Avoid car rental toll fees - Revision history

Editor: /* An E-Z Pass covers the majority of states */

2021-06-09T21:12:54Z

‎An E-Z Pass covers the majority of states

Editor at 18:46, 9 June 2021

2021-06-09T18:46:24Z

Editor: /* Dealing with tolls in other states */

2021-06-09T18:46:08Z

‎Dealing with tolls in other states

Editor: /* An E-Z Pass covers the majority of states */

2021-06-09T17:51:59Z

‎An E-Z Pass covers the majority of states

Editor: /* An E-Z Pass covers the majority of states */

2021-06-09T17:51:26Z

‎An E-Z Pass covers the majority of states

Editor: /* An E-Z Pass covers the majority of states */

2021-06-09T17:34:54Z

‎An E-Z Pass covers the majority of states

Editor: /* Rental car electronic tolling devices are a rip off */

2021-06-09T17:33:14Z

‎Rental car electronic tolling devices are a rip off

Editor: /* Rental car electronic tolling devices are a rip off */

2021-06-09T17:32:06Z

‎Rental car electronic tolling devices are a rip off

Editor: Editor moved page Avoid Car Rental Toll Fees to Avoid car rental toll fees without leaving a redirect

2021-02-19T00:09:20Z

Editor moved page Avoid Car Rental Toll Fees to Avoid car rental toll fees without leaving a redirect

Editor at 01:20, 13 February 2021

2021-02-13T01:20:31Z

@@ Line 91: / Line 91: @@
 '''E-Z Pass is, by far, the largest system in the country—allowing you to use a single pass for all the electronic toll roads in the Northeastern and Midwestern states and Florida''' (Minnesota and Georgia should integrate in late 2021). Each state operates their own E-Z Pass program, making the rules for using roads and paying tolls different for every state. However, a single E-Z Pass transponder and account will work seamlessly across the entire region.
-{{Image|EZPass21.png|full}}
+{{Image|EZPass21.png}}
 '''You can buy an E-Z Pass from any of the participating states'''. Rates and rules are different on a state-by-state basis. '''Massachusetts’s program''' is a good option for people who live outside the E-Z Pass region. There is no charge for the transponder, you can get started with only a $20 balance, and there are no ongoing fees. It takes only a few minutes to [//www.ezdrivema.com/accountcreationselection apply online], and they’ll mail the pass to your house (at no extra fee), so you’ll be ready for your next trip.

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{Title|toll fees}} (2020)}}
+{{DISPLAYTITLE:{{Title|toll fees}} (2021)}}
 {{seo|description=Tips and tricks to avoid getting ripped off by car rental toll fees.}}
 {{Page|article|rental strategies|rentals 101}}

