A bit confused about Tolls? Have things changed?

[normannna]

Hi

 

We've not driven in USA for a while. When we've rented cars we've just stopped at any toll roads and paid cash - is this still an option?

 

We will be picking up a hire car near Port Everglades and driving up to Orlando for a week - back and forth between Davenport and the theme parks basically - and then dropping the car off at Miami airport.

 

Are we able to pay cash at tolls?

Would a pass from the hire car company be worth it for our journey plans?

Best route to take?

How much are the tolls now so we can have change?

 

I've looked at a few sites on this and even more confused - so any help will be gratefully appreciated :-)

[CruiserBruce]

Hertz ( I see from your other question) has cars that are set up with "EZ Pay" (I think that is the name for the program) where you don't need to pay in cash. The license plate is read, and charged, and it is charged to your rental (separately). It is a whole lot simpler than needing to carry the small change, and know where each toll station is. Yes, the process costs a little more...I think it is $3.95/day for your rental, plus the tolls.

 

If you Google search for "Florida Toll Roads", you can find the toll calculator, but then you are going day by day...trying to figure out where you will and won't drive, etc.

 

It is very easy, and saves time as well. We did a similar trip last March.

[dd likes to cruise]

And if you use the Florida Turnpike, there is no option to pay in cash. It has to be billed to the vehicle.

 

I should add, also down near Miami if you use the Hov lanes, they also bill the vehicle.

[BNBR]

And if you use the Florida Turnpike, there is no option to pay in cash. It has to be billed to the vehicle.

 

I should add, also down near Miami if you use the Hov lanes, they also bill the vehicle.

 

This is not entirely true. It's only cashless in Miami/South Broward. You can pay cash driving to Orlando.

[myfuzzy]

This is not entirely true. It's only cashless in Miami/South Broward. You can pay cash driving to Orlando.

 

But, there are some off ramps that are Sun Pass only. We got on the turnpike at Celebration, and was surprised to find the booth right there, needed change, so there we are digging for it. We had done the turnpike a couple of times, even the though the car came with the pass included, it was a per day charge, once the toll was used, we normally opted to pay cash if there was the option. We had paid a dollar or so per booth on the way. Only last November when we did the drive, we paid the tolls, as usual, we got to the one booth, had our dollar ready, and was told the toll was like $17.....

[BNBR]

But, there are some off ramps that are Sun Pass only. We got on the turnpike at Celebration, and was surprised to find the booth right there, needed change, so there we are digging for it. We had done the turnpike a couple of times, even the though the car came with the pass included, it was a per day charge, once the toll was used, we normally opted to pay cash if there was the option. We had paid a dollar or so per booth on the way. Only last November when we did the drive, we paid the tolls, as usual, we got to the one booth, had our dollar ready, and was told the toll was like $17.....

 

Yes, the toll can be $17 if you are driving to Orlando. But that's because you are driving almost 2 hours between the toll booths. Rental car companies all have the toll by plate option. That's what I would do, personally. Just pointing out that the turnpike is not entirely cashless and you can definitely drive to Orlando and pay cash. Is it worth saving the $3.95 or whatever? No. But you can. You can also just take I95.

[myfuzzy]

Yes, the toll can be $17 if you are driving to Orlando. But that's because you are driving almost 2 hours between the toll booths. Rental car companies all have the toll by plate option. That's what I would do, personally. Just pointing out that the turnpike is not entirely cashless and you can definitely drive to Orlando and pay cash. Is it worth saving the $3.95 or whatever? No. But you can. You can also just take I95.

 

Yes, I agree...I am not a freeway driver, and for me the quickest way is the Turnpike, and now I know where the rest stops are, I'm comfortable driving it. Also when driving around Orlando on the freeway, you have to have a heads up for the tolls as well. I like the one by the large plaza's leading the Disney, you think you are on the local highway, then are hit by the toll.

[BNBR]

Yes, I agree...I am not a freeway driver, and for me the quickest way is the Turnpike, and now I know where the rest stops are, I'm comfortable driving it. Also when driving around Orlando on the freeway, you have to have a heads up for the tolls as well. I like the one by the large plaza's leading the Disney, you think you are on the local highway, then are hit by the toll.

 

Long ago, the turnpike was sold as "once the road is paid for, the tolls would go away." But once the government gets a taste of that suite cash money.... now tolls all over the place. Do they widen the turnpike? No. Any major upgrades? No. All that toll money is re-routed to other pet projects nowadays. The only upgrades they have done to the turnpike is introducing new fancy ways to process your tolls and take your money.

 

Lol, Osceola Parkway. They toll you anywhere and everywhere they can get away with it.

