Car Rental Inflates Fares

Driving has slowly become a mindless activity with the development of navigation apps and even self-driving cars. But if you’re not careful, you can expect high tolls when you return your car to the rental company, as Robert Watson thought, after driving to New York and receiving a bill of $912 just for the fare. . While this bill turned out to be a mistake, the bottom line remains the same: if you don’t prepare for the worst, you could be caught off guard, paying heavy losses.

Renting a car and driving somewhere can be tempting when it’s cheaper than flying (for short trips of about 400 miles or less), and when you’re sharing the cost with a group of people, Nerdwallet says . But if you don’t include tolls in your budget, you could end up paying more than you bargained for. According to Christopher Elliot, a consumer and travel journalist, car rental companies are notorious for their hidden fees and schematic practices, overcharging tolls and renting road signs at higher rates. But there are ways to avoid being played by car rental companies.

How to avoid overpaying tolls when renting a car?

Not only the fare is growing, but also the number of toll roads. According to IBISWorld , the number of toll roads increased by 1.8% year-over-year and the industry is expected to continue to grow over the next five years. Rental companies make a profit from tolls by charging a daily transponder fee on the rental you take; depending on where you are, it will most likely be an E-ZPass on the East Coast or FasTrak in California. Even if you use a transponder during one of the three days of car rental, you will be charged for all three days plus tolls. Sometimes they charge up fares because they assume you won’t know or remember how much each fare costs, so they can easily get away with it (you can use this fare calculator or this map to get an idea how much is your fare). fare is paid for).

Use your transponder

The easiest way to avoid this is to take your own transponder out of the car with you. If the rental already comes with one, you can close the box. They are usually installed in a lead lined box that can be opened and closed. You can also put the transponder in such a package , which will have the same effect. If you do this, the toll booth will not be able to see it and will not charge you. If you bring your own, be sure to add your rental car to your account so they don’t think your transponder has been stolen. Just log into your account and add your rental license plate.

If you don’t have one, they are cheap and easy to buy. If you are traveling along the East Coast, E-ZPass will take you through most states. You can buy an E-ZPass in any of the states listed, but according to AutoSlash , if you buy a transponder in Massachusetts, there is no monthly fee and the cost of the transponder is credited to your account and becomes available for tolls. .

Pay in cash

Not as reliable as the first option as not all tolls accept cash these days, but if possible it will help you avoid much higher costs in the future. Make sure you have enough cash to pay all fees.

Pay fare at the cafeteria

Some rental companies offer a buffet option, such as Budget and Avis e-Toll Unlimited, where you can pay a set amount and all tolls will be covered by the rental company. Use toll calculators to see if you can save money this way.

Avoid toll roads

If you have the time and patience, you can always set the route in your navigation app to “avoid tolls”. This ensures that you choose country roads or other methods that avoid all tolls. Just be aware that you will be paying more for time and gas, but it might be worth it.