drvb

I don't live in the USA and I have driven a rental car without an E-Z pass on toll roads in Maryland and perhaps I have driven in an E-Z pass lane in Virginia (I was too focused on finding my destination to be able to pay attention to which lane I was driving in). I don't want to get into trouble and I would like to avoid ridiculous penalty fees from the rental company (Alamo). I will return the car later today (January 15, 2017). Any suggestions what I should do?

Ocn Vw 1K

drvb, let me suggest that you'll get better discussion of this issue in the Rental Car discussion forum, and I'll move this thread to that forum. Ocn Vw 1K, Senior Moderator.

(p.s., if you search the current forum I moved this to, with the word "toll", you'll see threads about other member experiences with other rental car companies or Alamo. O V 1K.)

flyupfrnt

I drove my Hertz car across the Golden Gate Bridge and they simply hit with me a supplemental charge a few days after returning the car. It wasn't exorbitant but did include a processing fee. I would say you likely don't have much to worry about. Just my opinion though

BugsyPal

Nothing you can do about it now; most likely there were cameras and in the absence of an EZ-Pass recorded the vehicle's license plate number. Toll amount due and possibly a fine will be sent to registered owner of vehicle (Alamo), who will in turn charge your credit card.

Alamo will contact you if or when they are hit with the charges notifying you of the matter and how they resolved (charged your credit card or sending you a bill).

Once you have any sort of notice from Alamo reach out and see if any assessed fees can be reduced or waived. Usually many local or state authorities that collect tolls give first time offenders a "pass" as in only charging the toll. Car rental places OTHO often have no such luck. *LOL*

https://alamo.custhelp.com/app/answe...BNdUElMjElMjE=

https://alamo.custhelp.com/app/answe...mmon-questions

There really isn't anything you can do now until Alamo hears from local agency and bills you for the missed tolls. The local office where you rented/returned has nothing to do with things like this; but rather comes out of a central office.

Being as all this may are you totally sure the vehicle didn't have some sort of EZ-Pass/toll device? Many places are installing them in vehicles as matter of routine.

AutoSlash

Even if there was no E-ZPass transponder in the vehicle, almost certainly the Alamo vehicle had its plates registered with one of the E-ZPass authorities and the tolls would be automatically billed to Alamo's account.

Ref. https://www.htallc.com/alamo/

The E-ZPass systems all (AFAIK) have a video backup in the event the transponder fails to be read, but while there is often a small surcharge ($1ish) for reading the plate instead of reading the transponder, there is no fine associated with passing through a toll plaza without a transponder.

The almost certain outcome of the OP's situation is that he or she will find his or her credit card charged for the tolls he or she used along with a $3.95/day fee for using Alamo's toll contractor.

For more info, you can read about rental car tolls in a blog post we just published on this topic.

bwiadca

You will get hit with the actual toll charge + processing fee.
I had my own EZ pass box in a rental car from National, drove to EWR for work and month later I've received letter that my credit card was charged $3.50 for the toll + $10 or $12 processing fee.

BugsyPal

That is something new to me, as have never rented from any NYC or area location where National had EZ-pass or any toll device already in vehicle.

Always use my own EZ-Pass and have never been hit with additional charges from National.

bwiadca

I was renting that time from IAD or DCA don't remember.
They also ask you when you check out the car if you want EZ pass box.
And of course I always use mine, but at one of the toll gates between DC and NJ it didn't work so I got to pay the fees.