Next Up, Hertz and Firefly

These two rental car companies have the same rate schedule on the Sunpass website. Here's the information:

$4.95 fee per rental day plus tolls (at posted cash/TOLL-BY-PLATE rates)
$24.75 maximum fee per rental month (30 days) plus tolls (at posted cash/TOLL-BY-PLATE rates)  Opt-in decision is made when the driver elects to use EXPRESS, SunPass ONLY, E-PASS ONLY or LeeWay ONLY lanes.
Nothing to decide at time of rental.

So, in an effort to figure out what's going on here and what I'll ultimately end up paying I started working the phones. First I called Hertz which can't tell me what the toll rate is; they did offer to connect me to the Sunpass site, which disconnected me after 17 minutes on hold.

I called Sunpass directly. Now, they do warn you that Monday's are the busiest. I'm currently at 22 minutes and counting. (it took 30 minutes to reach someone) It wouldn't be quite as bad if the didn't keep repeating the same hold message every 2 minutes about taking a survey and offering my opinion about their "world class service" I'm thinking third world class service, maybe Bolivia.

If you drive on the toll road it is the toll-by-plate rate, currently a $1 toll will cost you $1.30 for toll-by plate; plus a one time $2.50 administrative fee per bill. No one could explain what constitutes a bill. I've been hit with several administrative fees because each toll showed up independently of the others over the course of a week in a test rental car. I was using a different rental car company at the time of my testing.

So, $4.95 a day up to $24.75 a month; plus at least one $2.50 administrative fee and then a higher toll rate. Did I mention that even if you make a mistake and end up on the toll road there is no turning back? The meter is running. Tolltraxx offers you complete toll coverage for a $7.50 service charge (a $3 credit is applied for returning the transponder) and a service charge of $.50 per toll, use it once, use it a lot, don't use it at all. You are in control.

I'm Not Picking on Anyone

So, not being the king of cut and paste, trying to collect and transfer all of the multitude of charges that rental car companies hit you with if you dare get on a toll road was not a one day job for me. Or maybe it was the 24 t-shirts I had to dye for reading night at school. Either way I didn't finish my mission. I do however have one example to share and I will get to the rest of them.

The Sixt program offers a flat fee for opting into Sixts’ "Express Toll Service". If not enrolled at time of reservation or at the rental counter, and user incurred toll charges by utilizing a dedicated or express lane, a $5.00 administrative fee + toll is assessed for each infraction. These fees and tolls are charged separately after the completion of the rental.   $7.99 flat fee per rental day (plus tax)

Huh? Well, I'm glad we cleared that up and this is not the worst...by far. Get a Tolltraxx, a $7.50 service fee gets you the lowest posted toll rate plus a $.50 charge for each toll. That's right fifty cents per toll. Just a little better than $5.00 per toll and $7.99 a day. We even give you a $3 credit when you return the transponder.

Toll Rates Explained

I didn't have time to transfer all of the different rates and charges today but I did a little math, very little and have come up with the formula for how toll rates for rental cars are determined:

Toll = c(s-1) + distance of the quadrangle

A3y = x3 +a2x2 + a4x where x = Ocala

(E/Fp) = exp (high % of your credit card E = (1 – a T + pT) / (1 – T)

(E/Q, s) = II (1 – aP-s + 3) = T + 1 =

greatest rate possible x 2 

That should explain everything.

What is this all about?

I recognized that there was a big problem with The Florida toll roads as they transitioned to electronic tolls. And, we are not alone in this transition, Denver, California... the list grows. The problem is what happens if you don't have a transponder and you end up on these toll roads either through ignorance or mistake. Once on you can't get off. There's nowhere to pay even if you wanted to. If you are in a rental car the problem is compounded. I'm sure that most people like me would assume that if I run the toll that I'll just have the toll added to my rental charge. What I didn't realize is how much that toll would cost me and it is the same for every single toll. It's not a one time charge. The fees are applied to every single toll you run.

So, seeing a problem I came up with a solution. Tolltraxx.com. I bought transponders. Registered them. Tied them to a payment method and I'm offering them to tourists to use. Your cost? A one time $7.50 charge for the transponder. $3 of which is applied to your toll balance if you return the transponder and a service charge of $.50 per toll.

Tomorrow we'll look at what the rental car companies charge.

The Truman Show, Live!

