More on Avis Toll Ripoffs
Feb 12, 2014, 5:30 pm
#91
Moderator: Avis and Rental Cars
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 8,034
Not nearly as "easy as that". I was in Orlando two weeks ago and rented an Avis car - picked it up after dark when my flight arrived and left the airport - no notice provided by Avis that the car was equipped with a SunPass. I deliberately went to the 'cash lane' on SR 528, however even the 'cash lanes' read the SunPass and will not allow you to actually pay in cash if one is installed.
The Avis installed SunPasses can be disabled but are left enabled by Avis as an extremely unwanted 'convenience' until you proactively disable them which is obviously an issue for most people who do not even know they are there and actively do not want to use the 'convenience'.
Someone renting a car for a week who has no intention of using it (or even knowledge it is installed) would be billed the maximum monthly $16.75 'convenience' fee for the $0.75 or $1.50 in tolls they are more than willing to pay in cash. Leaving the devices 'enabled' without the customer's knowledge is a pure and simple money grab when you can not even use a 'cash lane' to avoid the charges.
Also completely unjustified is that the 'convenience' charge lasts the length of the rental at $3.95 a day (capped at $16.75 a month). If you rent the car for a single day and use $1.75 of tolls for a single transaction - the total cost is $3.95 plus $1.75 or $5.70. Now consider you rent the car for an entire week and never ever use another toll again. Your 'convenience' cost now rises by $3.95 a day to a maximum of $16.75 plus $1.75 or $18.50. It does not matter that the 'convenience' was only used once, the fact that you ever use it means that every additional day / month of your rental increases your costs to many times the actual toll cost and somehow using it once on a one day rental is much cheaper than using it the exact same once on a two, four, or seven day rental.
The Avis installed SunPasses can be disabled but are left enabled by Avis as an extremely unwanted 'convenience' until you proactively disable them which is obviously an issue for most people who do not even know they are there and actively do not want to use the 'convenience'.
Someone renting a car for a week who has no intention of using it (or even knowledge it is installed) would be billed the maximum monthly $16.75 'convenience' fee for the $0.75 or $1.50 in tolls they are more than willing to pay in cash. Leaving the devices 'enabled' without the customer's knowledge is a pure and simple money grab when you can not even use a 'cash lane' to avoid the charges.
Also completely unjustified is that the 'convenience' charge lasts the length of the rental at $3.95 a day (capped at $16.75 a month). If you rent the car for a single day and use $1.75 of tolls for a single transaction - the total cost is $3.95 plus $1.75 or $5.70. Now consider you rent the car for an entire week and never ever use another toll again. Your 'convenience' cost now rises by $3.95 a day to a maximum of $16.75 plus $1.75 or $18.50. It does not matter that the 'convenience' was only used once, the fact that you ever use it means that every additional day / month of your rental increases your costs to many times the actual toll cost and somehow using it once on a one day rental is much cheaper than using it the exact same once on a two, four, or seven day rental.
-Have it deactivated
-Skip all toll roads
-Get a cab/driver
-Get your own pass: https://www.sunpass.com/displayPurch...onderAgreement
-Find another agency
Feb 13, 2014, 7:22 am
#92
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Central FL
Programs: DL Gold; Bonvoy Gold; HHonors Diamond; Avis Preferred, Hertz PC
Posts: 601
Not nearly as "easy as that". I was in Orlando two weeks ago and rented an Avis car - picked it up after dark when my flight arrived and left the airport - no notice provided by Avis that the car was equipped with a SunPass. I deliberately went to the 'cash lane' on SR 528, however even the 'cash lanes' read the SunPass and will not allow you to actually pay in cash if one is installed.
The Avis installed SunPasses can be disabled but are left enabled by Avis as an extremely unwanted 'convenience' until you proactively disable them which is obviously an issue for most people who do not even know they are there and actively do not want to use the 'convenience'.
The Avis installed SunPasses can be disabled but are left enabled by Avis as an extremely unwanted 'convenience' until you proactively disable them which is obviously an issue for most people who do not even know they are there and actively do not want to use the 'convenience'.
Also, my experience with the Avis provided surpass devices is that they have always been in the off position when I picked up my car. I always check to verify that.
