I recently rented a car from Melbourne Airport. I was charged $15 per day on top of the quoted price for Tolls. After airport location and other fees like registration recovery and admin fees are added the true amount becomes more like $24 dollars per day. I only used the toll road to the airport on the day I returned the car. It seems a bit unfair to add for example a location fee onto the toll charge. It also seems a bit deceptive and I wasn't even asked if I wanted the prepaid toll charge added. I worked out the charge for a one day toll pass is $17. Does anyone have any tips on how to get a fair deal on toll charges? I understand if you don't prepay the tolls this company will hit you up for a $36 admin fee for each toll charge.
Just take your own e-tag and add the rego to your tag for the days that you have the rental
Last edited
by Stuart Jackson at Dec 17, 2018, 11.39 PM.
I don't think this is a good idea. I believe the tag on the rental car will still record the journey(s) and you'll end up paying the rental company anyway.
I have rented a car in MEL many times, and never come up against this one. I have been asked if I want to use the toll roads, but never do.
Was this a Hertz car that Rxm rented I wonder? I know they have the daily fixed charge, or actual tolls plus an admin fee. Either way, Hertz is not a good choice if you're concerned about this and won't be attracting tolls that add up to more than the fees. Whatever their faults, Europcar I think charges only for tolls incurred?
I have rented a car in MEL many times, and never come up against this one. I have been asked if I want to use the toll roads, but never do.
Was this a Hertz car that Rxm rented I wonder? I know they have the daily fixed charge, or actual tolls plus an admin fee. Either way, Hertz is not a good choice if you're concerned about this and won't be attracting tolls that add up to more than the fees. Whatever their faults, Europcar I think charges only for tolls incurred?
I've had this same issue with Hertz where I specifically avoided using the toll only to be charged a daily rate on my invoice. They never mentioned this and it's only because my bill was $100 more than expected that I even noticed. I had to call up and get them to refund it.
I use Hertz a lot in Melbourne, often for 1-2 week hires. They charge a flat admin fee per hire plus actual tolls. It’s much better value than the daily charge, you just need to ask when you pick up the car.
I live in NZ and have an e-tag which is not allocated to a particular rego, however my NZ company has an ABN. I just have an automatic top-up when my account gets low. Hertz include toll charges but you can have them removed, just check your contract for the inclusion. Some companies have an e-tag already on the car. e.g AVIS, but I believe you only get charged for actual toll usgage.
PS I thought the Hertz fee was all inclusive of tolls, but you pay it whether you use tolls or not.
I always ask Hertz to not include tolls. If you go to Linkt, and create an account, they have an app that allows you to register a rental car for the time you have it. You just have to enter the regi number, and the time you are using that car, and it avoids the Hertz toll charge.
It was actuall the lady at Herts Mel who told me about this when I left my tag at home.
BTW, Hertz don’t have tags in their cars - so you can’t be double charged for them.
I recently rented a car from Melbourne Airport. I was charged $15 per day on top of the quoted price for Tolls. After airport location and other fees like registration recovery and admin fees are added the true amount becomes more like $24 dollars per day. I only used the toll road to the airport on the day I returned the car. It seems a bit unfair to add for example a location fee onto the toll charge. It also seems a bit deceptive and I wasn't even asked if I wanted the prepaid toll charge added. I worked out the charge for a one day toll pass is $17. Does anyone have any tips on how to get a fair deal on toll charges? I understand if you don't prepay the tolls this company will hit you up for a $36 admin fee for each toll charge.
Before widespread use of toll tags, rental car companies at MEL routinely asked whether you wanted tolls included, and simply added a surcharge of around $15 per day to cover it. In more recent times, all the cars I have rented from MEL (albeit not from Hertz) had tags. The toll fees were passed on to me in dribs and drabs for several months after each rental, all charged to the credit card I used for the car rental. When I enquired, it was explained to me that the road tolling company bills the rental car company in whatever their normal billing cycle is, and in turn, the rental car company passes on those toll charge to the hirer of the vehicle. The last couple of occasions I have rented, the toll charges have appeared, a few dollars here, a few dollars there, for several weeks or even a couple of months after completion of the rental. A bit difficult for travel reconciliation because it's hard to work out what each charge was for (in terms of road/time/day), and also hard to know when to close off your reconciliation for the trip!
I recently rented a car from Melbourne Airport. I was charged $15 per day on top of the quoted price for Tolls. After airport location and other fees like registration recovery and admin fees are added the true amount becomes more like $24 dollars per day. I only used the toll road to the airport on the day I returned the car. It seems a bit unfair to add for example a location fee onto the toll charge. It also seems a bit deceptive and I wasn't even asked if I wanted the prepaid toll charge added. I worked out the charge for a one day toll pass is $17. Does anyone have any tips on how to get a fair deal on toll charges? I understand if you don't prepay the tolls this company will hit you up for a $36 admin fee for each toll charge.
Call Linkt or email them to discuss the charges. There is a grace period I believe. Must roll roads in australia are the responsibility of the driver.
I use a mobile phone app https://www.linkt.com.au/sydney/accounts-and-passes/linktgo. It works everywhere, not just Sydney. You just need to enter the car registration of your rental car. You will get an SMS telling you when you have incurred a toll. You select pay now and the toll is paid by your credit card with minimal additional cost above the toll amount. Remember to delete your rental car registration after returning the car.
I take my eTag everywhere in Australia and register my rental car number plate as soon as I pick up the car, but only for the period I'll have the car. Then I drive as usual and have never had a problem.
