AVIS etoll charges? How to avoid it?
#16
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SFO/DTW
Programs: DL PM 0.5MM, Hyatt Globalist, HHonors Gold, SPG Plat, Marriott Gold, Avis PC, National EE, Hertz PC
Posts: 1,988
Avis will refund admin fees if you have your own toll tag - if it bills Avis when it did not scan your EZPass, they will refund it. Did this several times with in Massachusetts.
#17
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,131
Yes, this happened to me also. I think I received a violation for the offense of driving in the car pool lane without a Fastrak device or something. And in California, you cannot pay your toll online if the car is a rental. So I was once charged a big fee for a $2 toll. Cali is one big corrupt place!
You do NOT need a Fastrak (of any form) to drive in a "car pool lane". Car pool lanes just need you to have the right number of people in the car if you're within the set hours (which in SoCal is frequently all day. In NorCal is more normally just weekday morning and afternoon peak hours)
You DO need a Fastrak (of any form) to drive in an ExpressLane. If you have a standard Fastrak then you will be charged to use the ExpressLane, regardless of how many people are in your car. If you have a Fastrak Flex, AND you have sufficient people in the car to meet the carpool requirement, then you can set the Fastrak Flex to the number of people in the car and it is free.
(Some ExpressLanes can be free during quiet periods, in which case the signs will show that and anyone can use them, with or without a Fastrak and you will not be charged regardless)
You can't pay the tolls online on the basis that using the ExpressLane is optional. In situations where there is no option but to pay the toll (which is only the Golden Gate Bridge as far as I'm aware) you can pay online.
#18
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: AUS
Posts: 281
You DO need a Fastrak (of any form) to drive in an ExpressLane. If you have a standard Fastrak then you will be charged to use the ExpressLane, regardless of how many people are in your car. If you have a Fastrak Flex, AND you have sufficient people in the car to meet the carpool requirement, then you can set the Fastrak Flex to the number of people in the car and it is free.
#19
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AA, WN, UA, Bonvoy, Hertz
Posts: 2,491
You DO need a Fastrak (of any form) to drive in an ExpressLane. If you have a standard Fastrak then you will be charged to use the ExpressLane, regardless of how many people are in your car. If you have a Fastrak Flex, AND you have sufficient people in the car to meet the carpool requirement, then you can set the Fastrak Flex to the number of people in the car and it is free.
Further, as of 2019, no new car in California can be sold without paper license plates attached. So, all of those people using the toll roads without a visible license plate under the excuse of purchasing a new vehicle should go away soon. There is still this weird concept of people not using their plates either (some sort of fake new car feeling), but that has been against the law for some time.
#20
Join Date: Aug 1999
Location: Vancouver, BC, CANADA
Programs: AC SE, SPG P
Posts: 759
Thx. I'll be driving a lot in Orlando and the Broward-Dade area as well on the Turnpike so I will add on my share part of tolls, but as you said it all depends on the number of tolls passages (or days of toll passages).
You are right adopt the "opt-in" the leveler on the transponder is default ON if I recall correctly from my last rental in Florida back in 2017.
EK
You are right adopt the "opt-in" the leveler on the transponder is default ON if I recall correctly from my last rental in Florida back in 2017.
EK
#21
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AA, WN, UA, Bonvoy, Hertz
Posts: 2,491
I will be renting from Avis in FL. I already have a portable SunPass. My plan is to opt out of the toll package when I pick up my vehicle, make sure that the Avis transponder is turned off, then add the rental car to my SunPass account. That should do it, shouldn't it?
If your dashboard portable tag doesn't get picked up at the toll scanners and they go to plate match, it is still possible that Avis's toll contractor would get picked-up for the plate match before your account. Of course, you just have to give it a try.
#22
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,498
There is no way to opt out of the toll package when picking up your car, it is only by closing the pass can you avoid that being used. However, most car plates are registered with the toll contractor even if that is closed. Best option is to find a car that does not have a toll pass inside it (out of area car), but that is also not very likely.
If your dashboard portable tag doesn't get picked up at the toll scanners and they go to plate match, it is still possible that Avis's toll contractor would get picked-up for the plate match before your account. Of course, you just have to give it a try.
If your dashboard portable tag doesn't get picked up at the toll scanners and they go to plate match, it is still possible that Avis's toll contractor would get picked-up for the plate match before your account. Of course, you just have to give it a try.
