AVIS screwing costumers with EZ-Pass charge
 

Well, arriving in EWR from transatlantic and finally finding a car on the lot in the rain... (1st car wasnt there), short check of car, then we drive to PA. At the delaware river I count three quarters and want to hand them to the lady and she screams at me that she doesn't want it, I paid with easy pass. So, this box was open and now I see that and realise that I will have to pay 2,50 per rental day (and I booked the car for a week) on top of the 75 cents bridge toll. Great deal. Do they leave that thing open on purpose to screw foreign visitors? Shall I dispute the charge on my Amex or write a letter (to whom?).

Arent there HUGE stickers on that car that say, "Don't stop at the toll booth, drive straight through". There's usually one on the visor, another on the windshield, signs in the pickup area.... plus that HUGE box thats affixed to your window should be a clue... especially since you're from NYC and know about easy pass, I would think you'd have noticed something.

Also, AFAIK, you're only charged on days when you use it.

Not sure about the EZ Pass, but with Plate Pass (e.g. CO, TX, etc.) you are charged per day of the rental whether you use it for tolls one day or all days, or anything in between.

I am surprised it is $2.50/rental day, even if you only use it on one day.
Hertz charges on day of use only.
Terms are found here
http://www.avis.com/car-rental/conte...d=T4M08S02#top

Its too bad that EZ-pass takes 24 hours to activate/change the car/license. I still have one from when I had a car in New York and tried to use it for a weekend rental but the EZ-pass agent told me it would not work for the first day.

Not true. It's $2.50 PER DAY, regardless of use. If you have a week long rental, and the thing sits in a garage for 5 days, you're still out $10. That's how they screw you.

Have to disagree--I've had the ezpass in the car but kept closed for my three day rental and was never charged---twice now. I have ezpass in my personal car which I love---however no problem with Avis--as a matter of fact I once exited at an exit in Florida with no attendents--cash only-- and since I didn't have any change I just drove through--was only $.25--but was never charged.

I try and stay of toll ways when I get a car with this. I think it's a money maker for them. Maybe a big one.

You don't get charged if you keep it closed for the entire rental. But if you do use it, even for only one day out of multi-day rental, you get charged $2.50 each day.

So, it's an "all or nothing" deal.

I've rented plenty of Avis cars with the EZ Pass box. I know how it works. However, I have yet to see a car with any kind of notice, signs, sticker or anything that tells you how it works. If you aren't from a city with toll stations, you might not know what it is and how it works. They also don't tell you how to get a total of your charges for your expense report either.

I am not from NYC - I am from Europe and rented from AVIS for the first time at a New York airport. I did not even notice that box until the lady at the bridge toll plaza told me about it. Avis should make sure that box is closed or should at least tell the costumer about it when picking the car up - signing the sheet - like they do with any other extras like extra insurances, upgrades or navigation systems.

A couple of months ago I rented an Avis car at EWR which had the EZPass box in it. As I drove towards the Avis lot exit, it dismantled itself and fell apart. I asked the guy who checks your paperwork as you leave the lot what it was and he explained. However, there was no explanation on the box itself and I agree, that some explanation should be provided.

I've been renting with Avis for well over 10 years consistently now and recently had my first issue with EZ Pass. Although the device was closed, the EZ Pass was still being "read" by the toll booths. It happened on day 1 of the rental and the toll collector told me he could reverse the charge on the EZ Pass while I paid him cash. The next day, I pull up to grab my ticket on the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the ticket won't come out but I notice that the EZ Pass light at the ticket machine is green so I quickly understand that the EZ Pass has been "read" once again. As I exit, I ask the toll booth collector if he could reverse the charge and I'll pay cash. He asked if I have a ticket and since the answer was no, he couldn't do it. Anyway, the charge is $2.50 a day even if you only used it for one day as I had a $5.00 charge for that one $3.75 toll .

One thing I did learn from that toll is that you can actually remove the entire EZ Pass from the device as it is stuck via velcro. The toll booth collector actually told me this. I would recommend removing the EZ Pass and putting it into the glove compartment. From this one experience, I learned that eventhough the EZ Pass may be in the protective holder, there is the possibility that it can still be "read".

I'm renting later today and while checking my reservation it mentions that they only charge $10 maximum for up to seven days--4x2.50

You might want to consider editing your FT profile then. I can see how the other poster got confused, since under "Location:" you list NYC first, likely to imply to many that it's your home base.

I do wish FT would split apart "home base" and "current location", since it does seem half of FTers use "Location:" one way and the other half use it the other way, and hard to tell which is which.