As a newcomer who got here by a Web search, "Hertz Golden Gate", I have a couple of hopefully new points to make, after reading all 7 pages of this thread.
Last month I picked up my Hertz car at SFO, drove over the GG bridge to get to my hotel, and then didn't use any toll bridges or roads for the rest of my week-long rental. My payment to Plate Pass came to $36.75: $6 for the toll, and $5 a day for their "service", capped at $30.75.
I was not aware of this situation ahead of time. As a Gold member I went straight to my vehicle without stopping at a counter or talking to anyone but the exit booth guy.
- The Hertz Agreement: I don't read the full text of dense multipage agreements if I trust my counter-party and the transaction is routine. I understand that I have a legal option to do so, but as a practical matter few of us do. A company that values its customers shouldn't rely on the fine print to keep their customers informed.
- Timely notice of charges: The Plate Pass charge appeared on my credit card statement, which I was perusing for an unrelated reason. Again, I have an obligation to scrutinize my statement but I don't always do it. It would have been helpful to get a notice of this charge, or a revised bill in the mail from Hertz. Plate Pass got my credit card number from Hertz, so they could have gotten my contact information as well. The lack of notice says to me that they're looking to slip this past people. Their customer service phone system is a nightmare to use. Again, poor customer service.
- Reasonableness of charges: A small surcharge for each toll incurred would have been fair. I don't see the logic of charging me for each day of my trip when I received no benefit and Plate Pass incurred no expense on my behalf. It just feels like gouging.
- Paying in advance: I understand this is possible, but how? This thread is about rental cars. I don't know the license plate number until I pick up the car, and by then there's no practical way to arrange for payment.
- "Research": Several posters have criticized the OP for not doing enough research before embarking on his trip. We all lead busy lives, and for travel within the US it's reasonable to make certain assumptions. A 600% toll surcharge is not a foreseeable event.
- Transponders: Several posters talked about transponders. That's not relevant to this thread. The Plate Pass customer service rep I spoke to told me that a) no transponders are used to activate their service on the GG bridge; it's strictly license plate photos, and b) it is not possible to opt out of their system on Hertz rentals. Drive over the bridge in a Hertz car and you're theirs.
- Class Action lawsuits: I don't favor a suit in this case, as it's unclear who the worst offender is (Hertz, GG, or Plate Pass). But it's not a stupid idea.
One purpose of these suits is to deal with situations in which a large number of people have each suffered in a very minor way. The important goal in such cases is not to compensate the victims; it's to change the behavior of the defendant. The token awards (coupons, etc.) aren't important, nor is the lawyers' compensation. What matters is that sometimes you can get the offender to stop doing what they're doing.
How should this work? One or more of the following:
1. Hertz includes a hang-tag on cars rented at SFO informing renters of the situation.
2. Charges are actual tolls plus 20%, i.e. $7.20 for my single crossing.
3. Bridge allows online payments for a few days after the toll is incurred, with no surcharge, with signage at the toll area pointing visitors to the appropriate Web site.
4. (Utopian) National compatibility for transponders. I've got an EZ-Pass that works on the East Coast, and I would be happy to take it on trips. Why shouldn't it work in CA, and throughout the country? That would benefit everyone. Our cell phones can roam; why not our transponders?