When in NZ I have created an NZTA Account (register a credit card) and then using a phone app, I add the number plate of the rental car and delete the number plate when I hand the car back. Never had an incorrect charge or a problem (there are only 3 toll roads in NZ, but it seemed I drive on them a lot). Before registering, I just used to drive through and go online and pay within the 72 hours, but after forgetting once, decided the simple 5 minute registration was easiest (and cheapest).
I fought with hertz about this. They add the charge by default but they are supposed to ask you if you want it. If you complain they will remove it but, if you used a toll road, you need to make sure you have a Linkt pass
Rxm
Rxm
Jetstar Airways - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 14 Jan 2017
Total posts 18
I recently rented a car from Melbourne Airport. I was charged $15 per day on top of the quoted price for Tolls. After airport location and other fees like registration recovery and admin fees are added the true amount becomes more like $24 dollars per day. I only used the toll road to the airport on the day I returned the car. It seems a bit unfair to add for example a location fee onto the toll charge. It also seems a bit deceptive and I wasn't even asked if I wanted the prepaid toll charge added. I worked out the charge for a one day toll pass is $17. Does anyone have any tips on how to get a fair deal on toll charges? I understand if you don't prepay the tolls this company will hit you up for a $36 admin fee for each toll charge.
Red Cee
Red Cee
Member since 15 Feb 2018
Total posts 151
I have rented a car in MEL many times, and never come up against this one. I have been asked if I want to use the toll roads, but never do.
Stuart Jackson
Stuart Jackson
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 15 Mar 2015
Total posts 84
Just take your own e-tag and add the rego to your tag for the days that you have the rental
tommygun
tommygun
Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles
Member since 16 Oct 2017
Total posts 291
I don't think this is a good idea. I believe the tag on the rental car will still record the journey(s) and you'll end up paying the rental company anyway.
tommygun
tommygun
Delta Air Lines - SkyMiles
Member since 16 Oct 2017
Total posts 291
Was this a Hertz car that Rxm rented I wonder? I know they have the daily fixed charge, or actual tolls plus an admin fee. Either way, Hertz is not a good choice if you're concerned about this and won't be attracting tolls that add up to more than the fees. Whatever their faults, Europcar I think charges only for tolls incurred?
elchriss0
elchriss0
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 13 Jan 2015
Total posts 80
I've had this same issue with Hertz where I specifically avoided using the toll only to be charged a daily rate on my invoice. They never mentioned this and it's only because my bill was $100 more than expected that I even noticed. I had to call up and get them to refund it.
aggie57
aggie57
QF
Member since 04 Apr 2014
Total posts 136
I use Hertz a lot in Melbourne, often for 1-2 week hires. They charge a flat admin fee per hire plus actual tolls. It’s much better value than the daily charge, you just need to ask when you pick up the car.
EdS
EdS
QF
Member since 21 Jul 2016
Total posts 25
I live in NZ and have an e-tag which is not allocated to a particular rego, however my NZ company has an ABN. I just have an automatic top-up when my account gets low. Hertz include toll charges but you can have them removed, just check your contract for the inclusion. Some companies have an e-tag already on the car. e.g AVIS, but I believe you only get charged for actual toll usgage.
pablom
pablom
Member since 06 Oct 2016
Total posts 6
I always ask Hertz to not include tolls. If you go to Linkt, and create an account, they have an app that allows you to register a rental car for the time you have it. You just have to enter the regi number, and the time you are using that car, and it avoids the Hertz toll charge.
parishiltons
parishiltons
Member since 18 Sep 2015
Total posts 27
Before widespread use of toll tags, rental car companies at MEL routinely asked whether you wanted tolls included, and simply added a surcharge of around $15 per day to cover it. In more recent times, all the cars I have rented from MEL (albeit not from Hertz) had tags. The toll fees were passed on to me in dribs and drabs for several months after each rental, all charged to the credit card I used for the car rental. When I enquired, it was explained to me that the road tolling company bills the rental car company in whatever their normal billing cycle is, and in turn, the rental car company passes on those toll charge to the hirer of the vehicle. The last couple of occasions I have rented, the toll charges have appeared, a few dollars here, a few dollars there, for several weeks or even a couple of months after completion of the rental. A bit difficult for travel reconciliation because it's hard to work out what each charge was for (in terms of road/time/day), and also hard to know when to close off your reconciliation for the trip!
TheCelt
TheCelt
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 08 Jul 2017
Total posts 8
Call Linkt or email them to discuss the charges. There is a grace period I believe. Must roll roads in australia are the responsibility of the driver.
anthony watts
anthony watts
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 29 Mar 2015
Total posts 15
I have rented through Enterprise and had the toll plus fee charged. Last time I got a weekend pass. Yet to see if it works...
Skippybear
Skippybear
Member since 03 Mar 2012
Total posts 5
I use a mobile phone app https://www.linkt.com.au/sydney/accounts-and-passes/linktgo. It works everywhere, not just Sydney. You just need to enter the car registration of your rental car. You will get an SMS telling you when you have incurred a toll. You select pay now and the toll is paid by your credit card with minimal additional cost above the toll amount. Remember to delete your rental car registration after returning the car.
OZjames70
OZjames70
Member since 15 Mar 2018
Total posts 26
I take my eTag everywhere in Australia and register my rental car number plate as soon as I pick up the car, but only for the period I'll have the car. Then I drive as usual and have never had a problem.
Samw
Samw
Member since 20 Sep 2017
Total posts 16
I fought with hertz about this. They add the charge by default but they are supposed to ask you if you want it. If you complain they will remove it but, if you used a toll road, you need to make sure you have a Linkt pass