End of toll-takers on Golden Gate Bridge
Mar 28th, 2013, 09:56 AM
#21
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The toll takers have been replaced by loudspeakers, telling folks not to stop.
I'd hate to think of the fees that car rental companies will charge on top of your toll.
I went across the bridge a week ago, paid my cash and said I was sorry that these folks were losing their jobs.
The Golden Gate Bridge Supervisors (Board) has long been known as greedy bunch.
I'd hate to think of the fees that car rental companies will charge on top of your toll.
I went across the bridge a week ago, paid my cash and said I was sorry that these folks were losing their jobs.
The Golden Gate Bridge Supervisors (Board) has long been known as greedy bunch.
Mar 29th, 2013, 06:16 AM
#22
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Interesting read on rental cars in Florida and paying cashless tollbooths
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...o_Florida.html
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...o_Florida.html
Mar 29th, 2013, 09:08 AM
#23
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I will be the guinea pig. Just picked up a rental car at Budget SFO last night. I asked about the toll and he said I could just drive through and they will put it on my bill, with a fee.
How much is the fee? He didn't know! I guess this is so new, they haven't worked out all the details yet. He gave me an info card telling me how it works-- stuff I'd already learned on-line.
My options are to make a one-time payment in advance on-line, or take my changes with the amount of the fee.
I am guessing most tourists will just pay the fee and not stress over it. Rental car companies will make money on this new process, if it is allowed to continue.
Will report back when I see my bill!
Happy Easter weekend, all.
How much is the fee? He didn't know! I guess this is so new, they haven't worked out all the details yet. He gave me an info card telling me how it works-- stuff I'd already learned on-line.
My options are to make a one-time payment in advance on-line, or take my changes with the amount of the fee.
I am guessing most tourists will just pay the fee and not stress over it. Rental car companies will make money on this new process, if it is allowed to continue.
Will report back when I see my bill!
Happy Easter weekend, all.
Mar 29th, 2013, 09:22 AM
#24
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Got more info. Not being happy about this undetermined fee amount. I finally found this on the Budget website, about their "e-toll":
"In the state of California, vehicles are equipped with a transponder tag. Simply slide open the transponder box on the windshield and drive through a designated Fastrak based lane. When you use these lanes with the transponder open, the toll system identifies the car and charges the standard toll fee as published by the toll authority plus the convenience fee of $2.95 per rental day for the entire length of your rental (maximum $14.75 per month). These fees are charged directly to the credit card on file for your rental. If you do not choose to slide open the e-Toll transponder box, then you must pay any toll fees independently."
The agent should have known about this, obviously. I only plan on going over the bridge heading south one time this visit. But, if I used the Budget transponder, I would end up paying the $6 toll PLUS $14.75. Are they kidding? They can't put in a one-time fee of $2.95, which is high enough. No, they would charge me for every day I have the car, even though there are no more tolls.
Sounds like a scam that consumers will be all over! I will do the one-time payment, and see how that works. Sheesh. Talk about a tourist-unfriendly process.
So that means, if I use
"In the state of California, vehicles are equipped with a transponder tag. Simply slide open the transponder box on the windshield and drive through a designated Fastrak based lane. When you use these lanes with the transponder open, the toll system identifies the car and charges the standard toll fee as published by the toll authority plus the convenience fee of $2.95 per rental day for the entire length of your rental (maximum $14.75 per month). These fees are charged directly to the credit card on file for your rental. If you do not choose to slide open the e-Toll transponder box, then you must pay any toll fees independently."
The agent should have known about this, obviously. I only plan on going over the bridge heading south one time this visit. But, if I used the Budget transponder, I would end up paying the $6 toll PLUS $14.75. Are they kidding? They can't put in a one-time fee of $2.95, which is high enough. No, they would charge me for every day I have the car, even though there are no more tolls.
Sounds like a scam that consumers will be all over! I will do the one-time payment, and see how that works. Sheesh. Talk about a tourist-unfriendly process.
So that means, if I use
Mar 29th, 2013, 09:28 AM
#25
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We rented cars in New York and DC, and you rent a box that will also scan and cover your tolls. We had to pay a set amount per day for the box. Each car company handled it differently but they were definitely set up for it. I think the car rental companies will love this as an additional revenue source, and it will be easy to use but will cost you for the convenience.
Mar 29th, 2013, 09:30 AM
#26
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from the Golden Gate Bridge official website:
( http://www.goldengatebridge.org/ )
re: toll payment options when driving a rental car:
http://goldengate.org/tolls/rentalvehicles.php
http://goldengate.org/tolls/rentaltollprograms.php
http://goldengate.org/tolls/faqs.php#rentalvehicles
( http://www.goldengatebridge.org/ )
re: toll payment options when driving a rental car:
http://goldengate.org/tolls/rentalvehicles.php
http://goldengate.org/tolls/rentaltollprograms.php
http://goldengate.org/tolls/faqs.php#rentalvehicles
Mar 29th, 2013, 09:39 AM
#27
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P.S. - In case some travelers don't know: northbound from SF into Marin County is the free direction (no toll), while southbound from Marin into the City is when a toll is incurred.
