Budget florida e-toll sunpass
 

I got a good rental car rate from budget for a one way rental from MCO to RSW.

Budget (to their credit really) had a notice posted on my rental confirmation that the florida turn pike no longer accepted cash tolls, and that if I were to drive on this road I'd have to use their sunpass system. There was some language that also suggested that I could bring my own sunpass. Historically I have just paid the cash tolls. If I use their sunpass system, I will be charged $2.50 a day plus tolls, which DON'T have a reduced rate (which i find obnoxious).

I may be able to avoid the turnpike as I am just going from MCO to fort myers, but I am considering buying a sunpass transponder as I go to Florida once a year and it appears that eventually a lot of highways will be cashless. My understanding is that it is fairly easy to update your profile online so that you can use the sunpass with a rental car.

Does anyone have experience bringing their own sunpass transponder and opting out of e-toll? I would assume they would let you do this but can't find anything in their legalize to confirm this. I don't want to show up and have them tell me I need to use e-toll.

The fees are not unique to Budget. Other rental car companies have similar programs. I live in Florida and never had a problem bringing my own Sunpass, just make sure to add the license plate # to your Sunpass account for the duration of your rental (make sure to take it off again once you return the vehicle).

I'd also check out their website:

Using Rental Cars in SunPass, EPASS and LeeWay Lanes
Enjoy the convenience of SunPass ONLY, EPASS ONLY and LeeWay Only lanes when renting a car, even without your SunPass transponder. When renting a vehicle, just ask your rental car agency about electronic tolling, which allows rental car customers to use the SunPass ONLY, EPASS ONLY and LeeWay lanes to bypass congestion and traffic. Participating rental car companies are listed below. So, the next time you, a friend or family member are renting a car in Florida, remember to ask about SunPass.

For more information on specific rental car programs, please contact your local rental car agency as each agency has separate programs and fees associated with electronic toll usage.

SunPass Customers:
SunPass customers using a rental vehicle may have their tolls applied to their SunPass account. Customers with SunPass Portable transponders may use their transponders in their rental vehicles. (It is strongly recommended that SunPass customers access their online SunPass accounts or contact the SunPass Customer Service Center to add the rental vehicle subscription to their account for the rental period.) Please remember to remove your transponder upon return of the vehicle.
SunPass customers that do not have their transponders in the vehicle are subject to the tolls, fees and charges set forth below and in their rental agreements.

I got cought up in the Budget billing for tolls too. The first day of my rental I used highway, which I don't remember it posted as a toll road, and was charged $2.50 per day of my rental. I only used the toll road on the first day and was charged the fee for 10 days, plus the $1.25 toll fee for the first day. I called Budet toll center, or something to that effect, it was in New York state, and they removed the $2.50 fee for all but the day I used the toll road. By the way, Budget calls it a convience fee. Convieneant for whom?

Convenient for those who are alert to the charges they may incur when using a toll road.
You did not get caught up in anything. If you had read your contract I am sure the charge is explained. In addition you intentionally got on a road for which you have to pay.
Your post should be thanking Budget for doing you a favor and dropping the legitimate charge.

This is from Budgets website

"In the state of Florida the renter has the option of using Sun-Pass Only, ePass Only, and Leeway high-speed lanes. When a renter utilizes these high-speed toll lanes, the toll system identifies the car and charges the standard non-discounted fee for toll roads as published by the toll authority plus the convenience fee of $2.50 per day and $10.00 per week based on the length of the car rental. The fee will be posted to the credit card you used on your rental."

It has been discussed on most of the car rental forums as well

Now you could have been inconvenienced and taken a less direct route but you chose the toll road and it convenience to you. You should have paid the fee.
People should take responsibility for their actions or inactions not blame companies that charge fees you should be aware of. This not a hidden fee.

SunPass
 

Knowing I'd be on a milti-day road trip in Florida, I decided to find out about the SunPass program.

They actually sell the sticker type and transponders ($5) and the larger plastic transponders ($25?) at Publix (a grocery store there) and I think CVS Pharmacy, and other places. The sticker type passes state that they are one-time use. I bought the $5 sticker type and called up and got it activated. This was quite an involved activation, but, it was definitely worth it as we could bypass the toll booths and pay a reduced toll rate. The $5 was applied to your account as a credit, whereas the $25 regular plastic type, since it is interchangeable between different cars, is not "refunded" as a credit.

I was going to be renting two different cars in FL that trip, so I just stuck the sticker as lightly as possible on the window, in hopes that I could remove it for the next rental. It easily came off, and I just stuck it up on the windshield of the new car.

If you are not planning to return, you can call and have your remaining balance credited back to your card. If you are planning to return, you can just leave the balance in place and use it later.

The sticker type transponders are for one car only. You will destroy it moving it from the car.

I purchased the regular transponder from sunpass.com.

I also found a small pouch that works great that can be hung from the mirror.

I havent had any problems, and I rent from Budget during our annual trips to Florida.

I dont update my car in the profile, I just put the info from my personal car.

Sunpass Experience
 

I was given a car that did not have a Sunpass in it. I asked and was told that the car was registered and I would be billed by the license plate.

I actually bought a Sunpass and when I went to activate it, it didn't activate.
Very important, there was a message that it would take hours for the Sunpass to be active.

I ended up not using the Sunpass and just did the toll by plate.

Also for Sunpass, you have to add the license plate to the account, then remember to remove it when the rental is done. The $5.00 Sunpass will be destroyed when you remove it from the car.

Quite a bit of hassle to save a few bucks. Now if I was going to be in Florida longer...

Paid cash for tolls; Budget charged us for convenience
 

We were able to pay cash tolls to use the highway from the airport to the convention center in Orlando. We produced receipts, but Budget charged us for the daily "convenience fee" of 2.50 per day for going through toll booths at which we paid every toll. All attempts by telephone and e-mail to reverse those charges were futile. We avoid dealing with companies that demonstrate a lack of integrity by nickel and diming their clients.

$14.75 fee vrs $6.00 @ National
 

We're headed back to Florida. Research shows that National/Alamo will charge us $6.00 to use the e-toll lanes as opposed to Budget's $14.75 fee (plus tolls). After being charged twice for tolls (we paid them in cash and were charged by Budget) plus the $2.50 per day fees from Budget, we'll opt for using the e-toll SunPass via National.