Sunpass Purchase and activate

[Princess Disney Mom]

Hi,
I'm looking to purchase a Sunpass but saw this on their website:
Activation
allows you to use your SunPass through the
“SUNPASS ONLY”, “E-PASS ONLY” and “LEEWAY ONLY”
lanes immediately. Please wait until 6:00 AM of the morning
following activation before using your SunPass through other
lanes. After 6:00 AM of the morning following activation, your
SunPass will work on all Florida toll roads and most bridges.

Does anyone know is activation when you get the Sunpass or when you
assign a rental car to the Sunpass? It won't do me much good if it does not work until
6:00am the next morning.
Thanks

 

[nacho113]

When you receive your Sunpass transponder, you would create a Sunpass account, link/activate the transponder to the account and load money or link a CC to the account all before you leave home. It will be active immediately for the Sunpass lanes which are the ones that you will have to contend with when leaving the airport (and in most of Florida I believe).
If you have a smartphone, you should be able to log-in to your Sunpass account once you get your rental car and add the Rental Car Info. There is an App for this, for Android phones it's called Sun Toll (not sure what the Apple version is called, just search Sunpass in the App Store) You can also do this in a Browser window if you don't want to download the App.
The reason that you want to add the rental car info to the Sunpass account is that, on the off chance that your Sunpass doesn't get picked up by the electronic tolling equipment and the Platepass system picks up the toll, having the rental car on your Sunpass account will just give then a cross reference as to where the tolls should correctly be charged (in this case, to your Sunpass account).

 

[dbramer]

Coming down I-95 to I-4, how necessary is a SunPass? I was going to get an EZ-Pass for the rest of the drive down, but I am not sure even that is necessary as below Maryland there are no tolls on I-95. TIA to all the locals that might be able to answer this.

 

[nacho113]

I don't believe that many of the Interstates have tolls since they are mostly Federally owned and maintained.
The only areas that I have heard of are in Maryland, New Jersey and Denver as well as some bridge projects and that was after a lot of lobbying over the last several years between State and Federal officials regarding funding and repairs. As most of the Interstate system is now reaching it's expected 50 year life, I would suspect that more and more of these roads will become toll roads. Unfortunately as we all know, once a toll/tax is in place there is only one way for it to go and that is UP.
It's too bad really since the Interstate system was setup to provide quick, safe and cheap movement of people, goods and services across the nation.

FYI, neither I-95 nor i-4 in Florida are toll roads ... yet.

 

[wisbucky]

We have owned a transponder for 5 years now. Best thing we ever did. You can purchase it from your home by calling and they will ship it to you. Once you have initially activated it you need to wait until 6:00 am the following day. NOT EACH TIME YOU RENT A CAR. We use to call with each car rental we had with the old Sunpass transponder. As there were times the transponder did not pick up going through the tolls. With the new transponders now this has never happened. They are very reliable. You can download the app as mentioned before and enter your rental car information on it. (Apple's app is called Sunpass) There will be eventually be a toll lane on I-4 in the center that will allow vehicles to move more quickly without the chance of delays. This will take possibly a few years. I am not sure which state above Florida accepts the Sunpass but one does. For some reason I want to say Georgia. But don't hold me to that.

 

[richmo]

Coming down I-95 to I-4, how necessary is a SunPass? I was going to get an EZ-Pass for the rest of the drive down, but I am not sure even that is necessary as below Maryland there are no tolls on I-95. TIA to all the locals that might be able to answer this.

I-4 has no tolls. You won't need a SunPass. (Although there are times when the traffic around Orlando may tempt you to take the 417 bypass, which does take SunPass)

Also correct that below Maryland there are no tolls on I-95.

 

[MillauFr]

It's too bad really since the Interstate system was setup to provide quick, safe and cheap movement of people, goods and services across the nation.

The problem with that is that more and more cars do not use gas and are basically using the roads for free. Both of my next door neighbors have cars that don't use gasoline. One has a Leaf and the other has a Tesla and a Leaf. Why should my neighbor who can afford a $100,000 Tesla get a free ride while the poor who are driving gasoline powered cars are paying 70+ cents in gasoline taxes per gallon????

 

[bcuinohio]

I-4 has no tolls. You won't need a SunPass. (Although there are times when the traffic around Orlando may tempt you to take the 417 bypass, which does take SunPass

If you don't get a Sunpass, keep a roll of quarters in the car. You can take the 417 bypass and pay cash. Some exits/entrances are unmanned so you will need to have quarters on hand.

 

[KingofJapan]

If you don't get a Sunpass, keep a roll of quarters in the car. You can take the 417 bypass and pay cash. Some exits/entrances are unmanned so you will need to have quarters on hand.

