Driving to Ft. Lauderdale - Toll Roads? (Miami, Tampa: rental car, rental)

[stephen1254]

We are headed over to Ft. Lauderdale in a few weeks on a Sunday morning. We anticipate encountering several toll roads. All of our previous driving on the East Coast has been in rental cars with a transponder. It doesn't make sense for us to invest in a transponder here, as this is a one time deal and we haven't encountered any toll roads (yet) in our driving on the West Coast. So what are our options? We've encountered unmanned booths that take coins, but also booths that don't appear to take cash. We have Florida plates. Should we bring a big bag of quarters and hope for the best?

[Restrain]

Sun Pass is electronic. You can pick up a SunPass transponder at Walgreeens (saw them by the checkout yesterday). Given the roads and bridges that are tolls now, it just makes sense, especially as some no longer have toll booths. We bought a Sun Pass transponder before we moved down here, just easier to deal. BTW, if you have multiple cars, you can get one that attaches with suction cups.

[bbronston]

The suction cup one is like $20 or so but there is a mini sticker for around $5. If you ever go over the Skyway or out to Fort Desoto, you can use the Sunpass for that. I think you can use it for some airport parking, too. It's not that expensive, you can manage it all online, and it is extremely convenient--especially compared to a bag of quarters!

[Cardiff by the Sea]

$20!!! That's a real deal. $5. You have to be kidding. In CA they were $100.

Anywhere else you can get them besides Walgreen's? We would like having one for those trips to St Pete and the the Tampa airport.

[Restrain]

You can order online from Sun Pass, just have to wait for snail-mail

[bbronston]

www.sunpass.com

[stephen1254]

I appreciate the responses, but we are trying to avoid buying a transponder that we will likely only use for this one drive. While that may change in the future, it seems unnecessary now. What I'm trying to figure out is if the booths we hit will take quarters, or if we will run into booths that are completely unmanned and do not take any cash.

[bbronston]

I've never seen an unmanned toll booth that didn't take quarters. Have you? There is no requirement to have a transponder that I know of so I can't see how there could be a situation as you describe.

Edit: apparently, there ARE some places where tolls are collected electronically only--no cash! I just read about it on the Florida turnpike webpage. I don't know if this affects you but maybe you can google the roads you plan to drive and "toll" to see if you can find more info. There is also pretty good info at http://www.floridasturnpike.com/ including info on pay by plate where they capture your license plate and bill you. Maybe that will work for you?

[photoman_6]

i once went through an unmanned toll booth (pretty sure it was in Florida) and got a bill in the mail for the toll. no big dea.
Also, if i remember there is only one toll booth from here to Ft Lauderdale. Or two.

[TamRE]

I did the same thing as Photoman when I drove to Miami last year and to St. Pete. They were both unmanned booths and I didn't get in the right lane and I got a ticket in the mail. Actually, it wasn't me driving, it was my boyfriend, but it was my car, so I got the ticket. I was with him. We both got confused and are not used to tolls in our area of Florida. You really have to pay attention. The lanes split up and the signs aren't always clear, especially if you haven't been there before. Good luck!