Sun Pass questions
 

Still learning the ins and outs of Florida's convoluted toll system. I've decided on the Sun Pass Pro transponder which I've seen on Amazon for about $30. Until I buy a car, I'll be using it for my car rentals, and mostly in Florida. Here are my questions:

1. Is the $30 price a one-time fee? Any monthly, annual, or renewal fees?

2. Any additional fees to add other cars?

3. Does the transponder require maintenance (batteries, charging, etc.)?

4. How long does the transponder last normally? Is there a warranty?

I trust the answers from TV residents more than my Google searches, so thanks in advance!

I've had transponders for +10 years, without a problem ... no batteries or maintenance. Truthfully, I've never given it any thought, so now I'm curious.

As far as I know (I just bought 2 Pros), if you have the SunPass Pro, it's valid just about everywhere and you can put it in, any car you're driving ... at least that's what I thought and why I bought 2 of them.

1. No additional fees, just the tolls you use.

2. No cost to add or remove vehicles.

3. I don’t see any way to access the batteries to change them. I assume you cannot.

4. No idea how long it lasts but we’re at four years and counting.

#1 yes
#2 no
#3 no
#4 Not sure of the lifetime, no warranty that I am aware of.

Additional info:
You can create an account on Sun Pass website and link to a bank or credit card account. I have mine setup to keep a $25 minimum balance, this way there are always funds to cover charges.
Also as I recall you need to enter vehicle and plate information, we currently have 2 vehicles in the system, and you can have multiple transponders in the system, so we have 2 transponders 1 in each car and therefore we do not need to remember to grab the transponder.
The newest transponders also work on several other states system, the website I think has the specific info.

Curious about the batteries. Our transponder is a sticker that lives on our windshield just to the right of the rear-view mirror. It gets read automatically. Sunpass will email us when the account balance gets low, and we just replenish it with a credit card. No problem.

Do not know about the item you are buying but You can buy a transponder directly from Sun pass or a local vendor for a lot less. I think I got one from Publics for under $5 a few years ago

Be sure to enter the car license in your account. Otherwise you get billed twice-at least that is true on the turnpike because they charge by the license number and those with sun pass get a discount. That applies to rentals as well as cars you own. My account automatically updates the cash value rather than me having to go on and add money.

We've got the SunPass pro and it works fine for the Florida expressways and turnpike, as well as the EZ pass tollways up north. Suggest you go to the Sunpass web site and read the information. The fee you paid is to buy the transponder. You then set up and account on their website and load money into the account to pay for your toll transactions.

And as others have said, you can use it in multiple vehicles AS LONG AS you enter the license number info on their web site. Since you are using rental cars, I suggest you download the SunPass App to your phone and update the rental car info each time you rent a car. And remember to delete that info when you return that car. And add your personal car that isn't down here yet, so you can use the pass on the EZpass highways up north.

You can set up your SunPass account to either manually add any amount you want, or set it up to always add money automatically from your credit card to maintain a desired amount (so you don't forget and run out of funds in the account).

As usual on this site, the "advice" & information, is all over the place and a lot of it is just plain inaccurate.

You can't buy a SunPass Pro for $5. They cost $14.95 direct from the SunPass website. I'm not sure what Amazon is selling for $30.

You can simply switch your SunPass Pro to any car you're driving. If you're using it in a "rental", you can activate it with your online Acct or App to make sure you don't have any problems ... but you're probably not going to have any.

You need to make sure your Rental Car's transponder is not activated. SunPass will read your Transponder, whether it has your Registration Plate # or not.

SunPass Pro is the unit that works in the most states, especially along the East Coast.

SunPass.com is the website. Attached is a Screen Shot, that shows the $14.95 price. It comes with a 2 year warranty.

