either pay cash, or use the SunPass lane. If you use the SunPass lane Hertz will charge you $3 per day plus actual tolls.

 

OR

 

Just pay cash. Keep the receipts. Cashless tolling as of this writing only occurs in Miami-Dade county heading south to Florida City/Homestead/The Keys.

[Want2Cruise 701]

Something happened to us at a toll in Orlando this summer. We were in our own private car using the nav to get to a location late at night and the exit said it was a toll. No biggie. We have cash. BUT, after we exited there wasn't a booth for anyone to collect our money. Just Sun Pass customers. Well, we live in Georgia........we don't have a Sun Pass. We couldn't back up so we just kept going. Never heard anything.

 

Weird!!!!!!!

[lovestx]

We arrive at MIA this Wednesday, midday. Renting a car from Thrifty and driving to friends' house in Delray Beach. Plan to us I-95. Then will drive back to MIA the next morning (around 9 a.m.) to drop car off and take the shuttle to POM.

 

Just want to confirm that we won't need a sunpass. But isn't the road from MIA to 95 a toll road? Can we just use cash.

 

Sorry if this has been answered...I read the whole thread but didn't see definitively an answer on the short connecting road from MIA.

 

And do you think we will hit bad traffic on 95 South leaving Delray at 9 a.m.? There will be four of us in the car.

[miamiyogi]

We arrive at MIA this Wednesday, midday. Renting a car from Thrifty and driving to friends' house in Delray Beach. Plan to us I-95. Then will drive back to MIA the next morning (around 9 a.m.) to drop car off and take the shuttle to POM.

 

Just want to confirm that we won't need a sunpass. But isn't the road from MIA to 95 a toll road? Can we just use cash.

 

Sorry if this has been answered...I read the whole thread but didn't see definitively an answer on the short connecting road from MIA.

 

And do you think we will hit bad traffic on 95 South leaving Delray at 9 a.m.? There will be four of us in the car.

 

You will have a toll leaving Miami to I-95. Both the 836 and SR112 connect the airport to I-95, you can pay cash at the toll booth.

 

If you use SR112, use caution exiting to I-95. One exit is labeled I-95 North "Express Lanes" *** don't use that one.

[lovestx]

You will have a toll leaving Miami to I-95. Both the 836 and SR112 connect the airport to I-95, you can pay cash at the toll booth.

 

If you use SR112, use caution exiting to I-95. One exit is labeled I-95 North "Express Lanes" *** don't use that one.

 

Thanks, MiamiYogi. Glad my memory was right but also glad we can pay in cash. We will avoid the I-95 Express Lanes (as I assume they require a toll or something else bad).

[Gathina]

I think it's important to remember that the whole Sunpass system is really a boon for FL residents who have to deal with horrible traffic in so many locales and it really is convenient and economical.

 

For visitors I can see where it'd be a hassle if you don't understand the rationale behind it.

[alwalaska]

not unmarked .... unmanned.

 

I- anything is 95% not a toll road. I-95 in Florida is not a toll road. Florida Toll Roads are clearly labeled as such.

 

They just don't warn you that there is no way to get off of them if you don't have a pass without getting dinged an extra $2.50 in processing fees. Plus - whatever it is going to cost me to pay it. I'm guessing they will probably charge an extra fee when I go to pay online. If I mail a check, I have to pay the postage too.

 

Personally, I think tourists should start complaining and then putting their money where their mouth is and start visiting other states. I have started sending off letters to the different tourist sites in the different cities and counties and plan on contacting Disney and the major cruise lines as well.

 

This is an extremely anti-tourist policy for a state with so much of its income coming from tourists.

 

This all electronic - have to pay at least $15 to get a pass and activate it is a way to scam tourists. Eventually locals will use all of the money, but my 75 cent fine has become a minimum of a $3.25 fine, plus having to deal with paying it. Most rental places charge a flat fee per day plus the toll amounts. Again, forcing more than the normal toll to be paid.

[alwalaska]

Thanks, MiamiYogi. Glad my memory was right but also glad we can pay in cash. We will avoid the I-95 Express Lanes (as I assume they require a toll or something else bad).

 

Continue to check before your trip. The letter we received said that the plan is to make the entire state electronic only as time goes on. Just because something allows cash today, it does not mean it will allow cash 6 months from now.

[sandancer]

We rented a car from Dollar and when driving late at night got in the Sunpass Lane by mistake. Too late to change without causing an accident we went through without paying the toll. The toll was 75 cents. 6 weeks later we were charged $25 by Dollar for processing the payment of the 75c. Compared to the OP we got off lightly.

[iflyrc5]

We will be renting from Budget and doing a one way from Ft. Lauderdale to Tampa on I-75 in Feb 2013. Can anyone tell me if this is a toll road. If it is do they have manned toll booths? We will be traveling on a Friday mid-day. Thanks for any help - we don't have many toll roads here in Indiana:).

[TMS MT]

We will be renting from Budget and doing a one way from Ft. Lauderdale to Tampa on I-75 in Feb 2013. Can anyone tell me if this is a toll road. If it is do they have manned toll booths? We will be traveling on a Friday mid-day. Thanks for any help - we don't have many toll roads here in Indiana:).

 

We will be in a similar situation but not doing one-way. We are renting from Budget's 17th St (I think that's the correct Street number) location and driving to Sanibel Island. We plan to take the main freeway there and then take the longer route up by a lake to return to Fort Lauderdale a couple days later. I can't remember the other freeway's number. I will probably just talk to the Budget car rental employee to see if we should activate the SunPass through them or just pay toll as we go. But it sounds like those who pay toll as they go end up getting charged by Budget anyways (unit accidently left on or something) and then don't have a receipt to prove they paid. I'll want to do whatever is easiest and less stressful!

Edited December 24, 2012 by TMS MT

[alwalaska]

We will be in a similar situation but not doing one-way. We are renting from Budget's 17th St (I think that's the correct Street number) location and driving to Sanibel Island. We plan to take the main freeway there and then take the longer route up by a lake to return to Fort Lauderdale a couple days later. I can't remember the other freeway's number. I will probably just talk to the Budget car rental employee to see if we should activate the SunPass through them or just pay toll as we go. But it sounds like those who pay toll as they go end up getting charged by Budget anyways (unit accidently left on or something) and then don't have a receipt to prove they paid. I'll want to do whatever is easiest and less stressful!

 

I got an email back from Florida in response to my complaint and they said that if you buy and activate a pass before the trip, they would refund what was still left on it when you get back. I don't know how hard or easy it would be to do, plus you would have to stick it to the Budget window and then get it back off afterward.

 

Budget will definitely tell you to do it through them, just like they will tell you to purchase their insurance if you ask. That is how they really make their money. They charge $3/day whether you use it or not, and then you pay the tolls on top of that. And, if their transponder doesn't work, you still have to fight with them over it.

[alwalaska]

We will be renting from Budget and doing a one way from Ft. Lauderdale to Tampa on I-75 in Feb 2013. Can anyone tell me if this is a toll road. If it is do they have manned toll booths? We will be traveling on a Friday mid-day. Thanks for any help - we don't have many toll roads here in Indiana:).

 

Supposedly, the only completely unmanned booths are in Miami Dade County and from what we saw, heading northwest out of Miami is where we got dinged.

 

Just be really careful on the lane you get in because the signage is not great.

 

Here is the sign warning it is electronic only, but it looks like it is at the exit not the entrance.

 

 

You can see the larger size here: