# Cashless Tolls in the Orlando Area?



## strandlover (Oct 4, 2012)

We will be in Orlando in March 2012.  I just booked my car rental and noticed that there is an option for Pass24, which is the transponder for the tolls.

We will probably just head to Cocoa Beach for a day trip and spend the rest of the time in the Orlando area.  Do I need to rent this Pass24 _thingy_?  Am I safe just to have a fistfull of quarters at all times?


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## brigechols (Oct 4, 2012)

You will be fine with a fistfull of quarters. You should check out the fine print on the rental agreement if you opt to use the transponder. Some rental companies assess a use fee for the transponder for each rental day. This is in addition to the tolls.


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## simpsontruckdriver (Oct 4, 2012)

You're not required to pay tolls anywhere in the Orlando area. SR-50, which goes from Spring Hill (west coast of Florida) through Orlando to Merrit Island, is free (just some traffic spots in town). If you don't mind 35-45mph through Orlando, no tolls!

Quarters/dollars works fine if you want to take the Beachline to Cocoa Beach. It is a HUGE ripoff to pay any money for the transponder, since it goes into the pocket of the rental car agency

TS


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## Pedro (Oct 4, 2012)

simpsontruckdriver said:


> Quarters/dollars works fine if you want to take the Beachline to Cocoa Beach. It is a HUGE ripoff to pay any money for the transponder, since it goes into the pocket of the rental car agency
> 
> TS


I disagree with the statement that the transpopnder is a HUGE ripoff.  It all depends on how much you value your time.  There are times when the lines to pay the toll at the toll booths in the Beeline are quite long, and if you have a transponder you can just cruise by.  If you are going from the I-4 or I-Drive area to Cocoa Beach, you'll have to go through 4 toll booths in each direction.  If you had a 5' wait at each toll both, that would be 40' for the round trip.  I'd rather pay the fee for the transponder (Avis' is $2.50 per day) than waste my vacation time waiting in line.


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## timeos2 (Oct 4, 2012)

You can purchase a prepaid Fl toll card or transponder yourself. They are free - you just pay for the prepaid toll value. It is much cheaper than using the ones in the rental vehicles as they charge an average of $2.50 PER DAY that you use it on top of the tolls due. 

Using a pass or transponder is much more convenient but I don't find it worth the daily expense the rental companies charge. I do the same with my EZpass. I have one in each car and a spare I carry for rental cars when I travel. Works great in both cases.


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## mjm1 (Oct 4, 2012)

timeos2 said:


> You can purchase a prepaid Fl toll card or transponder yourself. They are free - you just pay for the prepaid toll value. It is much cheaper than using the ones in the rental vehicles as they charge an average of $2.50 PER DAY that you use it on top of the tolls due.
> 
> Using a pass or transponder is much more convenient but I don't find it worth the daily expense the rental companies charge. I do the same with my EZpass. I have one in each car and a spare I carry for rental cars when I travel. Works great in both cases.



Thanks for the advice.  Where would we buy a prepaid Fl toll card or transponder and in what denominations do they come?

We will be Orlando in April and plan to drive to the Kennedy Space Center, St. Augustine and maybe Tampa.  So, would appreciate insights regarding the number of toll stops we may hit and estimated cost of each trip.

We don't get to Florida very often, so are not familiar with the toll roads.

Thanks much.


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## timeos2 (Oct 4, 2012)

mjm1 said:


> Thanks for the advice.  Where would we buy a prepaid Fl toll card or transponder and in what denominations do they come?
> 
> We will be Orlando in April and plan to drive to the Kennedy Space Center, St. Augustine and maybe Tampa.  So, would appreciate insights regarding the number of toll stops we may hit and estimated cost of each trip.
> 
> ...



They are available at many stores and virtually all rest stops.  Just be sure you get it a day before your first use as it takes 24 hours to be activated. 