[myfuzzy]

Long ago, the turnpike was sold as "once the road is paid for, the tolls would go away." But once the government gets a taste of that suite cash money.... now tolls all over the place. Do they widen the turnpike? No. Any major upgrades? No. All that toll money is re-routed to other pet projects nowadays. The only upgrades they have done to the turnpike is introducing new fancy ways to process your tolls and take your money.

 

Lol, Osceola Parkway. They toll you anywhere and everywhere they can get away with it.

 

 

LOL Same here in NYS, back in the 60's built the thruway, with tolls, on the basis when the road was "paid for" the tolls would "disappear" 60 years later.........

[screenname2004]

I asked similar question few months back with thread https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2567115 . One thing to be adware of is Hertz will charges $4.95 every rental day even if you use toll road only once.during your entire rental period.

[Capt_BJ]

how car rental companies handle the electronic tolling varies

 

in particular what they CHARGE varies widely

 

info here: https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

[myfuzzy]

I asked similar question few months back with thread https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2567115 . One thing to be adware of is Hertz will charges $4.95 every rental day even if you use toll road only once.during your entire rental period.

 

Alamo only charged per day, if you used the tolls once, then just tolls for the rest of that day. If you didn't use it, you didn't get charged.

[bouhunter]

how car rental companies handle the electronic tolling varies

 

in particular what they CHARGE varies widely

 

info here: https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

 

 

Exactly. Pays to consider the toll policy when shopping for rental cars.

[STIguy]

Long ago, the turnpike was sold as "once the road is paid for, the tolls would go away." But once the government gets a taste of that suite cash money.... now tolls all over the place. Do they widen the turnpike? No. Any major upgrades? No. All that toll money is re-routed to other pet projects nowadays. The only upgrades they have done to the turnpike is introducing new fancy ways to process your tolls and take your money.

 

Lol, Osceola Parkway. They toll you anywhere and everywhere they can get away with it.

^^^^^THIS THIS THIS^^^^^^^^

 

I hate the absolute greed of the Florida Turnpike "Enterprise".

It’s a cash cow scam that won’t go away. They don’t even clearly label what the tolls are at any of the booths to purposely keep the user in the dark.

Now they have changed federally funded interstates into toll lanes in the name of congestion ease. UTTER UTTER BS! Our federal taxes pay for that system.

I HATE TOLLS!

[hrhdhd]

But, there are some off ramps that are Sun Pass only. We got on the turnpike at Celebration, and was surprised to find the booth right there, needed change, so there we are digging for it.

 

Florida's Turnpike doesn't run to Celebration. You may be thinking of the GreeneWay (SR 417).

 

Do they widen the turnpike? No. Any major upgrades? No.

 

So, that's an exaggeration. Here's the Turnpike's page showing all ongoing and future construction. http://www.floridasturnpike.com/construction.html

 

The turnpike has been under construction in the Orlando area for years. And the Turnpike Authority maintains and builds roads other than the turnpike. Construction doesn't stop. http://www.floridasturnpike.com/about.html

[myfuzzy]

Florida's Turnpike doesn't run to Celebration. You may be thinking of the GreeneWay (SR 417).

 

 

 

So, that's an exaggeration. Here's the Turnpike's page showing all ongoing and future construction. http://www.floridasturnpike.com/construction.html

 

The turnpike has been under construction in the Orlando area for years. And the Turnpike Authority maintains and builds roads other than the turnpike. Construction doesn't stop. http://www.floridasturnpike.com/about.html

 

Might have been, we had made a right off if W Irlo Bronson Blvd going towards Celebration, the entrance was just past the Publix.

[BNBR]

Florida's Turnpike doesn't run to Celebration. You may be thinking of the GreeneWay (SR 417).

 

 

 

So, that's an exaggeration. Here's the Turnpike's page showing all ongoing and future construction. http://www.floridasturnpike.com/construction.html

 

The turnpike has been under construction in the Orlando area for years. And the Turnpike Authority maintains and builds roads other than the turnpike. Construction doesn't stop. http://www.floridasturnpike.com/about.html

 

I have driven the turnpike more time than I can count between Miami and Orlando. Other than basic maintenance, absolutely nothing is noticeably or appreciably upgraded or new. If they are using the funds to maintain and build roads other than the turnpike, than I'm not exaggerating at all, because the funds were supposed to be FOR the turnpike.

 

Florida has more toll roads than any other State. They went nuts with it.

[BNBR]

^^^^^THIS THIS THIS^^^^^^^^

 

I hate the absolute greed of the Florida Turnpike "Enterprise".

It’s a cash cow scam that won’t go away. They don’t even clearly label what the tolls are at any of the booths to purposely keep the user in the dark.

Now they have changed federally funded interstates into toll lanes in the name of congestion ease. UTTER UTTER BS! Our federal taxes pay for that system.

I HATE TOLLS!

