Does the 528 and 417 still have cash tolls?

[ParrotBill]

What company? I've never seen an EZ Pass transponder in a rental car that does not have a way to turn it off. I've rented from all of the majors at MCO and many of the lessers.

I have rented from Budget, Sixt, Hertz and one other off-brand I can't recall in the last few years.
I had one car with a transponder fastened with clear tape and it could not be removed. Agencies response was "don't drive on toll roads."

The others had a removable one but I didn't have a bag to prevent it from pinging, which it did sometimes even from inside the glove box.

And in all cases, when using my own, either the ping from the car company transponder or toll-by-plate resulted in any of these at any toll read:
- my transponder
- agency transponder
- both transponders (double charged)
plus of course the agency's outrageous up charges.

The dispute process was two months long going back and forth with the toll authority and the agency. To get about $30 in fees and duplicate tolls removed. Unacceptable.

See above post. It's still a problem.

 

[peacefrogdog]

I have rented from Budget, Sixt, Hertz and one other off-brand I can't recall in the last few years.
I had one car with a transponder fastened with clear tape and it could not be removed. Agencies response was "don't drive on toll roads."

The others had a removable one but I didn't have a bag to prevent it from pinging, which it did sometimes even from inside the glove box.

And in all cases, when using my own, either the ping from the car company transponder or toll-by-plate resulted in any of these at any toll read:
- my transponder
- agency transponder
- both transponders (double charged)
plus of course the agency's outrageous up charges.

The dispute process was two months long going back and forth with the toll authority and the agency. To get about $30 in fees and duplicate tolls removed. Unacceptable.

See above post. It's still a problem.

Based on these accounts, it sounds like there is no easy way to avoid these rental company's charges for tolls. They seem to be automatic, and whether you pay cash (like I did), or use something like Visitor Toll Pass (or your own transponder) the possibility of still being charged is very real.
May be their advice to "don't drive on toll roads" is the only safe way around this?

 

[dioxide45]

There are two separate toll collecting groups, the Florida Turnpike Authority and the Expressway Authority. The Turnpike Authority is the one going to cashless tolls but they don’t control the 528 or 417.

Isn't Florida's Turnpike Authority the one that operates Sunpass? If so, aren't the westernmost toll plazas on the Beachline (528) operated by Sunpass? They still have cash lanes and I am not aware they are going cashless.

 

[MillauFr]

I used my own transponder with Alamo and no problem with getting double charged.

 

[dioxide45]

I used my own transponder with Alamo and no problem with getting double charged.

This is because Alamo uses PlatePass for tolls instead of in vehicle transponders. If you have your own transponder, it overrides PlatePass being used to collect the toll.

 

[ParrotBill]

Isn't Florida's Turnpike Authority the one that operates Sunpass? If so, aren't the westernmost toll plazas on the Beachline (528) operated by Sunpass? They still have cash lanes and I am not aware they are going cashless.

Someone reported they used cash lanes but the transponder pinged and they were double charged. So get a receipt... and be prepared to go through the hassle of demanding a refund of toll AND fees.

 

[EACarlson]

Someone reported they used cash lanes but the transponder pinged and they were double charged. So get a receipt... and be prepared to go through the hassle of demanding a refund of toll AND fees.

You may still lose. Happened to me in 2017. Passenger opened the transponder while we were driving in the dark. Went through cash lane and paid, got receipt and the transponder pinged. Got charged by the rental car company, disputed with rental company, they told me that the charge was on their transponder so I had to pay it. Disputed with my CC company and lost.

 

[dioxide45]

Someone reported they used cash lanes but the transponder pinged and they were double charged. So get a receipt... and be prepared to go through the hassle of demanding a refund of toll AND fees.

Yes, if you have a transponder and it isn't in a blocking bag, it will ping even if you try to pay cash. This is covered in the FAQ on the website. The only way to prevent a possible ping is an RF shield bag. You used to be able to order the shield bags on the Sunpass website, but I can't seem to locate them. This will only work if you have your own transponder and not a car rental agency installed one.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Well, as some have predicted, despite paying at the cash lanes Avis ended up charging me $22 USD for my two tolls. I didn't even see the physical transponder in the rental. As I did not get receipts for paying cash at the toll, I unfortunately have no way to counter Avis' claims. It's Visitor Toll Pass for me going forward.