$30? It’s a flat fee of $14.95 plus tax and you can buy one at Publix, where I got mine. No need for Amazon
https://www.sunpass.com/en/about/aboutsunpass.shtml
https://www.sunpass.com/en/about/whe...eSunPass.shtml

I fail to see how this SunPass Pro is any different than the UniPass I got on Amazon for $15. It can be used in lanes marked "SunPass Only," I can move it around from car to car, simply putting the active car's license plate into the app. I don't get any monthly or maintenance fees. The only thing I'm charged is for the actual toll roads I use. It is good in 19 some-odd states up and down the east coast. It is not any good in TN or SC, but TN has no toll roads, and SC has one short one.

It can also be used for parking at Orlando International Airport (MCO) and cruise ship terminals.

I have used this in Fl, Atlanta, and on the Pennsylvania turnpike, all without issue.

Uni - One Toll Pass. 19 States.

[COPY]
E-PASS is owned and operated by the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX) and SunPass is owned and operated by Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) / Florida Turnpike Enterprise (FTE).

E-PASS vs. SunPass Differences
FEATURE E-PASS SUNPASS
Toll agency Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX), which is governed by local elected officials and appointees from Brevard, Lake Orange, Osceola, and Seminole counties. The public is invited to attend CFX Board meetings to offer input on roadway projects, tolling policies, or any topic they wish. Florida Turnpike Enterprise (FTE), part of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT)
Toll revenues Invested locally, in Central Florida Invested statewide
Types of toll transponders Sticker, Uni, College branded toll stickers (UF, FSU, UCF) Mini, Portable and SunPass Pro
Cost of toll sticker FREE $4.99
Cost of portable Uni: $14.95 SunPass Portable: $19.99
SunPass Pro: $14.95
Offer drive-up service to add funds to your account Yes. Everywhere you see a Reload sign. No
Where it works E-PASS: FL, GA, NC
Uni, formerly E-PASS Xtra: 19 states Mini and Portable: FL, GA, NC
SunPass Pro: 19 states
E-PASS vs. SunPass Similarities
Prepaid electronic toll collection system that allows you to automatically pay tolls as you drive
Accepted at Orlando International Airport
How are the E-PASS and SunPass toll paying systems linked?

E-PASS and SunPass are prepaid toll collection systems that allow you to automatically pay tolls as you drive on any toll road in Florida, Georgia and North Carolina. This is because Florida toll agencies operate under an interoperability agreement. This agreement is to collect tolls on behalf of the owner of the road. For example, if an E-PASS customer travels on a FDOT/FTE owned toll road, when the customer goes through a tolling point, the tolling system forwards the transaction information to CFX. CFX charges the customer’s E-PASS account and forwards the toll amount to FDOT/FTE. The same process happens to SunPass customers that choose CFX owned toll roads.

Here’s how the interoperability works when functioning properly:

E-PASS and SunPass electronically transfer toll transactions daily for processing.
E-PASS customer toll transactions are posted to your E-PASS account and appear on your E-PASS billing statement.
E-PASS customers receive only one monthly statement, an aggregation of all toll transactions incurred on any toll road where E-PASS is accepted.
E-PASS customers are responsible for ensuring their license plate(s) are up to date and there are sufficient funds on their prepaid account to cover the cost of tolls, regardless of which tolling agency operates the toll road.
Where does my E-PASS work?

E-PASS works on all toll roads in Florida and is accepted everywhere SunPass and LeeWay are accepted. This includes toll roads operated by the Central Florida Expressway Authority (CFX), Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA), Miami-Dade Expressway Authority (MDX), Florida Turnpike Enterprise (FTE) and the Cape Coral, Midpoint Memorial, and Sanibel Causeway bridges in Lee County.

E-PASS is also accepted in Georgia and North Carolina everywhere PeachPass and NC Quick Pass are accepted.

Uni, formerly E-PASS Xtra, is accepted everywhere E-PASS and E-ZPass are accepted including 19 states from Florida to Maine and west to Minnesota. *E-PASS Xtra is no longer available for purchase. All E-PASS Xtra transponders will continue to work throughout 19 states and be fully supported as part of the E-PASS family of products.
[/COPY] Copied from the UniPass FAQ page: Frequently Asked Questions | Central Florida Expressway Authority

The rental car company will be billed for the tolls and it is their perogative to bill you. It depends on how much you have billed to their plate. Been there.

