Ensuring transponder shield box is in closed position

[peacefrogdog]

Renting from Avis tonight - hoping to pay cash for tolls. The Avis website states "if you do not choose e-toll Unlimited, you may avoid the standard e-toll fees if you ensure the transponder shield box is in the 'closed' position. Having not used my own transponder I'm completely naive about this. Looking just at google pictures the transponders look like a plastic box that will be attached to the windshield or rear view mirror. I assume the transponder is a hinged box of some sort? Or is "closing" the shield box mean something else.

 

[lanejudy]

Rental cars have a slightly different unit than a personal vehicle would have because they have a way to actually turn it off or close it to avoid charges. This is one I googled that I think is Avis:

 

[EACarlson]

If that's not it, it's very close. I think I had one from Budget that had a little pull down lever that determines open or closed, but most are the swing out variety like pictured above.

 

[Stratman50th]

Interesting, never seen one before. Wasn't sure how it worked. Wasn't that curious to look it up myself but appreciate someone else did.

 

[peacefrogdog]

Glad to know someone has better google sleuthing skills than me.
I'll be sure to take a pic of the Avis one when I get the rental tonight and post i there.

 

[peacefrogdog]

This was all I could see in my recent Avis rental that resembles a possible transponder. There was a snap on door that could come off, but there was nothing inside. Nothing resembling the hinge-type door posted above.

 

[MikeF;NJ]

If your car had Florida plates, it's possible that it was fleet registered and tolls that weren't handled by a customer's personal transponder (or Visitor Toll Pass) were handled through the state's plate pass program.

 

[sam_gordon]

View attachment 809980
This was all I could see in my recent Avis rental that resembles a possible transponder. There was a snap on door that could come off, but there was nothing inside. Nothing resembling the hinge-type door posted above.

Pretty sure thats part of the car. I believe that's where the cameras are for the lane assistance and radar for automatic cruise control.

 

[seashoreCM]

Some transponder boxes had a slide out tray like an old fashioned matchbox.

If there was nothing in the transponder box, perhaps the rental company changed over to a plate recognition system with no transponder in the car.

 

[Capt_BJ]

I rent cars occasionally in the Orlando area and I have NEVER gotten a car with a physical transponder in the past 10 years ..... MOST rental cars in the area (IME) are 'fleet registered' in the toll by plate system. But I NEVER rent from AVIS either ,,,,

 

[Ralph&Pam]

I rent cars occasionally in the Orlando area and I have NEVER gotten a car with a physical transponder in the past 10 years ..... MOST rental cars in the area (IME) are 'fleet registered' in the toll by plate system. But I NEVER rent from AVIS either ,,,,

The only 2 rental cars we have had with transponders were from Budget. Both of these were in January when we dropped off a rental at Port Canaveral and then picked up another rental there after a cruise. It was very clear how to shield the transponder since I was using my own Unipass.

We have never had a transponder in an Alamo, Enterprise, or National rental, our preferred agencies.