Ummm, most booths are surpass only now. Many of the toll booth have taken away the workers. If you don't have a sun pass, they will bill the license plate. No big deal. I know here in Miami, there are no longer toll booth workers.

 

[nacho113]

Ummm, most booths are surpass only now. Many of the toll booth have taken away the workers. If you don't have a sun pass, they will bill the license plate. No big deal. I know here in Miami, there are no longer toll booth workers.

Almost all of the toll roads around the Orlando area still have "pay by cash" toll booths with an attendant to give change. Some less traveled exits have the exact change lanes where you toss in the toll amount in coins. There are one or 2 that are Sunpass only but they are clearly marked as such and generally not at exits that most tourists would use.
Been to Miami a few times and definitely need a transponder down there if you plan on using the toll roads as everything is Cashless once you get further south than Palm Beach. Our last couple of trips to the Miami area, we just set our GPS to "avoid tolls" and stayed off the toll roads all together. We weren't in any big hurry so time wasn't an issue. We were on Vacation time "No Hurries, No Worries"

 

[KingofJapan]

Almost all of the toll roads around the Orlando area still have "pay by cash" toll booths with an attendant to give change. Some less traveled exits have the exact change lanes where you toss in the toll amount in coins. There are one or 2 that are Sunpass only but they are clearly marked as such and generally not at exits that most tourists would use.
Been to Miami a few times and definitely need a transponder down there if you plan on using the toll roads as everything is Cashless once you get further south than Palm Beach. Our last couple of trips to the Miami area, we just set our GPS to "avoid tolls" and stayed off the toll roads all together. We weren't in any big hurry so time wasn't an issue. We were on Vacation time "No Hurries, No Worries"

How long has it been since you visited Orlando. Many toll booths are converting over to surpass/bill by plate. I was there 1 week ago and noticed this (we go every 2-3 weeks since we live so close).

 

[richmo]

If you're bypassing I-4 by going on 417 and staying on until you get to the Disney exits, you will have nothing but attended toll lanes (and Sunpass/Epass). If you get off somewhere else, there are plenty of exits that require the transponder or exact change. Same if you get back on.

 

[KingofJapan]

The toll booths near ucf are converting over. I spoke to a buddy who works for OUC in downtown Orlando who informed me that the goal is to have them all converted by 2017. I think it's a great idea. Traffic will flow much better through those areas which is sometimes gridlock around the parks.

 

[richmo]

The toll booths near ucf are converting over. I spoke to a buddy who works for OUC in downtown Orlando who informed me that the goal is to have them all converted by 2017. I think it's a great idea. Traffic will flow much better through those areas which is sometimes gridlock around the parks.

The concept is good...but the one place execution would be shaky would be in an area with a lot of rental vehicles. The rental agencies are already charging ridiculous amounts for using Sunpass; I hope they come up with some reasonable policies with toll by plate.

 

[KingofJapan]

They will just charge the plate. Something has to be done where rental agencies cannot charge you an exuberant amount of money in fees. There will most likely be an option where you can use their transponder for a fee, use your own transponder or charge by plate where you will incur fees on top of the rental agency fees. I am all for charging the fees since it helps out the state in one way or another.

 

[nacho113]

How long has it been since you visited Orlando. Many toll booths are converting over to surpass/bill by plate. I was there 1 week ago and noticed this (we go every 2-3 weeks since we live so close).

We were in Florida for 12 days in January. Had a 5 day cruise out of Fort Lauderdale, then spent a week in the Orlando area. Used the Turnpike down to Palm Beach then I-95 rest of the way down. Had a day in Cocoa Beach on the way back and then took the Beachline back to WDW. Then WDW to MCO for the flight home. We paid all tolls with cash at the toll booths, Didn't see any Sunpass only lanes and avoided the toll roads when we were down south.

 

[MillauFr]

By 2017 you should be able to use your transponder from your home state. You won't have to buy a Sunpass.

 

[bcuinohio]

Ummm, most booths are surpass only now. Many of the toll booth have taken away the workers. If you don't have a sun pass, they will bill the license plate. No big deal. I know here in Miami, there are no longer toll booth workers.

According the Florida Turnpike website, 417 and 528 are Sunpass or cash. Toll by Plate is not an option on these roads.

http://www.floridasturnpike.com/TollCalcV3/index.htm

 

[bcuinohio]

By 2017 you should be able to use your transponder from your home state. You won't have to buy a Sunpass.

Do you mean the EZ-Pass? That would be awesome.

 

[MillauFr]

Do you mean the EZ-Pass? That would be awesome.

Yes they are working to standardize all of the transponders so they work in every state.