#23
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: OMA
Programs: UA
Posts: 322
Just to confirm coming South across the Golden Gate Bridge in two weeks with a budget rental, if I keep the fast track transponder closed and have pre-paid for the toll by license plate on my credit card on the fastrak website, I should avoid being charged the e-toll fee, right?
This language has me confused
https://www.budget.com/en/products-s...ervices/e-toll
This language has me confused
If you do not pay cash for tolls, you automatically opt into our e-Toll service, pursuant to which you agree to pay us our or our toll program administrator, with whom we will share your credit card/debit information, for all tolls incurred during your rental and all related fees
Last edited by Mr.Nuke; Jan 30, 2019 at 2:57 pm
#24
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Scotland, Spain
Programs: Skywards Gold, Amex Plat, SkyTeam Silver
Posts: 1,157
Sorry to semi-hijack the thread with my question.
We rented an Avis car and was driving in an Expresslane in CA (was travelling San Diego to LAX) which is free if you meet the 2+ passengers criteria. Would this count (according to Avis) as using a toll? Should we expect a charge? I didn't think about it until afterwards.
Thanks,
Mark
We rented an Avis car and was driving in an Expresslane in CA (was travelling San Diego to LAX) which is free if you meet the 2+ passengers criteria. Would this count (according to Avis) as using a toll? Should we expect a charge? I didn't think about it until afterwards.
Thanks,
Mark
#25
Join Date: Oct 2007
Programs: AA, WN, UA, Bonvoy, Hertz
Posts: 2,491
Sorry to semi-hijack the thread with my question.
We rented an Avis car and was driving in an Expresslane in CA (was travelling San Diego to LAX) which is free if you meet the 2+ passengers criteria. Would this count (according to Avis) as using a toll? Should we expect a charge? I didn't think about it until afterwards.
Thanks,
Mark
We rented an Avis car and was driving in an Expresslane in CA (was travelling San Diego to LAX) which is free if you meet the 2+ passengers criteria. Would this count (according to Avis) as using a toll? Should we expect a charge? I didn't think about it until afterwards.
Thanks,
Mark
#26
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: near Nashville, TN USA
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 185
I kept our cash receipts
On and off Pensacola Beach island is a toll bridge. I kept all of our cash payment receipts. Is there a form or procedure to get the $19.95 reduced or removed?
Thanks
Thanks
#27
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,131
#28
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: near Nashville, TN USA
Programs: Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium
Posts: 185
#29
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: gggrrrovvveee (ORD)
Programs: UA Pt, Marriott Ti, Hertz PC
Posts: 6,090
In Virgina we have "EZ-Pass." EZ Pass allows one to register multiple vehicles per account. When renting, I simply add the rental vehicle info to the list of vehicles in my EZPass account and then use the transponder as normal. When the rental is over I am sure to take my transponder but I leave the rental vehicle in my list of vehicles for about 60 days after the end of the rental. That way, if any charges do come in I can dispute them. Took only one $3 toll with I think it was a $13 service charge from Enterprise to learn this lesson.
The iPass account page allows you to indicate whether a vehicle is a rental and put in the desired duration. Since the activity log shows the license plate number of the vehicle, I can tell which charges are for my car and which are for the rental.
I have had Avis try to double-charge me, but it's an easy exercise to send them a pdf of my toll charges and have it reversed. Also have had them charge me for tolls outside of my rental period. Again, easy to correct. Fortunately, it's relatively rare. Out of 20+ rentals last year, it's happened once.
#30
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: YLW
Programs: AC- SE100 1MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Platinum, National Executive, Nexus/GE
Posts: 4,281
My wife will describe me as CHEAP as I like to save. I have driven in Southern California for many years and always avoid the express lanes, so I believe I am ahead of the game there. When in SFO I was frustrated with the tools so when i had to cross the bridge I actually blocked my plates to avoid the toll ( I know bad and illegal, but at home, I do have one of those plate cover's that reflects photo radar). I may go to hell, and if I do, I will have more loose coins in my pockets than others, lol. When in Florida there are so many tolls I simply gave up and pay the $3.95 a day. To carry that much loose change and spend the time playing with the system and not all tolls have cash options, so I gave up and pay the $3.95 plus tolls.
Personally, hate tolls, it slows the traffic pattern and the bureaucracy is costly. I know it creates unskilled jobs like the TSA agents, just add the extra two cents if that to the price of fuel.
Personally, hate tolls, it slows the traffic pattern and the bureaucracy is costly. I know it creates unskilled jobs like the TSA agents, just add the extra two cents if that to the price of fuel.