Florida Sues Dollar Thrifty Over Rental Toll Fees

Florida’s Attorney General Pam Bondi filed suit against Dollar Thrifty Automotive Group for its billing practices including tolls and other charges to customers, according to the Miami Herald.

In a statement, Bondi’s office said the company “misrepresents charges for cashless tolls as fines or violations, and bills customers a grossly-inflated fee for each toll incurred.”

Dollar Thrifty charges customers $10 to $15 each time they drive through a cashless toll, and up to $105 during the course of a rental. The lawsuit claims the company encourages customers to purchase its transponder service called PlatePass to avoid any unnecessary fees.

Bondi's office said the company’s practice violates Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act.

The lawsuit seeks restitution for a potential 900,000 customers affected by the company's rental toll fees along with costs of damage waivers the company pressured customers to buy in case of vehicle damage, even when customers' insurance policies provided coverage for such accidents.

Dollar and Thrifty is owned by Hertz, but Hertz was not named as a defendant in the case.