Battery life is about 10 years.
Yes, when the battery dies, you go to the sunpass location and get a new one.

I had to get a new MA EZPass after the battery died but they have my plate in the sunpass system so they pulled my toll by plate from my SunPass balance

YMMV

SunPass Pro offers a discount on Florida tolls. On a round trip from Wildwood to Orlando, the discount would be $1.12

No.

You can request their Transponder is not activated.

Or alternatively, you can use your App to add the license plate of the Rental Vehicle you're driving, to insure EZPass/SunPass bills properly.

In several places on the SunPass.com website, I found a button: "Click to Purchase Your SunPass Pro Today". When I click it, there is no option to purchase the transponder. Instead, it wants me create a SunPass account, which requires the vehicle and license plate number. Since I don't have my rental car yet from MCO, I don't have that information.

I could not find the page on SunPass.com shown on your screen shot. Can you provide the link, or the path to get to it?

You need a SunPass account, to purchase a SunPass Pro. I believe you need to have an actual vehicle to create that account. My SunPass Pros are assigned to the (2) vehicles I own, but I can switch them at will.

I was able to easily get to the page I posted, because I have a SunPass account.

Also for rentals when you add the license plate you can enter an end date. Otherwise you’ll be paying for others who rent the car.

Toll transponders don’t have batteries.
 

Toll transponders don’t not have batteries. They work the same way as Village gate cards. The overhead toll reader sends an electrical pulse to the transponder that produces a current in a coil that surrounds the edges of the unit. The current then transmits a coded signal that is read by the toll reader.

Just curious if you have EZ Pass from the northern states because it works here also.

Sun Pass
 

You can get your pass at Walgreens which is where I got mine. The $30 buys the pass and then you set up your account online. Then as you use it going through tolls you will need to add more money to it. Periodically you will get an email from them letting you know you need to add more money to your account.

Recently I changed vehicles and have the same license plate, no problem on the turnpike but on other toll roads my Sunpass was rejected because I didn’t update the vehicle model from Mercedes to Lincoln on Sunpass.

Make sure to update your credit card information.
 

Be sure to update your credit card information when your new cards arrive that are used on your transponder accounts. It takes 48 hours for the updates to take place so don't delay.

Most rental companies have gone to toll by plate, so if you are going to do this you might want to find out if the rental company will turn that off on your account

Sun Pass is good in 3 states. Sun Pass Pro in 18 states,

I believe the Sunpass Pro transponders that include the EZPass capability *do* have a battery. That would include the UniPass also. I can't find definitive information and I don't have a strong desire to crack mine open to find out, but I know there was a battery in my old EZPass and there must be a reason the simple Sunpass capability can be put on a sticker but the Sunpass Pro unit is in a larger case.

It doesn't really matter too much since the battery seems to last a good long time (5+ years) anyway.

No batteries in these units.

I think your questions have been adequately answered, but I will add this. If you are riding the shuttle, or with a private driver, with your sun pass in possession, be sure to wrap it in aluminum foil or put it in a mylar bag. I brought my sun pass in my backpack while on the airport shuttle and got charged for the tools.

Excellent advice!

^ This right here is a pro tip!

E-ZPass vs Sunpass Pro
 

While both E-ZPass and SunPass Pro are electronic toll collection systems, the key difference is that E-ZPass primarily functions in the Northeast region of the United States, while SunPass Pro, a product of Florida's SunPass system, can be used in Florida and most states where E-ZPass is accepted, making SunPass Pro a more versatile option for wider travel across the country; if you primarily drive in the Northeast, E-ZPass is likely sufficient, but if you frequently travel outside that area, SunPass Pro would be the better choice.
Redundancy:
If you already have an E-ZPass, you do not need to purchase a SunPass Pro as it will work in the same areas.

Wouldn't it be nice if the gates opened because of having a toll transponder?

Interesting idea. If the gates worked with the toll transponder then the District could collect tolls to pay for the new equipment to read the transponders.

