Loaner toll road transponders

[Weedy]

This was in the Orlando paper today. Don’t know any other information.
This may help people driving to Port Canaveral
https://digitaledition.orlandosenti...-42a6-42b3-91be-f4782530a2d0#nt=primarynavbar

 

[Capt_BJ]

that link isn't going where you think .... it offers a two week trial subscription to e-edition of the news paper . . .

but I think this is the story you want:

Central Florida’s toll-road agency has begun to loan transponders to visitors at Orlando’s airport to try to solve ongoing complaints from out-of-towners that they had been gouged by rental companies charging fees that in many cases were far greater than actual road tolls.

Complaints have been on the rise as toll booths in Central Florida have given way to automated pay-by-plate tolling.

A frequent visitor, Don Rogalsky of Winnipeg, Canada, rented a car last year for a theme-park stay. He eventually ran out of a generous supply of quarters and encountered a toll plaza that did not provide change.

The rental-car bill he got for driving through a pay-by-plate lane at that toll plaza included a $10 administration charge.

“I got kind of hot about that,” Rogalsky said.

Several thousand loaner transponders are available during a three-month trial intended to turn into a permanent program. The expressway authority could find no model elsewhere in the country and had to design its own concept. The pilot project is costing the expressway authority $200,000 a month.

Along the A and B sides of the airport terminal, expressway-authority representatives wait from 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. near rental-car counters and next to self-standing signs with the headline: “Travel like a local. Pay tolls. Skip fees.”

The authority has calculated that users of a loaner transponder can save as much as 80 percent of what they would pay through some rental-company toll options.

But as those toll options vary widely, transponder users would pay an average of 23 percent less than what drivers paying with cash would have to fork up, according the authority.

The program officially got started on May 1. But on the day before, Boston resident Marsha Montgomery arrived with her daughter for a cheerleading competition and had to wait in a long line to rent a car.

She saw one of the signs, went to the VisitorTollPass.com on her phone, filled out a form and, as a result, became the first user of a loaner transponder.

“The process was very smooth,” Montgomery said. “And you only have to pay for what you use.”

Other travelers said they hardly took note of the sign, though it was just feet away, as they were focused on their travel details.

“I guess I thought it was an advertisement for a resort,” Jennifer Dougherty said.

Several asked why information for the loaner transponders was not being made available at the counters or rental companies.

So far, the transponder program has the support of airport and leaders, but not the backing of rental companies.

The expressway-authority officials suspect but haven’t confirmed that loaner transponders may take a bite out of profits for rental companies.

“Our focus has been to work with the airport,” said expressway-authority spokesman Brian Hutchings.

Enterprise Holdings spokeswoman Lisa Martini said in response to the loaner program that the “tolling process remains complex and challenging for many drivers.”

“We look forward to working closely with CFX – just as we always have – to ensure the best possible customer experience,” Martini said.

The loaners are shaped as a small mirror hanger. Users will be charged $10 if the transponders are not returned either at the airport or by mail. Tolls are charged to a user’s credit card.

Authority representative Viviana Adams encouraged users to save a website link to the loaner program.

“It’s where you can see your tolls so that you won’t be surprised,” Adams said.

“Thank you,” said Maria Ramiro Delgado, clutching a transponder. “We’ve been traveling all day and need to get to our hotel for some rest.”

 

[Weedy]

Ugh thanks for fixing my post. The Orlando Sentinel is so frustrating. They lock down their articles

 

[apathetic]

Great story, thanks for reposting. We usually make it a point to carry a lot of quarters for toll roads in FL. Rental companies completely rip you off by telling you to use pre-pay toll lanes but not mentioning the $10 fee. It really becomes an issue if you exit at an unmanned toll station and don't have any change. The whole system stinks. We may check this out on our next trip to FL.

 

[xiphoid76]

Excellent! Always a problem while traveling in Florida. Worse when I travel for work and then hit an unmanned exit booth - sometimes you don't get billed for weeks/months later in one instance which led to a big issue with work as they saw a charge on my work credit card for Florida months later. Also a pain, as I am supposed to turn in my receipts 3 days after my trip. I utilize the google maps "no toll roads" option a lot down there for some very scenic and long drives around Florida

 

[Quellman]

The PILOT program is free, not sure if they would charge a fee otherwise once this gets going. I can imagine they would for account maintenance etc.
Current prices: Sunpass Sticker $4.99. Sunpass transponder $19.99 Cost of not returning the visitor pass hanging placard is $10. it is unclear if the placard would then be deactivated if not returned. I would rather pay $10 for a placard instead of $20 for a transponder. (Note, I already own a transponder as an out of state resident.