@@ Line 105: / Line 105: @@
 {{Label|California (FasTrak)}}
-You can avoid electronic tolling by not driving in tolled express lanes in a non-HOV vehicle, using cash lanes when available, and paying cashless tolls online. For the Golden Gate Bridge, you can pay [//www.bayareafastrak.org/en/howitworks/oneTime.shtml online] within 48 hours. For the Orange County toll roads, you can go [//secure.thetollroads.com/violation/payTolls.do?cmd=gotoFleetVeh online] and register your rental car ahead of time.
+You can sometimes avoid electronic tolling by not driving in tolled express lanes in a non-HOV vehicle, using cash lanes when available, and paying cashless tolls online.
-Alternatively, you can get a FasTrak device by mail before you leave, or at a [//www.bayareafastrak.org/en/howitworks/retailmap.html local retailer] before you pay any tolls. Online purchases require a $25 initial deposit.
+If you travel in California periodically, it makes sense to get a FasTrak device to use on your trips. You can [//www.bayareafastrak.org/en/about/get-fastrak.shtml order one online], but need to load it with a $25 initial balance. Otherwise, you can register your rental car to pay the bills yourself. For the San Francisco area roads use [//www.bayareafastrak.org/vector/account/postpay/otpRecentAdvanceToll.do?from=Home&locale=en_US&advance=true&fbpz=skip this site]. For the Orange County / San Diego Toll Roads visit [https://secure.thetollroads.com/violation/payTolls.do this site].
 {{Label|Colorado (EXpress Toll)}}
 Anyone can sign-up for an EXpress Toll account and then add their rental car (at the beginning of the rental), so you can avoid the extra fees. The only problem is that you need to fund your account with a minimum of $35. If you head to Colorado with reasonable frequency, this can be worthwhile, but it probably doesn’t make sense for a one-time rental.
 {{Label|Georgia <br/>(Peach Pass)}}
-The only electronic toll roads in the Peach Pass system are express lanes. You can easily avoid them.
+The only electronic toll roads in the Peach Pass system are express lanes. You can easily avoid them. Georgia is in the process of integrating with E-ZPass.
 {{Label|Louisiana (GeauxPass)}}
@@ Line 128: / Line 119: @@
 {{Label|Minnesota (MnPass)}}
-The easiest thing to do is just to avoid the tolled express lanes.
+The easiest thing to do is just to avoid the tolled express lanes. Minnesota is in the process of integrating with E-ZPass.
-{{Label|Texas}}
+{{Label|Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma}}
-You are pretty much out of luck in Texas, as all their programs require permanently mounted tags and you can’t pay the tolls online. Either try to avoid the many tolled road or pay the convenience fees.
+All of the toll systems in this part of the country now have interoperable passes. Unfortunately, they mostly require permanently mounted tags. Some programs allow you to buy a "portable" transponder for $25, but they aren't designed to be used with rental vehicles and won't work on the roads in the Dallas area.  There is also no convenient way to pay tolls online. Either try to avoid the many tolled road or pay the rental car fees.
 {{Label|Washington (Good to Go!)}}

@@ Line 95: / Line 95: @@
 '''You can buy an E-Z Pass from any of the participating states'''. Rates and rules are different on a state-by-state basis. '''Massachusetts’s program''' is a good option for people who live outside the E-Z Pass region. There is no charge for the transponder, you can get started with only a $20 balance, and there are no ongoing fees. It takes only a few minutes to [//www.ezdrivema.com/accountcreationselection apply online], and they’ll mail the pass to your house (at no extra fee), so you’ll be ready for your next trip.
-Virginia and North Carolina provide special tolling for HOV vehicles in express lanes. To take advantage, you need a "Flex" transponder, which has a switch to communicate to the system whether your vehicle currently meets the HOV requirement. Your best option are the free transponders from [//www.ezpassva.com Virginia's program].
+Virginia and North Carolina provide special tolling for HOV vehicles in express lanes. To take advantage, you need a '''Flex transponder''', which has a switch to communicate to the system whether your vehicle currently meets the HOV requirement. Your best option are the free transponders from [//www.ezpassva.com Virginia's program].
 === Dealing with tolls in other states ===

@@ Line 89: / Line 89: @@
 === An E-Z Pass covers the majority of states ===
-'''E-Z Pass is, by far, the largest system in the country—allowing you to use a single pass for all the electronic toll roads in the Northeastern and Midwestern states'''. Each state operates their own E-Z Pass program, making the rules for using roads and paying tolls different for every state. However, a single E-Z Pass transponder and account will work seamlessly across the entire region.
+'''E-Z Pass is, by far, the largest system in the country—allowing you to use a single pass for all the electronic toll roads in the Northeastern and Midwestern states and Florida''' (Minnesota and Georgia should integrate in late 2021). Each state operates their own E-Z Pass program, making the rules for using roads and paying tolls different for every state. However, a single E-Z Pass transponder and account will work seamlessly across the entire region.
 {{Image|EZPass21.png|full}}
@@ Line 95: / Line 95: @@
 '''You can buy an E-Z Pass from any of the participating states'''. Rates and rules are different on a state-by-state basis. '''Massachusetts’s program''' is a good option for people who live outside the E-Z Pass region. There is no charge for the transponder, you can get started with only a $20 balance, and there are no ongoing fees. It takes only a few minutes to [//www.ezdrivema.com/accountcreationselection apply online], and they’ll mail the pass to your house (at no extra fee), so you’ll be ready for your next trip.
-Another option are the [https://www.ncquickpass.com/resources/Pages/nc-quickpass-transponders.aspx E-ZPass Flex] from North Carolina or the [//www.cfxway.com/e-pass-xtra/ E-PASS Xtra] from Florida. They work in all the E-Z Pass states and also on Florida and Georgia's systems.  The downside is that the transponders cost money to purchase. The best of these is probably the North Carolina Flex Transponder which has HOV lane capability.
+Virginia and North Carolina provide special tolling for HOV vehicles in express lanes. To take advantage, you need a "Flex" transponder, which has a switch to communicate to the system whether your vehicle currently meets the HOV requirement. Your best option are the free transponders from [//www.ezpassva.com Virginia's program].
 === Dealing with tolls in other states ===