Update: I'm glad I checked the toll statement because they ended up charging me for tolls after I had already returned the car. I think it should be a straightforward refund because I have a copy of the rental receipt showing the time of return, that is well before the charges. I won't be surprised however if Avis takes their time with the refund.

 

[40ariel]

I used the Central Florida Expressway Toll Calculator to calculate the tolls on the 417 from the Sanford airport to the International Drive/World Centre Drive exit and it states "$8.75 * Pay-By-Plate payment will be used for a portion of this trip".
Are there portions of the the 417 where there is no option to pay cash and it is pay-by-plate only?

 

[OKW Lover]

Are there portions of the the 417 where there is no option to pay cash and it is pay-by-plate only?

Yes. If you continue towards WDW and don't get off at exit 6 (535) the next exit does not have a cash lane.

 

[40ariel]

Yes. If you continue towards WDW and don't get off at exit 6 (535) the next exit does not have a cash lane.

Ok thanks so much for the information. Something at the Sanford end of the toll calculator is triggering the "*Pay-By-Plate payment will be used for a portion of this trip." message, both Southbound and Northbound. Therefore I was wondering if there is a toll with no cash lane closer to Sanford.

 

[OKW Lover]

Ok thanks so much for the information. Something at the Sanford end of the toll calculator is triggering the "*Pay-By-Plate payment will be used for a portion of this trip." message, both Southbound and Northbound. Therefore I was wondering if there is a toll with no cash lane closer to Sanford.

I was assuming you were talking about the section of 417 between MCO and WDW. I do not know about the rest of 417.

 

[dioxide45]

The tolls between MCO and I-4 are operated by the Florida Turnpike Authority (Sunpass), they still have cash lanes.

 

[erionm]

I used the Central Florida Expressway Toll Calculator to calculate the tolls on the 417 from the Sanford airport to the International Drive/World Centre Drive exit and it states "$8.75 * Pay-By-Plate payment will be used for a portion of this trip".
Are there portions of the the 417 where there is no option to pay cash and it is pay-by-plate only?

If you to avoid that Pay-By-Plate toll, get on to SR-417 at CR-426/Lake Mary Blvd and then exit at at I-Drive (exit 6). Red Cleveland Blvd out of the airport will take you to E Lake Mary Blvd.

 

[Lewisc]

One of the no name agencies, I didn’t save a screenshot, would remove the permanently attached transponder. Fee $250.

 

[OKW Lover]

One of the no name agencies, I didn’t save a screenshot, would remove the permanently attached transponder. Fee $250.

I don't quite understand what you are saying. Please elaborate.

FWIW, if you have a Sunpass account you can register any vehicle by entering the license plate number, make and model of the car. Once done any tolls you pass through will be charged to your account even if you don't have a transponder.

 

[Lewisc]

I don't quite understand what you are saying. Please elaborate.

FWIW, if you have a Sunpass account you can register any vehicle by entering the license plate number, make and model of the car. Once done any tolls you pass through will be charged to your account even if you don't have a transponder.

The agency permanently attached (glued) their transponder. Tolls were billed to that transponder. Registering your sun pass might have resulted in being double charged

The language was removed from their website.

 

[40ariel]

If you to avoid that Pay-By-Plate toll, get on to SR-417 at CR-426/Lake Mary Blvd and then exit at at I-Drive (exit 6). Red Cleveland Blvd out of the airport will take you to E Lake Mary Blvd.

Thank you!

 

[dioxide45]

If you to avoid that Pay-By-Plate toll, get on to SR-417 at CR-426/Lake Mary Blvd and then exit at at I-Drive (exit 6). Red Cleveland Blvd out of the airport will take you to E Lake Mary Blvd.

That is what I was able to tell from looking at the toll calculator, but even when selecting those as the start and end points, it still comes up with the notation about pay-by-plate. I suspect it is some kind of error.