Sep 17, 2014, 8:36 am
#93
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Chicago
Programs: Cards with lots of logos on them
Posts: 591
Holy Mary Mother of Joseph!
The toll tag convenience fee is a ridiculous ripoff!! Yes, I know it's not my fault for not reading the $3.95/daily fee they charge if you use the damn thing once. $1 toll is all I used it for in NJ and it set me back $17.75...... Since I had the car for a week.
Oh well.... lesson learned but for God's sake.... $3.95 daily?
But again I am just as mad at myself for not reading the fine print on using it.
The toll tag convenience fee is a ridiculous ripoff!! Yes, I know it's not my fault for not reading the $3.95/daily fee they charge if you use the damn thing once. $1 toll is all I used it for in NJ and it set me back $17.75...... Since I had the car for a week.
Oh well.... lesson learned but for God's sake.... $3.95 daily?
But again I am just as mad at myself for not reading the fine print on using it.
Sep 23, 2014, 1:59 am
#94
Fontaine d'honneur du Flyertalk
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Morbihan, France
Programs: Reine des Muccis de Pucci; Foreign Elitist (according to others)
Posts: 19,185
Holy Mary Mother of Joseph!
The toll tag convenience fee is a ridiculous ripoff!! Yes, I know it's not my fault for not reading the $3.95/daily fee they charge if you use the damn thing once. $1 toll is all I used it for in NJ and it set me back $17.75...... Since I had the car for a week.
Oh well.... lesson learned but for God's sake.... $3.95 daily?
But again I am just as mad at myself for not reading the fine print on using it.
The toll tag convenience fee is a ridiculous ripoff!! Yes, I know it's not my fault for not reading the $3.95/daily fee they charge if you use the damn thing once. $1 toll is all I used it for in NJ and it set me back $17.75...... Since I had the car for a week.
Oh well.... lesson learned but for God's sake.... $3.95 daily?
But again I am just as mad at myself for not reading the fine print on using it.
I have read some of this (although baffled that this should resurface after 18 months) and would add this. Whilst it is righteous in the extreme to proclaim responsibility for one's action I would add the following
1) In Puerto Rico we had no choice. We tried to pay direct at the tolls but they would not take the money as the device had already been registered. Yes I could possibly have taken another route between San Juan and Ponce - I had little doubt that this was neither practical nor possible
2) Visiting tourists from abroad (yes there are some of us left) may not have the same knowledge and not realise the ramifications of the toll system and the extra charges. Staff rarely if ever explain the controls of the car let alone the tolls
3) As with many things, it is only when the final bill arrives that you realise how much the tolls mount up.
Mar 19, 2015, 12:36 pm
#95
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 446
Sorry to revive the old thread..
Had a rental from MCO and got nailed. It was quite late, but I clearly remember pulling off to pay the toll on 528 heading towards International Drive. Of course my $1 toll is now $17.75. If anyone is familiar with the area, is there a stretch of that road that is 100% cash-less?
Also, we drove to Tampa/Clearwater on that trip, so I'm wondering if I accidentally went on their toll-road if I can expect another $16.75 "convenience" fee if they add those tolls on later, or if it'll at least get grouped on and I'll only pay the actual toll amount?
Had a rental from MCO and got nailed. It was quite late, but I clearly remember pulling off to pay the toll on 528 heading towards International Drive. Of course my $1 toll is now $17.75. If anyone is familiar with the area, is there a stretch of that road that is 100% cash-less?
Also, we drove to Tampa/Clearwater on that trip, so I'm wondering if I accidentally went on their toll-road if I can expect another $16.75 "convenience" fee if they add those tolls on later, or if it'll at least get grouped on and I'll only pay the actual toll amount?
Mar 19, 2015, 4:39 pm
#96
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Central FL
Programs: DL Gold; Bonvoy Gold; HHonors Diamond; Avis Preferred, Hertz PC
Posts: 601
Sorry to revive the old thread..
Had a rental from MCO and got nailed. It was quite late, but I clearly remember pulling off to pay the toll on 528 heading towards International Drive. Of course my $1 toll is now $17.75. If anyone is familiar with the area, is there a stretch of that road that is 100% cash-less?
