Rental car toll pass

[aprilsp88]

Hi,

 

Our flight arrive FLL very early in the morning, we plan to rent a car for 5 hours.

 

Does Florida only have electronic toll collection now?

 

Does this mean I must either rent a toll device from Alamo (is it $3 per day), or buy it before hand by myself? In either case, if I have the electronic device, I will not get fine for unpaid toll, right?

 

Thanks,

April

[crewsweeper]

Hi,

 

Our flight arrive FLL very early in the morning, we plan to rent a car for 5 hours.

 

Does Florida only have electronic toll collection now?

 

Does this mean I must either rent a toll device from Alamo (is it $3 per day), or buy it before hand by myself? In either case, if I have the electronic device, I will not get fine for unpaid toll, right?

 

Thanks,

April

 

 

It's all e-scanning now. Mostly by License plate. There are some toll exits where you can pay cash, but check the map on the link. $3 plus tolls isn't that expensive for the convenience.

 

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

 

Unless you're planning on heading to Miami area and then west. I think You can most likely get to where you want to go via the I-95 corridor. If you are heading south to POM, you can get there without paying tolls. To MIA is a bit tougher but doable. Just hanging along the coast around FLL, no need for a toll road.

[MADflyer]

The Alamo rate is now $3.95 per rental day (24 hour) plus tolls. It only applies if used and using it is the opt in agreement form.

 

The charges appear within 3 weeks on the credit card left at time of rental and following rental return.

 

https://www.sunpass.com/rentalcar

[aprilsp88]

crewsweeper,

 

Thanks for the link.

 

As I understand, the main toll road is called turnpike, it has 47 entrance/exits. Those 15 exits marked in the following map are electronics only (no cashier), but if I exit from the remaining 32 exits I can still pay cash to the cashier, so no toll charge will be billed later?

 

http://www.floridasturnpike.com/all-electronictolling/ESP/AllElectronicTollingMap.pdf

 

We plan to drive to sawgrass or Miami, as we only have 5 hours.

 

Thanks,

April

[Capt_BJ]

I live in Florida

 

Florida is NOT all electronic ONLY .... but IS electronic friendly State wide

 

BUT

 

The Miami area IS 'electronic only' and if driving around Miami in a rental you WANT the electronic option . . . . break line is the Dade County / Broward County line .....

 

OP says they arrive in FLL in the AM .... if you stay in the Ft L area you should not see a toll road.

 

Heading to Miami / South Beach (which I would NOT do) ... short answer is pay the bucks for the electron gizmo

 

We plan to drive to sawgrass or Miami, as we only have 5 hours.

 

If you go to Sawgrass you will encounter no tolls ..... if you go to "Miami" ..... it depends . . .

Edited April 7, 2015 by Capt_BJ

[aprilsp88]

MADflyer,

 

Thanks for the description. I'm now clear on how Alamo works.

 

Capt_BJ,

 

Why Miami is not recommended? Is it too far for 5 hour? Do you have any suggestion? We want to do activity or sightseeing instead of brunch in a restaurant.

 

Thanks,

April

[andyandsue]

I live in Florida

 

Florida is NOT all electronic ONLY .... but IS electronic friendly State wide

 

BUT

 

The Miami area IS 'electronic only' and if driving around Miami in a rental you WANT the electronic option . . . . break line is the Dade County / Broward County line .....

 

OP says they arrive in FLL in the AM .... if you stay in the Ft L area you should not see a toll road.

 

Heading to Miami / South Beach (which I would NOT do) ... short answer is pay the bucks for the electron gizmo

 

We plan to drive to sawgrass or Miami, as we only have 5 hours.

 

If you go to Sawgrass you will encounter no tolls ..... if you go to "Miami" ..... it depends . . .

 

Capt or any Floridians- We are driving through Florida and will be taking 95 to the Palm Bay area overnight on our way to Port Everglades. We plan on moving over to the Turnpike where the two intersect in Ft Pierce, to avoid 95 traffic further south for the music festival this weekend in Ft. Lauderdale. Are we safe with the license plate system, rather than having to locate a retailer and buying a mini pass? Any tips for navigating that area? Thanks for any info!

[tunaman2011]

Capt or any Floridians- We are driving through Florida and will be taking 95 to the Palm Bay area overnight on our way to Port Everglades. We plan on moving over to the Turnpike where the two intersect in Ft Pierce, to avoid 95 traffic further south for the music festival this weekend in Ft. Lauderdale. Are we safe with the license plate system, rather than having to locate a retailer and buying a mini pass? Any tips for navigating that area? Thanks for any info!