Apr 4th, 2013, 11:14 AM
#30
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Reporting back in, after our wonderful 4 days over Easter weekend in the Bay Area.
We drove into the city on Easter, and used my sister's transponder. I had tried the on-line site to buy a one-time pass, but the site was not cooperating.
We drove into the city on Easter, and used my sister's transponder. I had tried the on-line site to buy a one-time pass, but the site was not cooperating.
Apr 4th, 2013, 03:24 PM
#31
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Sounds like a scam that consumers will be all over! I will do the one-time payment, and see how that works. Sheesh. Talk about a tourist-unfriendly process.
Any toll system that eliminates all possibilities of human contact is unfriendly to the tourist; I can attest to that trying to use the toll system in Norway even though it has a cash option. Can we really expect someone who rented a car in Portland Oregon and is driving to LA via the coast to be aware of the various ways of paying the toll? To look up the web site to learn about the ways to make payments? The Golden Gate Bridge authority fudged on the extra cost to non-Bay residents when first announcing the conversion, but implied that it would simply mail them the bill; and it never mentioned the problem with rentals. I suspect that it will add a service fee in short order to those crossing the bridge in their own vehicles but without transponders.
Any toll system that eliminates all possibilities of human contact is unfriendly to the tourist; I can attest to that trying to use the toll system in Norway even though it has a cash option. Can we really expect someone who rented a car in Portland Oregon and is driving to LA via the coast to be aware of the various ways of paying the toll? To look up the web site to learn about the ways to make payments? The Golden Gate Bridge authority fudged on the extra cost to non-Bay residents when first announcing the conversion, but implied that it would simply mail them the bill; and it never mentioned the problem with rentals. I suspect that it will add a service fee in short order to those crossing the bridge in their own vehicles but without transponders.
Apr 5th, 2013, 09:51 AM
#32
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According to the prior post, it may not matter if a responsible driver does visit the website ahead of time. PeaceOut said the website wasn't cooperating. Although unable to buy the onetime pass, PeaceOut was able to use a sister's transponder. Not all of us have that option!
The website doesn't mention a service fee for mailing an invoice, but it does mention late fees. If you cross the bridge without a sticker or FastTrac, you need to pay online within 48 hours of crossing. After 48 hours they mail the registered owner of the vehicle an invoice. You have 21 days to pay. They think they'll mail that invoice within a 7 day period, making this a standard remit-30 bill.
I don't think mailing invoices will be simple, especially in the beginning and especially for cars registered in other states or Canada. It would not be surprising if it takes far longer processing time than 7 days to pull the owner information from other DMVs. I foresee lots of $25 late fees getting tacked on.
The website doesn't mention a service fee for mailing an invoice, but it does mention late fees. If you cross the bridge without a sticker or FastTrac, you need to pay online within 48 hours of crossing. After 48 hours they mail the registered owner of the vehicle an invoice. You have 21 days to pay. They think they'll mail that invoice within a 7 day period, making this a standard remit-30 bill.
I don't think mailing invoices will be simple, especially in the beginning and especially for cars registered in other states or Canada. It would not be surprising if it takes far longer processing time than 7 days to pull the owner information from other DMVs. I foresee lots of $25 late fees getting tacked on.
Apr 5th, 2013, 09:57 AM
#33
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5alive is right. I was lucky to be able to use my sister's pass. Otherwise, one-time crossing would have totaled to about $26! ($6 for the toll, and about $20 fee to Budget rental)
There are lots of kinks to work out of this new plan.
At least I knew about it in advance. Many tourists won't be visiting family and won't know about it until they see their bills.
There are lots of kinks to work out of this new plan.
At least I knew about it in advance. Many tourists won't be visiting family and won't know about it until they see their bills.
Sep 16th, 2013, 02:33 AM
#38
@Michael -- did you use the rental car's program? Is only the GG bridge effected by this? As I understand checking on the links above with a rental car I can opt out of their program and make a one time payment. Has anyone done that?
Sep 16th, 2013, 07:59 AM
#39
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All I know is that the person with whom I was sharing a ride to the Sierra had rented a car for one day for business purposes (he would otherwise have a transponder on his personal car). He told me that the rental agency charges a fee, and then the agency in charge of collecting the fees charges a fee, and then there is the normal bridge charge.
The believe that the other toll bridges in the Bay Area still have toll collectors, I know that the Bay Bridge does.
Whatever lower cost options are available, they will never be as low as the toll itself and will not be known by most people who cross the bridge just once. I still think that it is a tourist unfriendly measure.
The believe that the other toll bridges in the Bay Area still have toll collectors, I know that the Bay Bridge does.
Whatever lower cost options are available, they will never be as low as the toll itself and will not be known by most people who cross the bridge just once. I still think that it is a tourist unfriendly measure.
