Using the 407 with a YYZ rental car?
 

How does that work these days? I have a (Alamo) rental later today at YYZ, and if I want to use Hwy 407, do the rental car companies usually charge the renter the toll after the fact?

Is it worth it, or a big ripoff?

You will get a bill from the rental company in about a month with the actual 407 charge plus a service fee from the company. The 407 charge will likely be in the $10-20 range, and the service fee will probably double the total. Just ask for the fee schedule when you pick up your car.

If you are trying to go to a client meeting, it can easily be worth the extra $$.

Yes, at least in my experience some weeks after you return the car you will get a letter demanding a the tolls + a substantial handling fee.

I would avoid the 407 in a rental car unless I was going somewhere Northeast of the city is deepest afternoon rush hour.

Just did it Monday in a rental. They have a little placard in the car saying that they will later add the toll and a handling fee to your credit card.

Two things from past experience with my rental company:

- The extra fee takes about three weeks to month to go through; they'll send you a letter telling you they're adding it to your card.

- If you drive a short distance on the 407, such as 427 to 400, they won't bother billing you. I have had this pleasant experience about four times in the last year.

Shhh!;):)

Oh oh, I hope I haven't killed the golden goose!

Never received a letter from Hertz or Avis demanding payment. Just a form letter advising me the toll would be charged to my credit along with an administration fee. Can’t remember the exact admin. fee but I recall it certainly seamed reasonable. So go ahead and use the 407 if it provides a better route to your destination. To me the extra cost is well worth it to avoid the 401.

Hertz and Avis have always had a notice in the car showing the fees so it’s no shock.

Perhaps you got a demand letter if the rental was settled with cash and the credit card number was no longer on file.

Absolutely. I would not use the 407 without a transporder period!

Better edit your post. Just kidding. :D

What about a car with a US plate? I normally rent from BUF and drive across the border.

If you have then I will be sending you the bills that suddenly begin appearing from Hertz. Like you, 9/10 bills for driving the 407 in a rental are not passed along to me.

Doesn't matter, they have billing agreements with most US states.

Do they make you pay the toll fee + ETR's own fee (for not using a transponder) AND an extra "processing fee" from the rental company? IMHO, unless you have a transponder or can justify needing to use the 407 stay off it. Thank god I have a transponder.

BTW: If someone rents a car in TO can they use my transponder or do they cross check licence plate numbers to the transponder code?

As far as I know if a transponder is detected they don't look at the plates, there is a real cost to the OCR process for extracting the plate text from the images so they don't do it unless they really have to.

Good point, my experience was some years ago, before I got a transponder.