I received a PlatePass email billing me $111.96 as the All-Inclusive Fee for a five day Hertz rental from ROC in late August. I had not elected the PlatePass All-Inclusive rate, but we used the provided transponder, so our credit card was charged the cost of the PlatePass All-Inclusive Rate.
Calling Hertz lead to a long phone tree (x3 x4 x1 x1 x1 x3) that actually connected me with PlatePass. After entering details of my credit card transaction, I was immediately connected with a PlatePass representative (not Hertz) who explained how PlatePass is supposed to work, and reduced my charge to $21.58. This is presumably a one-time exception, and now I understand their system.
Our flight was scheduled to land 11:30pm, and most nights it lands after ROC's 12:30am rental counter closing time (all brands). Anticipating an issue, I called Hertz before our trip, and it was explained to me that our reservation would cancel when the counter closed. In fact, the counter staff are saints who routinely wait after closing for delayed flights.
These saints were supposed to explain to me how tolls work, but didn't: Unlike the situation in some states for individuals, where there is an economic incentive to obtain a transponder, Hertz is billed the same tolls whether one used the provided PlatePass transponder or relies on license plate identification. However, if one uses the transponder, one is automatically enrolled in the PlatePass All-Inclusive Rate.
The alternative is described by Hertz here:
PlatePass | Hertz
What if I do not want to purchase PlatePass® All-Inclusive Tolling?If you decline the optional PlatePass All-Inclusive service at the start of the rental period, but still use electronic toll roads and/or bridges during the rental period (including “cashless” or “all electronic” toll roads and bridges, as noted above), you will be liable for and we will charge you: (a) all tolls incurred for such use (at the highest, undiscounted applicable toll rate); (b) a $9.99 usage day fee; and (c) all other applicable toll charges or fees, if any.
Note that Hertz fails to warn people to rely on license plates alone, and leave the transponder in its harness. This is deniable fraud, as clearly there's an economic incentive to harvest fees from anyone who misunderstands this and doesn't complain.
Otherwise, I found PlatePass customer service to be exemplary. They deflected blame to my counter agents, and immediately refunded the excess charges.
In the future I will travel with red electrical tape, next to my phone cable for Apple CarPlay, and I will further seal the PlatePass transponder harness so there is no confusion.