Community Forums

tuffr2 · 05-04-2015, 07:06 PM

Just wondering if I need to do anything different pulling a trailer? Will the Sunpass reader count the number of axles and charge automatically? The truck is registered on-line as a vehicle with the portable Sunpass.

RobertTerry · 05-04-2015, 07:28 PM

No problem.. We tow a trailer all the time and the system detects the correct number of axles ask the time

John424 · 05-05-2015, 03:53 AM

Robert is right it will pick it up. I have had trailers and boats pulled with my truck and RV with no issues.

nleonpacher · 05-05-2015, 04:32 AM

I spoke with a Sunpass rep about pulling a toad with a Sunpass sticker and having a motorhome also with a sticker or transponder. I wanted to know if it would charge the motorhome for the extra two axles AND charge the toad as a separate vehicle. His answer was basically yes assuming the toll sensors detected the Sunpass in the toad. The sensors work on a light curtain that must be broken to register as a separate vehicle. The tow bar wound prevent the light curtain from breaking and would therefore count the number of axles to charge to the tow vehicle. Although he was not 100% sure, he thought having the toad going through with its own sticker would also register as a separate vehicle and log another 2 axle charge. The best solution is to buy a portable Sunpass for the toad and put it in the shielded bag when hooked up for towing.
Another interesting note on cost--I live in the Florida panhandle where there is a connector that gives a small discount for Sunpass holders. It is $1 with pass and $1.50 without. There is also a monthly Toll-by-Plate system that sends a bill to your house based on your license plate registration. Non-pass holders need to be careful with this as it adds $5 or so each month to the charge. If you go one time with no Sunpass that $1 Sunpass charge now would cost you $6.50 (&1.50 + $5.00)!!! Also, you do not get the discounted rate if you are more than 2 axles. So for me pulling my toad my Sunpass rate is $4.50 ($1.50 for MH + $3.00 for two more axles). If I drive the toad separate I would pay two discounted fees of $1 each.
None of this is a huge deal and I am not going to disconnect the toad to save a couple bucks in tolls but I like knowing what to expect before running through.

Norm
Tiffin 38QBA + Honda CRV

tuffr2 · 05-05-2015, 05:26 AM

Thanks for the answers. For some reason I thought the 2 extra trailer axles would just double the toll. Sounds like it is more than double. I will go on-line and make sure I have enough $$$ in my SunPass bucket. I am going from west coast (Nature Coast area) to east coast (Space Coast area).

Again thanks as I have never towed yet a Florida toll road.

edstep · 05-05-2015, 05:28 AM

We will be happy to take your money, seroiusly its a good way to go, convienent

brobox · 05-05-2015, 05:41 AM

I take the SunPass out of my Toad and put it on the MH dash when we travel. Not a problem, it reads the number axles. I do not leave the SunPass in the toad. I never mounted mine to the windshield, just layed it on the dash. It's been working that way for years. I did spend the extra $10. for the box type Sunpass and not the windshield sticker for that reason.

Learned that from a truck driver friend of mine

YC1 · 05-05-2015, 05:55 AM

Here is a twist. We have the sunpass on the toad but not the motorhome. We drove through connected a couple of months ago and have not had any issues.

tuffr2 · 05-06-2015, 07:31 PM

Thanks everyone...the trip across Florida went off w/o a problem. Just checked my Sun Pass account on-line and sure enough it recorded 4 axles every time. The cost to add axles was a bit of a surprise, more than double.

It is cool that the Sun Pass system really works!!! Does anyone know how it works? Would a triple axle toy hauler count 5 axles? Or a small single axle trailer count as 3?

Interesting that a motorhome w/o a Sun Pass transponder towing a toad with a transponder works.