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One of the biggest annoyances of renting a car is the “Convenience Fee” added to the bill for using a toll transponder. You might not have to worry about having exact change or waiting in line, but the fees can really add up. Many rental car companies have made this difficult to avoid, regardless of if there is actually a transponder in the vehicle or if they’re just billing by license plate.
I rent a fair number of cars throughout the year from National and Avis. Both of these agencies charge fees ranging from $3.95 to $5.95 per day (capped per rental period at $26.75 to $29.75). This fee is in addition to any tolls you incur while driving. I’ve rented 16 cars so far in 2023 and spent $238 on these junk fees. That’s not an unsubstantial amount of money and in many instances I was charged by plate. The administrative costs of managing this should be included in the rental car price and not added as an additional fee.
Policies by Rental Car Company
Avis Car Rental: e-Toll fees (Standard): If you use the e-Toll service at any time during your rental, you agree to pay a convenience fee of $5.95 for each day on which you incur a toll up to a maximum amount of $29.75 per rental period (not to exceed 30 days). In addition, you will pay all tolls incurred at the maximum prevailing non-discounted or cash rates posted by the toll authority. e-Toll Unlimited: Avis also offers e-Toll Unlimited, which includes the cost of tolls and convenience fees. If you choose e-Toll Unlimited, you agree to pay a daily flat fee of $10.99 – $25.99, depending on checkout location, for each day of the rental period, regardless of whether or not you incur any tolls, up to a maximum of $54.95 – $129.95 per week. e-Toll Unlimited must be selected at the time you reserve or check out your vehicle, otherwise you agree to pay the standard e-Toll fees if you use the e-Toll service.
Budget Rent A Car: e-Toll fees (Standard): If you use the e-Toll service at any time during your rental, you agree to pay a convenience fee of $5.95 for each day on which you incur a toll up to a maximum amount of $29.75 per rental period (not to exceed 30 days). In addition, you will pay all tolls incurred at the maximum prevailing non-discounted or cash rates posted by the toll authority. e-Toll Unlimited: Budget also offers e-Toll Unlimited, which includes the cost of tolls and convenience fees. If you choose e-Toll Unlimited, you agree to pay a flat daily fee of $10.99 -$25.99, depending on checkout location, for each day of the rental period, regardless of whether or not you incur any tolls, up to a maximum of $54.95 – $129.95 per week. e-Toll Unlimited must be selected at the time you reserve or check out your vehicle, otherwise you agree to pay the standard e-Toll fees if you use the e-Toll service.
Dollar Rent A Car: PlatePass All-Inclusive daily and weekly rates vary by state. If you do not opt in to PlatePass All-Inclusive at the counter or opt in by opening the transponder shield box, but you use cashless toll lanes without another payment method approved by the toll authority, you will be charged an administrative fee of $9.99 per calendar day when tolls are incurred, plus the cost of each toll at the toll authority’s highest, undiscounted rate.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car: TollPass™ Service − Auto Opt-In: $3.95 per usage day, not to exceed $19.75 per rental period, plus the amount of each toll and any other charges by EZ Pass or our service administrator. There is no TollPass™ Service charge on rental days that you don’t use a toll road. You will be auto opted-in to this service if you do not rent a device and you drive through any tolls.
Hertz: PlatePass All-Inclusive daily and weekly rates vary by state. If you do not opt in to PlatePass All-Inclusive at the counter or opt in by opening the transponder shield box, but you use cashless toll lanes without another payment method approved by the toll authority, you will be charged an administrative fee of $9.99 per calendar day when tolls are incurred, plus the cost of each toll at the toll authority’s highest, undiscounted rate.
National Car Rental: TollPass Convenience Charge: $3.95 – $5.35 per usage day not to exceed $26.75 per rental period. Charges are in currency of rental location, not toll location. There is no TollPass Convenience Charge on rental days that you don’t use a toll road. The TollPass™ Service charge and the amount of each toll will be charged to the debit or credit card on file with your Rental Agreement and will appear separately from Rental Agreement charges on your credit or debit card statement.
Thrifty Car Rental: PlatePass All-Inclusive daily and weekly rates vary by state. If you do not opt in to PlatePass All-Inclusive at the counter or opt in by opening the transponder shield box, but you use cashless toll lanes without another payment method approved by the toll authority, you will be charged an administrative fee of $9.99 per calendar day when tolls are incurred, plus the cost of each toll at the toll authority’s highest, undiscounted rate.
Anthony’s Take: The fee to use a transponder or have your tolls billed by plate should not be more than the cost of the tolls themselves. This junk fee adds a lot to rentals (especially when added up for frequent renters). I look at this fee the same way I view destination fees at hotels as nothing more than cash grabs.
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2 comments
Convenience fee = we stick it to you because your use of our transponder makes it very convenient for us to charge you an obscene fee that goes directly to the bottom line. Oh, and there’s nothing you can do about it! Hahahaha!
If you live in Florida or drive there often, do what I did. By a Sunpass transponder. I haven’t had to pay that convenience fee bs since. Has saved me a ton of money. All you have to do is stick on the windshield of the car you rent (It also helps to register the plate with Sunpass for each rental to be safe) and turn off the transponder from Avis etc. If you’re paying that much in fees, you really should buy one.