Toll scam in Orlando
Aug 21, 2019, 3:04 am
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
This happened to me, also -- I received a charge in July this year on the CC I used to rent cars when I was in the Midwest in April and May, but the charge was for Phoenix, AZ. Yes, I did rent a car while I was in Phoenix last October, but I didn't use any toll roads because there are no toll roads in AZ.
There was no name showing who was making the charge, and I didn't know then that rental agencies farm this out, so I simply challenged the charge with the CC company and it was removed. It appears that this company adds bogus charges in hopes that you'll just pay them.
There was no name showing who was making the charge, and I didn't know then that rental agencies farm this out, so I simply challenged the charge with the CC company and it was removed. It appears that this company adds bogus charges in hopes that you'll just pay them.
Aug 24, 2019, 8:36 pm
#17
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DTW
Programs: Alaska, Delta, Southwest
Posts: 1,663
Even though I live in CA, I regularly travel to the east coast...and with all of the Mass Pike, all NYC bridges, etc. being EZPass-only, there's no longer the cash-pay alternative. I either pay this highway robbery from HTA, or I bring my own transponder.
Thankfully, the MA EZPass program does not charge a monthly fee and will allow anyone to sign up online with a valid credit card and auto-refill. They did not charge to mail me the transponder, and I just leave it in my work backpack. Then when I pick up a rental car, I simply log on to EZDriveMA (their EZPass Web site), add the rental car's license plate, make, model, and year on my account, and then mount my transponder on the windshield. (You can even specify that the vehicle you're adding is a rental, and specify the end date and time for the rental.) I figure that way I'm doubly covered -- if my transponder isn't read properly, then I've registered the plate.
I do wonder what would happen if I somehow ended up with a pay-by-plate charge instead of my own transponder being read, I've registered the plate with MA, and HTA has it on record from the rental company. But (knock on wood...) I haven't encountered that situation yet.
Thankfully, the MA EZPass program does not charge a monthly fee and will allow anyone to sign up online with a valid credit card and auto-refill. They did not charge to mail me the transponder, and I just leave it in my work backpack. Then when I pick up a rental car, I simply log on to EZDriveMA (their EZPass Web site), add the rental car's license plate, make, model, and year on my account, and then mount my transponder on the windshield. (You can even specify that the vehicle you're adding is a rental, and specify the end date and time for the rental.) I figure that way I'm doubly covered -- if my transponder isn't read properly, then I've registered the plate.
I do wonder what would happen if I somehow ended up with a pay-by-plate charge instead of my own transponder being read, I've registered the plate with MA, and HTA has it on record from the rental company. But (knock on wood...) I haven't encountered that situation yet.
Aug 24, 2019, 9:06 pm
#18
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minneapolis: DL DM charter 2.3MM
Programs: A3*Gold, SPG Plat, HyattDiamond, MarriottPP, LHW exAccess, ICI, Raffles Amb, NW PE MM, TWA Gold MM
Posts: 100,413
I too have an Illinois EZPass transponder for my car, MN plates. So far it's been easy and even if you just use toll roads a few times around the Chicago area, the time (multiple toll plazas along the same stretch of road with lines to pay with money) and toll (IIRC EZPass gives a 50% discount) are well worth the $20 initial cost of the transponder, and there's an option to automatically top off your account when it approaches zero and charge another $20-40 to the credit card on file. [IL also offers the option to pay online within seven days without penalty.]
Unfortunately some states (I'm looking at you Ohio) allow you to pay via transponder but require that you go through the same lines as those who pay with cash or a credit card, so any time that you may have saved by taking the toll expressway is eaten up waiting in line to exit the stretch of road covered by the toll plaza. Very frustrating that they have EZPass but not the open tolling system like Illinois does.
Unfortunately some states (I'm looking at you Ohio) allow you to pay via transponder but require that you go through the same lines as those who pay with cash or a credit card, so any time that you may have saved by taking the toll expressway is eaten up waiting in line to exit the stretch of road covered by the toll plaza. Very frustrating that they have EZPass but not the open tolling system like Illinois does.