by Bethany Blankley
A new toll discount program will go into effect September 1 to reduce costs for Floridians using the state’s turnpike system and toll facilities to help offset inflation.
Florida commuters will be able to take advantage of a new rewards program called “SunPass Savings” when driving on Florida’s Turnpike System and using its toll facilities owned by the Florida Department of Transportation. The savings program is for SunPass customers who use the prepaid electronic toll collection program operated by Florida’s Turnpike Enterprise, Florida’s toll agency.
The new savings program begins Sept. 1 and will run for six months. It’s estimated to provide $38 million in savings to commuters.
The new savings are in addition to the fuel tax holiday scheduled for the month of October that was created by the legislature to help offset rising gas prices.
“While the Biden Administration and its legacy media cheerleaders are trying to gaslight people about the economic slowdown, we have seen [President Joe] Biden’s poor economic stewardship and the negative impact it has had on families,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said last month. “Now, Biden wants to tax and spend even more, which will only make things worse.”
Instead of increasing taxes and debt on Americans as the Biden administration has done, DeSantis argues, he signed the largest tax relief bill in Florida history with more than $1.2 billion in savings.
The new SunPass savings program is another way to help Floridians “keep more money in their pockets during a time of growing inflation,” DeSantis said. “Florida families who depend on these FDOT facilities for a timely commute to work will benefit from these savings. We will, of course, seek to enact greater savings for commuters in the next legislative session.”
In addition to launching the new program, DeSantis has also called on the legislature to consider ways to implement longer-lasting toll relief during next year’s legislative session.
On average, customers using FDOT Turnpike facilities for their daily commute spend $50 per month on tolls. The new program is expected to save the average commuter $60 over the next six months. Commuters with a greater number of transactions will see greater savings.
Drivers that have at least 40 paid transactions a month will see a 20% credit to their SunPass account. Customers with 80 or more paid transactions will receive a 25% credit each month.
“As a Miami resident, I know how difficult it can be to battle the traffic and the difference it can make in the daily commute to take a toll road,” Lt. Gov. Jeanette Nuñez said. The new program will “make the average cost of the daily commute more affordable without having to sacrifice time and efficiency,” and “make a real difference for Floridians in the face of rising Bidenflation.”
A map of the state’s toll roads and more information about the program is available online.
The program only applies to SunPass customers who are in good standing and have two-axle vehicles. No registration is required. All SunPass customers meeting eligibility requirements are automatically enrolled in the savings program.
The SunPass Prepaid Toll Program offers the lowest toll rate in Florida, with SunPass customers already saving an average of 25% on tolls compared to those who pay toll-by-plate. SunPass PRO® is interoperable with E-ZPass and is accepted in 18 states, with more to come.
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Bethany Blankley is a regular contributor to The Center Square.
Photo “Sunrise Toll Plaza” by formulanone. CC BY 2.0.