If you've never seen the Jim Carrey movie The Truman Show you should check it out on Netflix. When you get to the scene where Truman tries to escape by jumping in the car and driving away, pay attention. You've just entered the Florida zone. It's a lot like the Twilight Zone only more frustrating. Just when you've finally gotten around that slow driver with the perpetual left blinker on; you can see the next slow moving car pulling out right in front of you. 

When you enter the zone there is only one thing to do. Accept your fate. Helpful suggestions to overcome road rage are as follows...breathe...deep, slow breaths. And this suggestion is one that will help in all aggravating, frustrating, depressing... situations. Think of it as a general tip to improve any situation. "Look for beauty." In Florida it is easy to do. Clouds in the sky. A sunrise/sunset. Birds roosting in the trees. The list is endless. But focusing and appreciating a moment of beauty takes your focus off of the stupidity in front of you. 

Less Tip, More Sanity Check

Here are a couple of things to watch out for when driving in Florida.

The most aggressive drivers are also often the slowest. Don't be surprised when that car that pulls right out in front of you and then  can't even get up to the speed limit. It's not you, it's Florida.

 You'll pull up to a red light, there's no cross traffic in either direction and you wait and you wait and you wait some more. Just when you think the light might be out of order look up and down the cross street. Chances are you'll see a large number of cars headed for the green, no wait, yellow; no, now red light. Away you go. The average wait when nothing is going on is two and a half minutes. It's not you, it's Florida. 

Do Not Fear the Horn

I'm kind of shy by nature and try not to to stand out in a crowd. If there's a quiet way to fix something or get it done that's the way I usually go. 

Here's another only in Florida, but it probably happens everywhere. You just miss the light and as you pull up to the now red light you see the light change green for the cross traffic but the car at the light doesn't move. And you sit and you sit and you sit... The problem? The car sitting over there at the green light doesn't have any moving traffic to trigger them to look up so they just sit there texting away. The traffic light sensor thinks there is traffic moving in that direction when it is just one car sitting. The solution? Use the horn. There are different ways to use your horn. I suggest the European method. What is that you ask?

In Europe they use the horn completely differently than in America. When they beep the horn in Europe the message seems to be "Hey you what do you think your doing? Don't you see me here? Move along please." vs the American use of the horn which usually says "*$@$!^&!%%$^" in all CAPS. I know it's frustrating but don't lay on the horn. Just tap it to get their attention. When they hear it they'll look up check the rear view mirror and wonder who's beeping at them and then drive away. If that doesn't work use the American horn method.

Don't Stop Now, I'm Driving

I can't swear this is a uniquely Florida problem but I see it here all the time. It could be called the "Killing you with kindness problem." The traffic light's green, the car in front of you slips into the right turn lane gets up to the green light and stops to allow the car waiting to make a left turn to go first.  Not expecting the car to stop, slow down certainly, but not stop you have to slam on the brakes to keep from killing them and you. Remember that what you do while driving affects what's going on behind you more often than in front. 

As long as we are fixing things...

Here's a suggestion to fix all of our traffic problems. An app. I call it Asleep at the Wheel in honor of that great Texas band. (I know, originally from W. Virginia but I know them from Austin.) The app is packaged with a small camera that attaches to the windshield and looks for traffic lights. When you are sitting there in traffic at the red light with your head down texting and the light changes from red to green you get a flashing green light on your phone. Look up. Drive away. Thank you, Jesus! This app isn't for you. It's for me. The guy sitting in traffic behind you waiting for you to finish doing whatever it is you're doing that's not driving. Which is what you should be doing. 

Red Light Camera Fix

The big complaint is the the red light cameras cause more accidents than they prevent. I think the accident problem is caused by the large signs just before the intersections announcing the cameras presence. Get rid of the signs! If people are going to run the red light let 'em. You don't get a warning before you rob a bank that they'll be taking your picture and it can and will be used against you in a court of law. 

The Green Light is Waiting

Here's a problem to watch out for as you drive the roads in Florida. I call it the right turn, yields to left. The light's green the car in front of you is going to make a right turn and when they get to the intersection they stop to let the car waiting at the light to make a left turn to go ahead. I believe that being courteous is the only thing that separates us from the apes. That and the apes tend to peel the banana before they eat it. But, if the light is green and you have the right of way don't stop. Think about what's about to happen behind you. A six car pile-up. If you have the right of way use it. Everyone behind you will expect you to and drive accordingly.  

