CTNYC

Not all Hertz vehicles are equipped with PlatePass. All the New York plated car I've gotten so far have had a plate pass transponder. Never rented with Hertz in Florida, but rented with Thrifty in 12/2013 (not sure when Hertz took over Dollar-Thrifty) and that Florida plated car did not have a plate pass transponder

PlatePass is simple from what I know - There is a metal box on the windshield where an EZ-Pass transponder or Sun-Pass transponder would go. You slide the metal door open if you want to use Plate pass, or you keep the door closed if you don't want to use plate pass.

There are some places that don't accept cash, which means that you either pay via Sunpass or EZ-Pass (depending on location) or with toll by plate. Toll by plate snaps a pic of the plate of the car, then sends it to the registered owner, which in this case, will be Hertz. Now I'm not 100% sure about the fees that Hertz charges, but I'm assuming that they charge the plate pass rates.

Again I'm not an expert on plate pass or toll by plate, but I'm passing along the information that I know

wsnju

I rent from hertz in FL last Dec.

You can opt out simply by not open the plate pass box. Make sure the box is closed.

And, if you use the electronic-only highway (i.e sunpass only or pay by plate) and you just opt out the hertz's toll system, you need to create a sunpass account and load some money into it to pay for the toll. There's many sunpass only road near Miami.

wobbly wings

I understand one can opt-out and buy a sunpass one-off sticker to put on the windscreen and link it to a sunpass account. If so, where can I buy one near MIA before getting into any toll road?

JLewisinSyr

Platepass does not require a transponder for Sunpass, just as a FYI.

travelsg

you can buy sunpass sticker from pretty much all the major grocery stores. I know for sure Publix has it.

ijgordon

I'm almost certain there isn't a transponder in a box for Florida - that's in the Northeast for EZpass and parts of the Midwest.

I could be wrong, but I think you're only referring to the express lanes on I-95 north of the airport. I'm not aware of any other SunPass-only tolls/roads, although to be fair, most of my Florida driving is in Broward and Palm Beach counties (which isn't particularly helpful to the OP who will be in RSW). To "opt out" of PlatePass in Florida, you can just use the traditional cash toll lanes, assuming they're available.

CTNYC

Correct me if I'm talking about the same place, but ran into a toll by plate only in the Miami area (I believe ~40 mins from Miami Beach), so there might be a handful of them around Florida, especially at the "less trafficked" area

wsnju

I rent a car with IL plate, and there is a plate pass box attached in the front window. Don't know if there's one in cars with FL plate. But I'm sure to opt out that system, you must make sure the box is closed even if you want to use a cash lane.

I just drive around Miami area, I'm sure there's many sunpass only turnpike there.

ijgordon

For Hertz, there is no transponder in cars in Florida. As I mentioned, there IS (or, there MAY BE) a transponder in certain states in the Northeast and Midwest, including Illinois. This is spelled out in the rental contract.

Interestingly it seems that yes, all tolls on the Florida Turnpike in Miami-Dade County have gone completely cashless, and I think there are other roads in other parts of the state. I had no idea (as I said earlier, I mostly drive in Broward/Palm Beach when I'm in that area, or if I go to Miami I take I-95.) The non-Turnpike tolls (like the Dolphin Expressway to the airport) still have a cash option.

http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-electronictolling/

Apparently the only way to opt out of the PlatePass extortion fees is to purchase your own SunPass. Unlike, say, the Golden Gate Bridge where you can pre-emptively make a one-time payment. The Miami system is VERY tourist un-friendly, I don't know how they got away with it.

CTNYC

Ah just got a charge for $19.85 - $5 charge for the toll that I went through once, and a $14.85 service charge for my entire 3 day rental. Is it worth my time trying to get the service charge taken off, or get some extra points or no? Gotta love the Hudson bridge...

hm212

I am in FLA this week and tonight was out on a cashless toll road and didn't realize it until I was on the toll road. Should I tell Hertz tomorrow when I return the car or will they just charge my credit card when the notice from the state comes in?

stils

I'm pretty sure South Florida (Miami specifically) is the only area in Florida where it is "cashless"

hm212

Orlando area has cashless too

ijgordon

They'll just charge your credit card, no need to do anything. It's spelled out in the rental agreement.

1P

If OP really is only going from RSW to Fort Myers Beach, s/he won't pass any tolls anyway.

Helpful hint: if you intend filling up with gas before returning the car to RSW, approach the airport from Alico Road (where there is a Hess gas station just a couple of miles from the airport) rather than along Daniels Parkway (where there is nothing).

PS: I've never ever been given a car with Platepass at RSW, and I've rented there many times.