Toll transponder and car rentals

That depends on the size of the bill they send, doesn't it. I'd be pretty surprised if the bill was only the size of the toll. It might even include a penalty portion as well as the toll and the extra cost of billing and processing. I think you better be finding out.

If you do a quick google - you see lots of upset people and articles about how rental companies are using this cashless tolls to their advantage and tacking on these fees. Some even went on to say just notice how these tolls are conveniently near airports - meaning that the poor unsuspecting tourists arrive at the airport get their car rental and right from the beginning they are subject to these fees.

Any way I called to see - and the woman told me that all car rentals are doing this. I said do you not see that a 20 fee to process one toll is a bit too high and unreasonable? I am more than willing to pay a reasonable fee but this is crazy. She said if I just used it once at one toll they would waive all the other day fees and just charge me the one use fee amount. But just this one time. It wouldn't matter whether I use the e-Toll or just drive through (or at least she wasn't 100% certain).

I think I might look to go a no toll route and then look to get a transformer of my own so I don't have to deal with this crap.

This is what is written:
If you use our e-Toll, you will be billed the full amount plus a $2.95 service charge for each rental day, including days when you do not use eToll, but not to exceed $19.75. There is no direct reference to if you just drive through and don't use the e-Toll - in the past I always just pay cash but I know this one toll I planned on going through changed to a cashless system so you don't have the option.

It is a good thing I do read things thoroughly - in what I had been reading it appears that they try to hide this fee in the fine print.

Well, I just hate that. Cashless toll, I mean. It's like a vendor that only accepts online payments unless you want to pay a fee to use a check. They don't exactly require you to have computer access; they just charge extra.

I would detour in your situation, if that can be done, I don't know. I've ridden on toll roads, but only back when I was a kid. In later life, I drove on freeways..

If I remember, I never minded paying at the Golden Gate bridge.

OK I ran a couple of options. The one on my iPhone is the best. The time driving isn't hugely longer than some routes on map quest and AAA which gave almost an hour longer than the toll route.

Bonus I avoid being near New York City and would be a more attractive route it seems. Could end up being shorter as it may have less traffic. Let's cross out fingers starting first thing in the morning.

Sigh. I gather my Driving 101 thread has been knocked off.

I and others talked about driving - it was a good thread.
I'm sorry I didn't somehow save it. Now, that sort of cut me off at the knees.

aha, edgarblythe figured it out.

So got back from road trip - the drive down didn't really impact distance/time at all. And we hit little traffic avoiding toll roads.

The ride back took longer as it was more round about - but it was very pretty. I wouldn't do it again unless we made a stop over.

Since then I picked up a transponder - damn you car rentals!!! You ain't getting extra money from me!