The reason people are cheesed off is that rental companies will charge a fee PERDAY to cover your tolls if you use the transponder. I did this in Massachusetts earlier this year for work. No opportunity for cash tolls, and the rental company charged a flat rate per day for tolls, even if I didn't use a toll that day! You can see the Florida rates HERE.

This is a great program to solve a frustrating problem. If they can keep it free for visitors, great, I suspect that the toll cost might increase depending on popularity. But then Florida residents might be grumpy that they have to pay a one time fee for either the sticker or transponder, and they USE the system all the time. A small nominal fee might be in order to cover server, cloud, costs etc.

 

[Capt_BJ]

if you go to the web site, some of your questions are covered in the FAQ .....

 

[Ralph&Pam]

The PILOT program is free, not sure if they would charge a fee otherwise once this gets going. I can imagine they would for account maintenance etc.
Current prices: Sunpass Sticker $4.99. Sunpass transponder $19.99 Cost of not returning the visitor pass hanging placard is $10. it is unclear if the placard would then be deactivated if not returned. I would rather pay $10 for a placard instead of $20 for a transponder. (Note, I already own a transponder as an out of state resident.

The reason people are cheesed off is that rental companies will charge a fee PERDAY to cover your tolls if you use the transponder. I did this in Massachusetts earlier this year for work. No opportunity for cash tolls, and the rental company charged a flat rate per day for tolls, even if I didn't use a toll that day! You can see the Florida rates HERE.

This is a great program to solve a frustrating problem. If they can keep it free for visitors, great, I suspect that the toll cost might increase depending on popularity. But then Florida residents might be grumpy that they have to pay a one time fee for either the sticker or transponder, and they USE the system all the time. A small nominal fee might be in order to cover server, cloud, costs etc.

For frequent visitors to WDW, the EPass transponder from the Central Florida Expressway may be a better value than the Sunpass. The portable unit is $10.60 including tax and delivery. I received mine in about a week after doing an online order. Both Sunpass and EPass work on the Florida toll roads, so you can use EPass throughout the state.

 

[Capt_BJ]

I would rather pay $10 for a placard instead of $20 for a transponder.

1. The FAQ for this new program implies they can shut down a 'not returned' loaner after 90 days .....

2. I can understand your reasoning if an out of state customer. However, for an in state customer there ARE advantages to the $20 'portable' version ..... most significantly the ability to attach more than one lic' tag to the account. IME the 'sticker' and I'm gonna guess this 'loaner' allow only one tag at a time linked to the account. As I've mentioned many times, with the portable, if the TAG is registered to the account, you don't actually even NEED the transponder in the vehicle!!!!! One portable lives in a kitchen drawer but 4 vehicle tags associated with the account. I lose the 'discount' toll rate when the system uses the fall back 'toll by plate' but I only bought one PORTABLE transponder!

I use the SUNPASS portable and their website and app ... got my first SUNPASS around 1997 in Miami . . . 'first' because they provided free upgrades as the system changed....

can not compare to E-PASS as I have never used . . .

 

[xiphoid76]

I just reserved this for our next trip next week to Orlando. Very excited about this!

 

[bumbershoot]

Although I have no problems
getting ones and quarters and making them last (or getting more) and doubt I’d get this, I do think it’s a neat idea for many.

That said... the article. Ugh.

“Gouging”? When you can so easily look up the toll policy on your chosen rental car site?

A frequent visitor, Don Rogalsky of Winnipeg, Canada, rented a car last year for a theme-park stay. He eventually ran out of a generous supply of quarters and encountered a toll plaza that did not provide change.

The rental-car bill he got for driving through a pay-by-plate lane at that toll plaza included a $10 administration charge.

“I got kind of hot about that,” Rogalsky said.

Ha! Canada was one of only two areas my then-husband was ever put in a position of having to deal with rental car charges for tolls because there was NO other local option, in 7 years of traveling half or more of each year for work. And the Canada tolls plus fees were nasty-high.

(He has no idea there were tolls in the area until he got to those sections of the highway. I think it was way out east)

Several asked why information for the loaner transponders was not being made available at the counters or rental companies.

Ummm.

 

[Van Houten]

While this is a welcome change, I believe the entire process will end up costing way too much, and will have to be re-designed or updated to make it viable / profitable.