Driving in Florida Requires an Insanity Check

It's bad enough that people are texting while driving; but when they don't pull away when the light turns green and you hit the  horn, twice, they hold up the phone and shake it like "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" I also heard a colleague complain that she is not required to make a right on red if she doesn't want to because she was trying to finish a text and thought it would be safer to sit at the light and finish. Don't worry about the people behind you waiting to turn to get to work or Dunkin Donuts.  Wow! After I explained my thoughts, we aren't on speaking terms anymore.

Less a driving tip and more of a sanity check

If you are new to driving in Florida there are a few things to get used to. Now I do most of my driving in the Tampa area but I've traveled all over the state many, many times and these truisms apply everywhere.

No. You're not crazy. If you miss that first traffic light you can expect to miss every subsequent light while driving on the same street. 

No. You're not crazy. You'll often have to sit through multiple light cycles to get through the intersection. Made much worse since the advent of texting.

"No Passers" No. You're not crazy. People will catch up to you while driving and then refuse to pass you. There must be something enjoyable about your blind spot. Even when you can get them to pass you they'll just catch up to the next slowest moving vehicle and then drive in their blind spot. This happens to me most often when I'm taking my time and driving the speed limit in the right lane; messing up the traffic flow for everyone else. 

Drive Safe Out There

• On a two lane road, if there is a car parked on your side of the road do not pull out into the other lane to go around the parked car if cars are traveling in the other direction. It is not first come first served; if the parked car is on your side you need to yield to the oncoming traffic. 

Avoiding Toll Violations

There are several ways to avoid a toll violation while driving a rental car in Florida.  You could stay off of the toll roads. Funny how the most convenient way to get somewhere is also the most expensive. Hello, Orlando I'm talking about you. Staying off of the toll roads is certainly doable, not easy or pleasant but doable.  Rent a transponder from your rental car company. $7.95 a day plus tolls, per rental depending on which company you use. Skip the transponder and hope for the best. Your "best" bet is if you're driving your own private car and go through the toll plaza. The state will run your plate and send you a bill for the toll plus and administrative fee of $2.50 per toll; so your $1 toll is going to cost you $3.50. In a rental car the state sends your toll bill to the rental car company which hires a third party to track you down and charge you. All of this increases your $1 toll to (again depending on the rental car company) $14 per toll.  Why does the rental car company need a third party to track you down? After all the rental car company knows when you had the car, it's in your contract. They should be able to figure out which tolls belong to you pretty easily. But, no. Adding another company to the mix dilutes the blame for the excessive charges. "It's not our fault."  And you get screwed. The worst part is that most people don't even realize what is happening or is going to happen to them when they drive through the toll plaza. Which is what makes offering a solution to this problem so difficult. Most people don't know it's a problem until it's too late to fix. 

That's why I came up with Tolltraxx. I bought the transponders, activated them, tied them to a payment method and I'm offering them to visitors to Florida. Pay a one time $7.50 handling fee . Get your transponder in 3 business days, USPS First Class mail. When you get to your car send us a picture of the back of the car. Put the transponder on the windshield and you are good to go. We manage the tolls, you enjoy the trip. When you're done send us a text. When the final tolls come from the state we add them up, add our fee, $.50, that's right fifty cents per toll and make a one time charge to your payment method on file.  Use it a lot, use it a little, don't use it at all; you only pay for the tolls plus $.50. That's $2 less than the state charges. And if you return the transponder we'll credit your account $3. It's a great way to travel.  

Make a Left at the Light

I originally started a page of Driving Tips on Tolltraxx.com but decided that a lot of it is really just my opinion and not the law. Well, maybe but I can't say that I looked it up before spouting off. So I moved Driving Tips to the blog pages including this one. Here's to a better driving experience. 

This one of those rules that needs pictures to explain. If you are waiting to make a left turn sitting there in your left turn lane and you get a green arrow, go! You have a protected left turn and on-coming traffic has to wait for you. As usually happens in Florida the green arrow doesn't hold long enough to let all of the cars turn. So what happens now? If there is a red arrow illuminated on the traffic light sorry you'll have to wait for the next light (green arrow). If the signal changes from a green arrow to a yellow arrow to a regular old green light you are still allowed to make your left turn but now you lose your right of way to the on-coming traffic. You can still turn left when it is safe to do so!  Remember that there are people behind you waiting. Don't make missing the green arrow your excuse to sit there and check email or text. Keep it moving people. But please do it safely. No one ever got special treatment when they arrived at the Pearly Gates and told St. Peter "But I had the right-of-way."