As it is, the District is investigating long-range readers and transponders. If an effective system is found then there will be a proposal to install the long-range readers at all the gates and the new transponders will become available for purchase. And *THEN* there will be multiple threads complaining about why so much money was spent on the new readers and why we have to pay for the new transponders.

The more I read through this thread and the actual toll agencies websites, the more confusing it gets. Essentially, it looks like ANY toll transponder (EZ, Sun, SunPro, Uni, Etc.) offers discounted tolls in Florida as opposed to stopping and paying by cash at the tollbooth.

Other than that, I can't really tell what exactly are the pros and cons of one over the other. Specifically I'm trying to apples-to-apples compare SunPassPro with UniPass. Of course, I can't web-chat SunPassPro unless I first have an account with them. UniPass (formerly E-Pass?) has vague comparisons, but nothing specifically between the two.

Am I wrong in that the only real difference appears to be the issuing agency, with no pros or cons in comparison to either?

SunPass and E-Pass work in Florida and possibly Georgia but not much farther than that.

E-Z Pass works in the northeast. Most of the southeast states, including Florida, now accept E-Z Pass also.

SunPass + E-Z Pass = SunPass Pro
E-Pass + E-Z Pass = UNI

Since it appears that every toll road that previously accepted SunPass or E-Pass now accepts E-Z Pass, I can't see a functional difference between the SunPass Pro, UNI, or E-Z Pass.

States that used to only accept SunPass/E-Pass *might* have discounts for using SunPass Pro or UNI over using E-Z Pass.

Some States that sell E-Z Pass charge a maintenance fee if you don't have an address withing that State. A MD E-Z Pass will costs $1.50 per month if you have a Florida address. I haven't seen anywhere to buy a Florida E-Z Pass.

It appears the only significant difference between the three is cost. One might have a lower cost to purchase than the others and E-Z Pass comes with a maintenance fee if purchased from certain States.

I returned my MD E-Z Pass when I established Florida residency and now use a Sunpass Pro.

I just bought one Tuesday 11/11 at Publix for $16. Called the number on package and set up over phone. Can be used anywhere in Florida and SC, and GA, and anywhere EZ Pass is accepted. I also turned on parking so it can be used to park at airports. There is no monthly fee, account is set up for auto-replenish. No batteries, lifetime usage.

Go onlline to SunPass and it will answer all of your questions.

No, no it doesn't answer all my questions. Hence my post here. My post clearly states I crawled all over the websites, and it did not answer my questions.

Yes, my original questions have been answered, but they were made on my naïve assumption that I can just 1) buy a transponder online, then 2) open a SunPass account online, then 3) enter the car’s license plate number once I get it, in that order. But now I’m even more confused. Post #17 says I need an account in order to get a transponder. Post #21 says you buy your ‘pass’ and then set up your account.

The screen shot below shows the SunPass Pro transponder on Amazon for $30, purchase of which does not require a SunPass account. The SunPass.com site sells the transponder at half that price, but requires setting up the account before buying it. Is this correct?

My problem is that I do not yet have a car in Florida, I will be renting a car on my return in a couple of weeks. Since opening the SunPass account requires the license plate number, how can I open the account if I won’t know the license plate number of the rental car until I get there? So the logical order of events seems to be: 1) Rent the car, 2) Open the account, then 3) Buy a transponder. I had hoped to take care of all of this before I even get back to Florida, but doesn’t seem like that’s possible?

SunPass.com does not answer these questions!!!!

SunPass.com does not sell the device for half the price, Amazon retailers are selling it for twice the price. Save money and order it from sunpass.com.

Do you own a car now? Use that plate for the account. It doesn't matter if that plate never goes through a Florida toll booth, just use that plate that you own to create the account. Create the account with your current plate, order the device sent to your house, add the rental car when you get here and have the information.

Chances are Sunpass.com wants you to create an account in order to collect credit card information and a shipping address. If you buy the device on Amazon they already have that information. If you buy it in person at Walgreen's (or elsewhere) they will ask for your credit card and don't need your address. Sunpass.com seems to be trying to simplify the process by collecting the information as part of creating the account.