I bought a SunPass tag back in 2012, and have used it since on many Florida trips, which made that initial investment worthwhile. However, to buy a tag, I had to venture out of the airport and get to a nearby store - working around toll plazas. Wouldn't it be easier to just offer the tags for sale at some of the airport kiosks, and do away with complexities of managing a loaner program?

I'm all for getting HTA LLC out of business with their ridiculous per-day / per-rental fees, but there has to be a better way than loading the state program with extra costs, likely at the expense of local residents.

 

[lizzyb]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Quellman]

For frequent visitors to WDW, the EPass transponder from the Central Florida Expressway may be a better value than the Sunpass. The portable unit is $10.60 including tax and delivery. I received mine in about a week after doing an online order. Both Sunpass and EPass work on the Florida toll roads, so you can use EPass throughout the state.

I was looking into the differences this morning, and echo that epass may be the best use right now, cheaper buy in costs, additional capability beyond FL GA and NC. Plus toll discounts.

 

[dprincessmom]

Florida resident here and I would encourage those that are thinking about tolls to take a look at Sunpass. Yes it's an initial outlay of money ($5 to $20 depending on your choice), however your Florida Sunpass now works in Georgia and North Carolina as well, so those that come down thru those states might find it worth it (looking at you Atlanta traffic) to take the express way and save some time. If you have the Sunpass, it's a no brainer - 2 hours in ATL traffic or 20 minutes to get from the Sugar Loaf area to outside of ATL all together.

 

[anricat]

Thanks for posting! I just reserved for our trip next month. We are spending a few days in Cocoa Beach prior to our cruise so we will have a car, which we don't normally have. This will make life easier for sure.

 

[scgustafson]

If these tags are tied to a single license plate number, I wonder if it can be changed mid-use period for those of us who do one-way rentals MCO to Port Canaveral and then back?

 

[xiphoid76]

If these tags are tied to a single license plate number, I wonder if it can be changed mid-use period for those of us who do one-way rentals MCO to Port Canaveral and then back?

I just reserved one. You don't need to tie it to any license number or rental on the reservation. We are using it one way from MCO to Port Canaveral. You just put the day you want to return it which for us will be after the cruise. Looks simple, will try it out next week

 

[Anchors Away 2016]

The PILOT program is free, not sure if they would charge a fee otherwise once this gets going. I can imagine they would for account maintenance etc.
Current prices: Sunpass Sticker $4.99. Sunpass transponder $19.99 Cost of not returning the visitor pass hanging placard is $10. it is unclear if the placard would then be deactivated if not returned. I would rather pay $10 for a placard instead of $20 for a transponder. (Note, I already own a transponder as an out of state resident.

The reason people are cheesed off is that rental companies will charge a fee PERDAY to cover your tolls if you use the transponder. I did this in Massachusetts earlier this year for work. No opportunity for cash tolls, and the rental company charged a flat rate per day for tolls, even if I didn't use a toll that day! You can see the Florida rates HERE.

This is a great program to solve a frustrating problem. If they can keep it free for visitors, great, I suspect that the toll cost might increase depending on popularity. But then Florida residents might be grumpy that they have to pay a one time fee for either the sticker or transponder, and they USE the system all the time. A small nominal fee might be in order to cover server, cloud, costs etc.

This was my experience as well. Not every Rental agency does this, but some do. I have NO PROBLEM calling that gouging. I understand having to pay the rental company a small fee in addition to the actual toll (though really, just paying the toll should be enough), but to have to pay an extra charge EVERY day of my rental if I happen to need it one time? Crazy. The fact that somewhere in the paperwork they tell you how outrageous they are doesn't change anything. They sure don't put it on the $X/day on the website where you made the reservation.

It is short-sighted on the rental company's part too because it leads to outrage which leads to programs like the one in this article. Still rental car's business model seems to be gouge you whenever they can (per day insurance costs for things that might already be covered), and don't even get me started about their gasoline policies, so it isn't surprising that they'd take a short-term gain attitude on this too.

 

[Capt_BJ]

If these tags are tied to a single license plate number, I wonder if it can be changed mid-use period for those of us who do one-way rentals MCO to Port Canaveral and then back?

The FAQ at the link for this program addresses 'changing cars' ...... "if you change vehicles elsewhere, you will need to update your account with the new license plate information online using your unique trip link and install the hang tag on the arm of the rearview mirror of the vehicle you are driving on the toll roads. You can also call customer service +14076905300 (7 days a week 9 a.m. - 1 a.m. EST) if you need assistance."