No Change Given at Florida Suncoast Turnpike Toll Booths

April 27, 2017   Government   No comments

On Friday April 14, 2017 I traveled from Ocala to Oviedo FL to look at a Player Piano listed on Craigslist on Freedom Trail in Oviedo, FL

I took the FL-434 EXIT 44 around 1PM on April 14, 2017 and was shocked to find there were only 2 choices to pay; a E-Pass or exact change which I didn’t have, and didn’t know would be required.  The toll was $1.00.  So the only way to get off of the freeway was to go through the toll without paying.

There were cameras & threatening notices stating that anyone who failed to pay the toll would be fined $100.

After looking at the piano, I headed back to the 417 freeway at about 1:30PM and again found exact change was required at entrance 41 (not sure if this is the exact exit / entrance number) to get back on the 417 freeway from Oviedo. The toll was 75 cents.

I have NEVER ran through a toll booth without paying in my entire life. I am a law abiding citizen and I resent being put in a situation were I have to violate laws in order to get off and on a freeway and face the possibility of receiving violation notices.

At the entrance of SR 417 in Oviedo, there were envelopes with instructions telling you to mail in the 75 cent payment.  On April 17, 2017 I sent 2 checks, one for 75 cents and the other for $1.00 to the address they gave;

Florida Turnpike
P.O. Box 310
Ocoee, FL 34761-3010

For several days this week, I checked to see if the checks had been cashed and as of today’s date, April 27, 2017 they had not, thereby increasing the chance that I will be tagged as a “violator” and would receive a “violation” notice in the mail.

I was so furious about the entire ordeal that called the Florida Department of Transportation and asked to speak to a supervisor.  The supervisor contacted someone at the Florida Turnpike Ocoee, FL office and that person then called me and told me she found my checks. In our conversation, I learned that it can take up to 3 weeks for them to process payments because they are backed up for weeks due to all of the mail-ins they get from people who don’t have the exact change.

UPDATE: Even though the lady stated that she found my checks, as of 5/2/17 they STILL have not cleared my checking account which means they have not credited me for having paid these tolls.

One of the ladies I talked with told me they only charge the $100 fine against repeat violators. That tells me that anytime you drive through a toll without paying, it appears your put on a “violators list”.

It is an outrage that change isn’t being given at ALL tollbooths in Florida.  Orlando is an international city where people from all over the world come.  They have no way of knowing there’s toll booths where you must have exact change or become a law breaker by driving though without paying.

It is the height of incompetency,  bad management and complacency that such a situation exists in the first place and has been allowed to continue with no end in sight with no plans by anyone to fix it.

They have change machines at laundry mats & car washes so they  should provide change at all of their tollbooths. With all the tolls they rake in everyday, they dam well can afford to have change machines or pay attendants to give change

Here’s a sunpass.com page about missed tolls – https://www.sunpass.com/violationsMissedToll

More complaints about Florida tolls here; https://www.consumeraffairs.com/utilities/sunpass_prepaid_toll.html

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