@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 Then to rip you off further, they charge you the full toll amount, rather than the discounted rate that you would normally get when using an electronic tolling device.
-At a typical price of $3.95 per day, this can be a significant increase to the price you were quoted when you booked the car, and you aren’t even getting a discount on the tolls. The only good news is that the extra transponder fees are mercifully capped at around $20-25 for the rental period.
+At a typical price of $4-6 per day, this can be a significant increase to the price you were quoted when you booked the car, and you aren’t even getting a discount on the tolls. The only good news is that the extra transponder fees are mercifully capped at around $20-35 for the rental period.
 {{List|logo}}
@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 {{LogoLabel|Payless}}
-$6.95 per rental day, $34.75 maximum fee.
+$6.95 per usage day, $34.75 maximum fee.
 {{LogoLabel|Thrifty}}
@@ Line 65: / Line 65: @@
 {{LogoLabel|Sixt}}
-$7.99 per rental day.
+Fees depend on location but tend to be high.
 {{/List|logo}}

@@ Line 21: / Line 21: @@
 === Rental car electronic tolling devices are a rip off ===
-'''Car rental companies have turned this into a massive profit center'''. They outfit their cars with electronic toll passes. However, rather than charging you just for the tolls you use, they charge you a substantial additional fee. To add insult to injury, you’ll usually pay for every day of the rental, even if you just needed to pay one toll near the rental location.
+'''Car rental companies have turned toll fees into a massive profit center'''. They outfit their cars with electronic toll passes. However, rather than charging you just for the tolls you use, they charge you a substantial additional fee. To add insult to injury, you’ll sometimes pay for every day of the rental, even if you just needed to pay one toll near the rental location.
 {{Image|HertzPlatepass.jpg|480}}
@@ Line 27: / Line 27: @@
 Then to rip you off further, they charge you the full toll amount, rather than the discounted rate that you would normally get when using an electronic tolling device.
-At a typical price of $3.95 per day, this can be a significant increase to the price you were quoted when you booked the car, and you aren’t even getting a discount on the tolls. The only good news is that transponder fees are mercifully capped at around $20-25 for the rental period.
+At a typical price of $3.95 per day, this can be a significant increase to the price you were quoted when you booked the car, and you aren’t even getting a discount on the tolls. The only good news is that the extra transponder fees are mercifully capped at around $20-25 for the rental period.
 {{List|logo}}
@@ Line 38: / Line 38: @@
 {{LogoLabel|Avis}}
-$3.95 per rental day. $19.75 maximum fee.
+$5.95 per usage day. $29.75 maximum fee.
 {{LogoLabel|Budget}}
-$3.95 per rental day. $19.75 maximum fee.
+$5.95 per usage day. $29.75 maximum fee.
 {{LogoLabel|Dollar}}
@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 {{LogoLabel|Hertz}}|
-$5.95 per usage day.
+$5.95 per usage day, no maximum
 {{LogoLabel|National}}
@@ Line 56: / Line 56: @@
 {{LogoLabel|Payless}}
-$2.95 per rental day, $19.75 maximum fee.
+$6.95 per rental day, $34.75 maximum fee.
 {{LogoLabel|Thrifty}}

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