 

Greetings

 

The music festival (if your talking Tortuga Fest) is on the beach, it should not effect I-95 traffic too much. That being said, the turnpike has cash lanes from Ft Pierce to Lauderdale so you do not need a SunPass. Just exit the turnpike at I-595 and go east right to the port.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[Capt_BJ]

Capt or any Floridians- We are driving through Florida and will be taking 95 to the Palm Bay area overnight on our way to Port Everglades. We plan on moving over to the Turnpike where the two intersect in Ft Pierce, to avoid 95 traffic further south for the music festival this weekend in Ft. Lauderdale. Are we safe with the license plate system, rather than having to locate a retailer and buying a mini pass? Any tips for navigating that area? Thanks for any info!

 

The lic plate system applies when the area is ALL ELECTRONIC but that is NOT the case north of Miami (for the most part) so either pay cash or get or SunPass or my recommendation is stay on 95 ... don't complicate your life needlessly.

[Capt_BJ]

Capt_BJ,

 

Why Miami is not recommended? Is it too far for 5 hour? Do you have any suggestion?

 

yes, IMO with 5 hours it is not worth driving 45 minutes each way to get to Miami or South Beach . . .

 

I'd go to SawGrass Mills .... you can easily kill a few hours walking around.

 

re-reading the original post it says you'll be renting a car following an early morning arrival. What hours will you have a car and what day of the week .... it might make a BIG difference in my recommendations . . .

 

if we're talking a weekday morning you SURELY don't want to try to go to Miami and gettin on ANY highway is something I'd avoid!

Edited April 8, 2015 by Capt_BJ

[aprilsp88]

Capt_BJ,

 

We arrive at 7AM on Weekday.

 

Thanks,

April

Edited April 9, 2015 by aprilsp88

[Capt_BJ]

Capt_BJ,

 

We arrive at 7AM on Weekday.

 

Thanks,

April

 

If you try to go 'anywhere' on the interstates you are hitting PEAK rush hour!

 

Head to Miami - forgetaboutit!!!!

 

I drive thru Lauderdale area to visit dd in Miami fairly regularly and I schedule the drive to hit this area after 10AM and b4 3PM if at all possible.

 

 

Sawgrass is at least a fairly short - straight shot ..... otherwise head to the beaches local. Stay off 95 unless you enjoy rush hour traffic.

[andyandsue]

The lic plate system applies when the area is ALL ELECTRONIC but that is NOT the case north of Miami (for the most part) so either pay cash or get or SunPass or my recommendation is stay on 95 ... don't complicate your life needlessly.

 

I was reading up on the SunPass and sounds like a cross between a metro card (NYC subway) and EZ Pass (NJ electronic toll system), and it does sound like a pain to track down and purchase unnecessarily.

 

We'd be happy to stay on 95- You don't think the traffic on Sunday AM will be nuts with people heading to Ft. Lauderdale Beach Park for the music festival? Around here a music festival near the "Garden State Parkway"equals a standstill so when we hear something like that we panic. :)

[tunaman2011]

I was reading up on the SunPass and sounds like a cross between a metro card (NYC subway) and EZ Pass (NJ electronic toll system), and it does sound like a pain to track down and purchase unnecessarily.

 

We'd be happy to stay on 95- You don't think the traffic on Sunday AM will be nuts with people heading to Ft. Lauderdale Beach Park for the music festival? Around here a music festival near the "Garden State Parkway"equals a standstill so when we hear something like that we panic. :)

 

Greetings

 

I-595 is going to be busy, but you would take that route from either I-95 or the turnpike. On Sunday the Music Fest doors don't open until 11 am. Just give yourself some extra time.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[andyandsue]

Greetings

 

I-595 is going to be busy, but you would take that route from either I-95 or the turnpike. On Sunday the Music Fest doors don't open until 11 am. Just give yourself some extra time.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

 

I just looked up the festival info as well. There is no parking at the actual festival, it is a shuttle from the Galleria Mall which is north of the port off of Route 838. So you are right, we can stay on 95 all the way.

[Capt_BJ]

I was reading up on the SunPass and sounds like a cross between a metro card (NYC subway) and EZ Pass (NJ electronic toll system), and it does sound like a pain to track down and purchase unnecessarily.

 

I'd say SunPass is exactly like EZ Pass - problem is state to state connections are something being worked on but not yet there with Florida being behind the curve all the way .... BUT Florida recently replaced my old SunPass for free saying the new one was a step towards interoperability nation wide.

 

If you want a Sunpass they can be ordered online and activated b4 you leave home.

https://www.sunpass.com/index

Edited April 9, 2015 by Capt_BJ