Mine was $25 - all of that went in as prepaid tolls It took me 4 trips to use it up & then I set it for $10 refills.  Now my daughter lives there so I gave it to her.  I take it back when we visit. So far it's been about $20 in use over a year.  She's been very careful about using it.  

To Kennedy & back is around $6 if I recall.


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## Sea Six (Oct 4, 2012)

They sell transponders at the Publix grocery store, too.  The model for 1 car only is $5, and the model you can move between multiple cars is $25.  Then you activate it by transferring a positive balance to your SunPass account online, and enter all your personal and vehicle data.  There aren't any tolls down here where  I live, but we got a transponder for trips around Orlando and over to Ft Lauderdale.  Makes life a lot easier.


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## bankr63 (Oct 10, 2012)

Again, think of the cost and bother.  National/Alamo have the best deal I've found, they charge a max of $6 per rental to use tolls ($2 per day used, so only one day use is only $2).  Is this cheaper and easier than going to a store, purchasing, waiting 24 hours?  For me yes - you don't even need to arrange anything with NatAlamo (AlaNat?) companys.  There is no "transponder" (unless it is permanently mounted in all their vehicles); my understanding is that all their plates are registered with the state toll authority (same way we do it for tolls in Canada).  Just drive through the express lanes and the charge appears on your credit card a few days later.

I love the convenience and lack of worry.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 10, 2012)

bankr63 said:


> Again, think of the cost and bother.  National/Alamo have the best deal I've found, they charge a max of $6 per rental to use tolls ($2 per day used, so only one day use is only $2).  Is this cheaper and easier than going to a store, purchasing, waiting 24 hours?  For me yes - you don't even need to arrange anything with NatAlamo (AlaNat?) companys.  There is no "transponder" (unless it is permanently mounted in all their vehicles); my understanding is that all their plates are registered with the state toll authority (same way we do it for tolls in Canada).  Just drive through the express lanes and the charge appears on your credit card a few days later.
> 
> I love the convenience and lack of worry.



I would agree. And the cost of a portable transponder is over $25, it would take a lot of rentals to break even. If you travel to Orlando and even Florida a lot, buying a transponder makes sense (we did). For the occasional trip, the current toll programs offered by many of the rental agencies is great.


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## dbmarch (Oct 10, 2012)

You can just log in and order one online.   Preload it with $$ before you go.  
Get the one with suction cups.   You get a discount on the tolls and can use on future trips.   Just don't leave it in the rental car.

https://www.sunpass.com


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## dioxide45 (Oct 10, 2012)

dbmarch said:


> You can just log in and order one online.   Preload it with $$ before you go.
> Get the one with suction cups.   You get a discount on the tolls and can use on future trips.   Just don't leave it in the rental car.
> 
> https://www.sunpass.com



One thing to note is that the discount on tolls is only at SunPass toll stations. Any tolls operated by the Expressway Authority (E-Pass), 417 is one, are not discounted. Though the SunPass still works at them.


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## bankr63 (Oct 10, 2012)

And no sooner did I post this than National sent me an updated T&C document via e-mail.  TCC (Toll Convenience Charge) has just risen to $5 per day, to a maximum of $15 per rental period.  Not nearly as good as $2/$6, but I will probably still use it.  It does look like family members can still be authorized additional drivers at no charge if you belong to Emerald Club - one of my favorite perks of membership.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 10, 2012)

bankr63 said:


> And no sooner did I post this than National sent me an updated T&C document via e-mail.  TCC (Toll Convenience Charge) has just risen to $5 per day, to a maximum of $15 per rental period.  Not nearly as good as $2/$6, but I will probably still use it.  It does look like family members can still be authorized additional drivers at no charge if you belong to Emerald Club - one of my favorite perks of membership.



Well that isn't as good of a deal. Two rentals and you could just pay for a portable transponder and be ahead of the game.