Also, we drove to Tampa/Clearwater on that trip, so I'm wondering if I accidentally went on their toll-road if I can expect another $16.75 "convenience" fee if they add those tolls on later, or if it'll at least get grouped on and I'll only pay the actual toll amount?
Had a rental from MCO and got nailed. It was quite late, but I clearly remember pulling off to pay the toll on 528 heading towards International Drive. Of course my $1 toll is now $17.75. If anyone is familiar with the area, is there a stretch of that road that is 100% cash-less?
Also, we drove to Tampa/Clearwater on that trip, so I'm wondering if I accidentally went on their toll-road if I can expect another $16.75 "convenience" fee if they add those tolls on later, or if it'll at least get grouped on and I'll only pay the actual toll amount?
Mar 20, 2015, 5:33 am
#97
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: BSL
Programs: AA (EXP); among others :)
Posts: 2,524
I rented a car in MIA that had a SunPass transponder which was activated.
However, I seem to have been charged the "toll-by-plate" toll rates, which are a lot higher than the SunPass rates. Is that SOP with Avis, or should I complain?
However, I seem to have been charged the "toll-by-plate" toll rates, which are a lot higher than the SunPass rates. Is that SOP with Avis, or should I complain?
Mar 20, 2015, 1:37 pm
#98
Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 446
I did ask them for a copy of the picture of the car going through the toll. Will be interesting to see what they come back with.
Mar 20, 2015, 4:18 pm
#99
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Central FL
Programs: DL Gold; Bonvoy Gold; HHonors Diamond; Avis Preferred, Hertz PC
Posts: 601
Crap, I had a late flight so I wasn't actually driving to our hotel until almost 1am, and I clearly remember paying a toll, but I'm not sure about a second one. I'm starting to second guess myself.
I did ask them for a copy of the picture of the car going through the toll. Will be interesting to see what they come back with.
I did ask them for a copy of the picture of the car going through the toll. Will be interesting to see what they come back with.
Mar 26, 2015, 1:23 pm
#100
Join Date: May 2013
Location: TX
Posts: 240
I rented a car a couple of weekends ago in Houston. I added the cars plates to my parents EzTag account, as i have done many times in the past, so i could use the license plate scanner and have it ding their account instead of the rental company's. Well, some of the tolls went to my parents' account and others to Avis. Does anyone have experience with this? Do I stand a chance refuting the tolls? Seems like an issue i'd have to take up with the toll road authority instead of Avis, though. :-/
Mar 19, 2016, 6:09 am
#101
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Canada
Programs: Star Alliance G*, Marriott Bonvoy Titanium,
Posts: 3,585
complain?
Like you, I rented from MIA with a Sun Pass transponder. Drove to Key West and the tolls were well marked. My "bill" (inc. convenience fee) was $9.30. Pretty reasonable for a 6-hour return trip.
Mar 23, 2016, 3:06 pm
#102
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SYR
Programs: US/AA-Platinum, Hilton-Diamond, Marriott-Gold, AVIS-Presidents Club, National-Executive Elite
Posts: 2,755
Feb 5, 2018, 5:02 am
#103
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Boston, USA
Programs: AA EXP, TK Elite, HH Gold, SPG/Marriott Gold
Posts: 939
Hi there,
Sorry to restart this old thread but I am ticked off that in a a state like MA, there is NO Cash lane
anymore. That means I HAVE to use E-toll. In such cases why is AVIS charging $3.95 additional
fee ? This looks like a case for class action...
Sorry to restart this old thread but I am ticked off that in a a state like MA, there is NO Cash lane
anymore. That means I HAVE to use E-toll. In such cases why is AVIS charging $3.95 additional
fee ? This looks like a case for class action...
Feb 5, 2018, 12:50 pm
#104
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 880
How? They is ways around this like using your own ez-pass. They also tell you upfront the charges.
Feb 6, 2018, 1:16 am
#105
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CPH
Programs: UAMP S, TK M&S E (*G), Marriott LTP, IHG P, SK EBG
Posts: 11,097
I think someone tried - if you don't like the toll ripoffs then use Silver Car as they only charge what you used and no fee. I vote with my wallet or avoid destinations that has cashless toll system and I can't go online to pay.