Unexpected charges after a trip can be frustrating, especially when they appear weeks later. A common surprise for rental car users is a toll charge on their credit card statement long after returning the vehicle. Navigating toll roads in a rental car can seem complicated, but understanding how different rental companies handle tolls, particularly Enterprise, can save you money and prevent unwelcome surprises. This guide breaks down how toll payments work with major rental companies and provides practical tips to manage and minimize your toll expenses.
Alt text: Navigating toll roads with ease, image shows EZ Pass and Toll signs on a highway, highlighting the importance of understanding toll payment options for rental cars.
Understanding How Tolls Work with Rental Cars
Most modern rental cars come equipped with a toll transponder, usually mounted near the rearview mirror. This device is designed for seamless passage through electronic toll collection (ETC) lanes like E-ZPass and similar systems. When you drive through these toll points, the system automatically registers the toll. The rental car company is initially charged, and they, in turn, will bill you for these tolls, often with an additional convenience fee.
It’s important to note that the billing process isn’t immediate. Toll road operators typically send toll information to rental companies in batches, which can take days or even weeks. Subsequently, the rental car company processes these charges and bills you, leading to potential delays in seeing the charges on your statement. If you’ve enrolled in a rental company’s toll service, expect to receive a bill weeks after your rental period concludes.
Each rental company has its own specific policies and fee structures for toll services. Before you rent a car, especially from companies like Enterprise, Avis, Hertz, or Sixt, it’s wise to familiarize yourself with their toll policies to avoid unexpected costs. Let’s explore the toll policies of some major rental car companies:
Avis Toll Options
Avis provides renters in the U.S. with two primary toll payment options: Avis e-Toll and Avis e-Toll Unlimited.
Avis e-Toll: This is a direct toll billing program. You’ll be charged the actual toll amount plus a daily convenience fee of $6.95 for each day you use a toll road. While this fee is capped at $34.75 per rental month, remember that you’ll be paying the standard, undiscounted toll rates. Avis e-Toll coverage extends across the Northeast (Maine to North Carolina), California, Colorado, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Washington, Puerto Rico, and the Chicago area.
Avis e-Toll Unlimited: This program offers a daily flat fee, regardless of whether you actually incur tolls on a given day. The convenience fee for this unlimited service varies by location and region. However, if you opt for this, you won’t be billed separately for the actual toll charges.
Alt text: Hertz rental truck passing through an EZ Pass toll booth on a highway, illustrating the convenience of electronic toll collection systems and rental car toll services.
Hertz Toll Options
Hertz offers a similar unlimited toll program called Hertz PlatePass All-Inclusive Tolling. Like Avis’ unlimited option, it involves a daily fee, approximately $18.99. If you choose not to enroll in Hertz PlatePass but still use toll roads, you’ll incur a $9.99 daily convenience fee in addition to the standard, higher toll charges. PlatePass is available in 25 states, but availability can vary by Hertz rental location.
Enterprise Toll Options
When considering how to pay tolls in a rental car Enterprise, it’s important to understand their TollPass Service. Enterprise utilizes a direct billing approach with added convenience fees. These fees differ depending on the rental state and whether the location is at an airport. In most areas, the daily fee ranges from $3.95 to $4.95, capped at $30 per rental period. However, Chicago renters, especially at airport and select downtown locations, might face higher daily fees, up to $11.99. Non-airport Chicago locations generally charge $10.99 daily. It’s crucial to consult the TollPass Coverage Map to confirm applicability in your travel areas.
Sixt Toll Options
Sixt, a rental company with a growing presence in the U.S., provides a prepaid toll program named Express Tolls Unlimited. This is also an unlimited toll plan costing $12.99 per day, charged every rental day regardless of actual toll usage. If you decline this package and use toll roads, you’ll be billed for the tolls plus an administrative fee of $9.99 for each day tolls are incurred, up to a maximum of $90 per rental agreement.
Smart Strategies to Save on Tolls in Your Rental Car
Knowing how rental car tolls work is the first step. Here are actionable strategies to save money when encountering toll roads with your rental car:
1. Bring Your Own Transponder (BYOT)
If you already own a personal toll transponder, you can often use it in your rental car. This is a great way to avoid daily convenience fees and access discounted toll rates offered to transponder users. Simply remove your transponder from your personal vehicle and attach it to the rental car’s windshield, near the rearview mirror, ensuring it’s below any tinted areas.
Crucially, make sure to cover the rental car’s built-in transponder, usually with a sliding cover, so that the toll system reads your personal transponder instead of the rental car’s device.
Additionally, it’s essential to register the rental car’s details with your transponder account. For instance, Ohio’s E-ZPass guidelines state that “all vehicles should be added to your account while in use to avoid any violations.” Remember to remove the rental car from your account after your rental period ends to avoid future charges.
If you need to obtain a transponder, you can purchase one online or at designated locations in participating states. Verify that your transponder is compatible with the toll systems in the states you plan to travel through. E-ZPass, for example, is widely accepted across numerous states from Maine to Florida.
2. Pay with Cash When Possible
Paying tolls with cash is another way to avoid rental car company fees. However, it’s becoming less common as many toll roads transition to cashless systems. Research your route beforehand to determine if cash payment is an option on the toll roads you’ll be using.
If you decide to pay cash, ensure the rental car’s transponder is covered to prevent accidental double billing.
3. Evaluate the Unlimited Toll Option Cost
If your trip involves extensive driving on toll roads, calculate the potential toll costs in advance. Tools like Google Maps can help you identify toll roads on your route and estimate toll amounts.
Compare the estimated tolls to the rental car company’s unlimited toll option fee. Remember, the unlimited fee is charged daily for the entire rental duration, regardless of actual toll usage.
For short rentals or one-way trips heavily reliant on toll roads, the unlimited option might be cost-effective. For example, if a one-day drive incurs $30 in tolls, and the unlimited daily fee is less than that plus convenience fees, it could be a worthwhile choice, especially for Enterprise rentals or others with lower daily unlimited rates. However, for longer rentals with less toll road usage, it may be more expensive.
State-specific toll calculators can also provide more precise toll estimates, especially for vehicle types that might incur higher toll rates. Ohio’s Fare Calculator is one such tool.
4. Choose Routes to Avoid Toll Roads
Whenever feasible, use navigation apps to find routes that avoid toll roads. While this might add to your travel time, it can result in significant savings, especially on longer trips. However, consider the trade-off between time, fuel consumption, and potential congestion on toll-free routes. Sometimes, paying a toll can be more economical in the long run if it saves considerable time and fuel.
Alt text: Paying tolls with cash at a highway toll booth, illustrating a traditional method of toll payment that is becoming less common with the rise of electronic tolling systems.
Conclusion
Planning ahead for toll charges when renting a car is crucial. Understanding how to pay tolls in a rental car Enterprise or with other rental companies, exploring payment options, and considering strategies like bringing your own transponder or avoiding toll roads can help you manage costs effectively. By being informed and proactive, you can prevent unexpected charges and ensure a smoother, more budget-friendly rental car experience.
Prices noted in this article were accurate at the time of original publication.