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## Sea Six (Oct 11, 2012)

bankr63 said:


> Again, think of the cost and bother.  National/Alamo have the best deal I've found, they charge a max of $6 per rental to use tolls ($2 per day used, so only one day use is only $2).  Is this cheaper and easier than going to a store, purchasing, waiting 24 hours?  For me yes - you don't even need to arrange anything with NatAlamo (AlaNat?) companys.  There is no "transponder" (unless it is permanently mounted in all their vehicles); my understanding is that all their plates are registered with the state toll authority (same way we do it for tolls in Canada).  Just drive through the express lanes and the charge appears on your credit card a few days later.
> 
> I love the convenience and lack of worry.



If you're staying in a time-share, and going to Publix for groceries, what could be easier than picking up a transponder while you're already there?


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## simpsontruckdriver (Oct 11, 2012)

As I said before, instead of doing the whole toll thing, just leave earlier and take the regular highways/roads in Orlando. Think about it: you get a toll thing through the rental company. It has $6 in it. You wind up spending $3. The $3 is lost, as the transponder is then used by someone else.

Or, if you are so Hell-bent on using Orlando's toll roads, bring money or change. A couple years ago, on at least one toll road, discounts for SunPass were eliminated, meaning the only benefit is not having to stop at booths. You'll spend the same amount of money, paying by cash or transponder.

So, unless you are guaranteed to use every penny of tolls, just use cash. Booths take dollars and change, and attendants give change.

TS


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## bankr63 (Oct 11, 2012)

Sea Six said:


> If you're staying in a time-share, and going to Publix for groceries, what could be easier than picking up a transponder while you're already there?



Because to get to the Publix from MCO, I have to go through two tolls.   Also note that I don't always have US currency yet (although I usually have a little leftover from the last trip).  The cash machines at Publix are connected with my Canadian bank (no fees) so I usually wait until there to get a wad of cash for the week.


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## bankr63 (Oct 11, 2012)

dioxide45 said:


> Well that isn't as good of a deal. Two rentals and you could just pay for a portable transponder and be ahead of the game.



Yeah, it's a harder decision now.  But I almost always only do two days of toll, so my costs go from $4 to $10 (plus tolls).  If I buy my own transponder, I have to worry about remembering to bring it with me on the next trip - and from what others say here, it sounds like I have to preload tolls onto it - kind of like my Starbucks card?  I like TCC where I only pay the actual tolls incurred.  I don't have to tie up any funds, or even guess how many toll roads I might use and what those tolls might cost.  

For sure it is a "convenience fee" and they manage to keep it just cheap enough to be convenient for me.  That's why I don't use Budget/Avis - they charge me for all nine days of my rental if I use it only once!  Now THAT'S not convenient...


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## Sea Six (Oct 11, 2012)

I'm afraid the only solution for you is to get a bucket full of quarters, get in the cash lane at the toll booths, and watch all the cars with transponders whizz by in the fast lane while you sit in line.  By the way, you only need to maintain a $10 balance on your SunPass account.  Can you calculate how much interest you might lose by tying up that vast amount in a non-interest bearing account?  Don't beat yourself up trying to figure out what to do.  I'm sure you can get a roll of quarters near the airport before you head out in your rental car.


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## dioxide45 (Oct 11, 2012)

simpsontruckdriver said:


> As I said before, instead of doing the whole toll thing, just leave earlier and take the regular highways/roads in Orlando. Think about it: you get a toll thing through the rental company. It has $6 in it. You wind up spending $3. The $3 is lost, as the transponder is then used by someone else.



I think the SunPass Mini costs $4.99 and you get $5 back in tolls. However you only get that $5 when you load the transponder with the minimum starting balance of $10. So you would have $15 tied up in a transponder that can only be attached to one vehicle. If you only use $3 of the tolls, then you are out $12, not just $3.


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## Talent312 (Oct 12, 2012)

In Orlando, many of the cash toll booths are shunted off to the right, like this:


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## simpsontruckdriver (Oct 12, 2012)

And everywhere you need to go DOES NOT require a toll. This isn't NJ/NY, where tolls are required to both enter and exit  If you have a GPS, make sure "tolls" is NOT selected, unless you want to bring quarters.

TS


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