 

I actually like the express lanes idea. The express lanes speed up the regular lanes, too, so in my opinion, it's a win/win. You can take the same highway without paying a penny.

[Capt_BJ]

technical point you are missing

 

all FL toll roads do NOT fall under the Turnpike Authority http://www.floridasturnpike.com/

 

in many parts of the state there is a 'local' toll road system too

 

such as the Central Florida Expressway Authority (greater Orlando) http://www.floridasturnpike.com/

 

and the Miami Dade Expressway Authority https://www.mdxway.com/about/mdx

 

and the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority https://www.tampa-xway.com/ (Salmon Expressway aka Tampa Crosstown)

 

and some of these systems ARE expanding and being improved TODAY

 

p.s. update about E-ZPASS in Florida:

 

The E-ZPass Group, a consortium of toll roads and bridges across the eastern United States, announced today that the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) will be the first toll agency in Florida to accept E-ZPass for payment of tolls on designated Florida toll roads owned and operated by CFX in the Metro Orlando region.

Beginning in early Spring 2018, the more than 35 million E-ZPass customers in 16 states — from Maine to North Carolina and west through Illinois — will experience the convenience of nonstop travel in Metro Orlando without fumbling for change at toll gantries.

[luvscruising2007]

technical point you are missing

 

all FL toll roads do NOT fall under the Turnpike Authority http://www.floridasturnpike.com/

 

in many parts of the state there is a 'local' toll road system too

 

such as the Central Florida Expressway Authority (greater Orlando) http://www.floridasturnpike.com/

 

 

 

and the Miami Dade Expressway Authority https://www.mdxway.com/about/mdx

 

and the Tampa Hillsborough Expressway Authority https://www.tampa-xway.com/ (Salmon Expressway aka Tampa Crosstown)

 

and some of these systems ARE expanding and being improved TODAY

 

p.s. update about E-ZPASS in Florida:

 

The E-ZPass Group, a consortium of toll roads and bridges across the eastern United States, announced today that the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) will be the first toll agency in Florida to accept E-ZPass for payment of tolls on designated Florida toll roads owned and operated by CFX in the Metro Orlando region.

Beginning in early Spring 2018, the more than 35 million E-ZPass customers in 16 states — from Maine to North Carolina and west through Illinois — will experience the convenience of nonstop travel in Metro Orlando without fumbling for change at toll gantries.

 

Great news. Now if that works out well maybe they will expand to the Miami area.

[jamesr3939]

I have used Hertz and Budget. It's tied to the license plate. There will be a decal on the inside of the windshield that will tell you which toll systems are applicable. They charge a $20 processing fee +tolls. So if you use it once it's $20 plus. After that it's just the tolls. It's billed via a third party so you won't get that bill until days or weeks later. It's all spelled out on their www sites.

[cheeseclan]

jamesr3939: sorry i disagree with you. We use Hertz monthly and have never been charged a $20 processing fee. You are charged a $4.95 fee only for the days you use the toll roads. Of course you are also charged the actual toll fees but that is it. you will get an email a week or so later explaining the charges so you can see what they charged.

 

Much better than using AVIS who still charges you a fee of $3.95 a day with a maximum charge of $19.75 for the time of your rental. Plus the toll charges.

[NoWhiners]

We have driven between Orlando and Ft Lauderdale (both ways) multiple times. I refuse to pay the tolls, or the extra fees that the rental car companies charge, so we always use I95. It's fine and it's an easy drive.

 

Florida has it's hand in your wallet from the second you land until you leave again. Not really that different than places like Las Vegas or San Diego, but they all annoy me. Charge tourists since they can't vote locally. We just do our best to avoid as many extra charges as we can.

 

Good luck, whatever you do.

 

ML

[BNBR]

We have driven between Orlando and Ft Lauderdale (both ways) multiple times. I refuse to pay the tolls, or the extra fees that the rental car companies charge, so we always use I95. It's fine and it's an easy drive.

 

Florida has it's hand in your wallet from the second you land until you leave again. Not really that different than places like Las Vegas or San Diego, but they all annoy me. Charge tourists since they can't vote locally. We just do our best to avoid as many extra charges as we can.

 

Good luck, whatever you do.

 

ML

 

I95 is really not bad advice. It only adds about 30 minutes to the drive and you save $20+. Depends what time is worth for the traveler.

[CruiserBruce]

I have used Hertz and Budget. It's tied to the license plate. There will be a decal on the inside of the windshield that will tell you which toll systems are applicable. They charge a $20 processing fee +tolls. So if you use it once it's $20 plus. After that it's just the tolls. It's billed via a third party so you won't get that bill until days or weeks later. It's all spelled out on their www sites.

 

Did a Hertz rental last March, picked up at MCO, dropped in Ft Lauderdale. Didn't have a $20 service charge. Just the fee on the rental and tolls.