On parts of your journey you might drive on roads, bridges or lanes that require you to pay tolls. This also applies if you are driving a rental car. In this post we help you to understand how different types of toll passes work. Read on and get ready for your trip.
When renting a car, it’s important to understand how the toll pass works to avoid unexpected fees or fines. With some companies you can rent a toll pass. Either you pay a fixed price and you are free to drive as much on all toll roads as you like. Or you pay to rent the pass, which registers when you have used a toll road and you pay for those distances. It will then be calculated when you return the rental car.
Other companies might require you to set up an account with the toll authority and manually pay for any tolls you incur. Make sure that you have read the rental agreement carefully to understand the terms and conditions among them the rules regarding toll pass. You could be facing additional charges if you have not used the toll pass correctly. addCar Rental has toll passes available at selected locations and will help you get started. You can book them in advance on addCar.com.
If you drive on a road or a bridge with a toll, you need to pay. No matter if you drive your own or a rental car. But you don’t necessarily have to pay via a toll pass – here are 6 ways to avoid the accumulated cost of tolls.
If your rental car has a built-in-toll pass you will automatically be charged when driving on toll roads or bridges. This can make it difficult to see how much you have to pay in the end. Therefore you may think it’s an advantage to disconnect the toll pass.
When driving, you probably use a GPS or a navigation app to help you find the shortest or easiest way from A-Z. Did you know that it can also help you avoid toll roads in most cases. You can enter that as a parameter when you ask for directions. We say ‘in most cases’ since tolls could also be on a bridge that you will have to cross to get to your destination. But you get the picture.
Peak toll hours refer to the specific times during the day when toll rates are typically higher due to increased demand on the road. These hours can vary depending on the location and the toll road. Normally the peak hours for toll charges are equivalent to rush hour times during the day. In most cases that means from 7:00 to 9:00 AM and again from 4:00 to 7:00 PM. Some toll roads may also have higher rates during weekends and holidays. It’s essential to plan your route and take note of peak toll hours to avoid unexpected toll charges. Not to mention potential delays.
With addCar you can use your own transponder, but if you rent a car with another company, you should always check their policies to ensure that they also allow it. You just have to remember to remove the transponder from your own car and install it in the rental car. The transponder usually needs to be mounted on the windshield or dashboard, so it’s visible to the toll booth sensors. Before hitting the road you should ensure that it is properly activated and linked to your toll account to avoid any fees or fines. With your own toll transponder, you can keep track of the expenses as you go along and you probably also avoid some expenses for not using the one from the rental company. So you still have to pay the tolls but with your own transponder, you know how much.
If you don’t want to wait to pay the tolls until you drop off your rental car, you can use cash lanes. Then you just pay right away and keep driving. That’s simple. But you can risk that there is a queue in those lanes.
To get compensation for expenses on a company trip, you need to keep the receipts. If you drive with a built-in-toll transponder, you will receive a total invoice for the kilometers you have traveled on a toll road. This makes the paperwork easier for you at the end of your trip.
Road tolls are paid by anyone who uses the roads. It is a system that ensures that the actual users pay for construction and maintenance. So it does not matter if you drive in your personal vehicle or a rental car – if you use the road, you pay the toll. If you don’t pay the tolls, the bill will be sent to the rental company. And since they know who rented the car when, they will transfer the bill to you – now including administrative fees.
As anyone else using the roads, you must pay tolls if you drive on a toll road or bridge. Some rental companies have a toll transponder installed in the car, so you will be charged all together when you drop off the rental car. Some companies will let you install your own transponder. Then you’ll have to ensure that it works properly and the car is linked to your account.
If you want to avoid paying tolls you’ll have to navigate to avoid driving the toll roads. With a GPS or a navigation app you can ask for directions without toll roads. But you must be aware that you risk a longer drive or driving on less maintained roads. And sometimes you cannot avoid tolls at all if you for instance have to cross a toll bridge to continue your route.
