Florida’s Ying and Yang: Sunshine and toll roads

Sherri Gardner HowellFarragut

I was all prepared to write a ranting-and-raving column about Florida and their money-sucking toll roads. I am spending a mini-vacation in the Sunshine State. Six months ago I was lured into making a plane reservation by what I call the “practically free” rates from Frontier Airlines.

I get emails all the time from Frontier that showcase their incredibly low promotions, but 90 per cent of the time, when you dig down into the list of where you can actually go for $29 one way, it’s nowhere I’m really hankering to be. But Florida in January? Why not!

As an extra carrot on the stick, I have a dear friend in Clearwater, plus some cousins scattered from Orlando through the Tampa area.

So today I am sitting in what has to be one of the most beautiful places in the United States. I am a huge fan of Clearwater Beach. Normally more of a North Carolina beaches girl, I find Clearwater is one of the few beach areas in Florida that I long to revisit. I love the transformation that is going on in Clearwater Beach, probably because it is still early enough in that process to give a mix of old Clearwater Beach and the new, sparkling beautiful high-rises that are eating up the landscape. Whether you are looking out toward the gulf or on the intercoastal side, Clearwater Beach is a breathtakingly beautiful place.

Which is why I’m not going to rant too much about the toll roads. Here’s the backstory: I like to be conservative in my spending when I book travel plans, and I will spend way too many hours in an effort to save 50 bucks. I understand that it is normally not worth the time I spend, but I enjoy finding the bargain.

I am smart enough to know upfront that I will suffer some inconveniences if I book a rental car from an unknown brand with an off-site distribution center in order to save $100.

As I stood in front of the rental counter, after waiting 25 minutes for the shuttle from the airport, I had to go through the long list of things to decline as add-ons from the charming but zealous sales clerk, who obviously did not know of my quest to save money. I declined it all, from GPS to collision insurance, signing in the little boxes of legalese designed to make me second-guess my decision.

I was almost home free. He dangled the keys in front of me and then said, “I’ve added the toll road package for $9 a day because you will be on many toll roads between here and Tampa and Clearwater.”

I saw my savings disappearing into a toll road haze.

“I don’t want the toll road package,” I told him.

“Ma’am,” he said incredulously, “I’m just trying to save you some money.”

And perhaps in his mind he was. It is certainly not his fault that some rental car companies have a system that absolutely gouges unsuspecting tourists.

Florida’s toll road system is very nice and fairly reasonable for local residents, because they only pay the toll. For out-of-towners, especially those of us with rental cars, it’s not so easy. You can pay-as-you-go on some of the toll roads, but many of them are express pay with no collectors or little baskets to toss your money into. They take a picture of your license plate and, if you drive on their roads, they bill you, or in this case, the rental company, for the amount of the toll.

Travelers who are in their own vehicles are encouraged to go online to a website and sign up beforehand to avoid getting a ticket in the mail after your journey is over. I did this several years ago when we drove from Miami to Key West, and it works beautifully. They charge the amount of the toll to a registered credit card and all is well with the world.

Rental car companies, however, are not content to just charge the amount of the actual toll to your credit card. This company adds a $25 per charge handling fee, if you don’t take their toll road package. If I aimlessly wander onto an express toll road or three, I am quickly up to $75 in handling fees plus the amount of the toll, which makes my carefully-researched, cheap rental car rate disappear.

While I am far from being a millennial, I have learned something from them. I looked at the eager young guy behind the counter and told him to take the toll package off my bill. I said, “I think there’s an app for that.”

He looked a bit astonished, but reluctantly agreed that, yes, I could program my phone to avoid the toll roads. “But ma’am,” he tried once more in vain, “You’re going to add at least an hour to your trip.”

I smiled my sweetest smile, signed the amended papers and took my keys. “Young man,” I told him, “On this day, at this point in my life, I got nothing but time.”

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