Hertz to halt big bridge-toll fees
Tourists who drive a Hertz rental car across the Golden Gate Bridge no longer have to worry about a surprise fee popping up on their bill, under a settlement that San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera will announce Tuesday.
Hertz and its business partner, American Traffic Solutions Inc., will pay San Francisco $3.65 million to settle the case that Herrera brought against them for “gouging” drivers. When the city sued them in 2017, the companies were charging service fees that raised the price of crossing the bridge significantly— up to $32 for one trip.
“People leave their hearts in San Francisco,” Herrera said. “We’ve made sure they don’t have to leave their wallets with Hertz when they do.”
The suit hinged on a tollpaying product called PlatePass, which comes with all vehicles rented by Hertz Corp. The company describes it as an optional tool that allows motorists to breeze through faster electronic toll lanes without
having to set up a FasTrak account. But PlatePass provides no real advantage on the Golden Gate Bridge, which went cashless in 2013, making every lane the same.
Herrera said customers would unwittingly use the product and then get hit with credit card charges weeks later. Among them: a $4.95-aday “convenience fee,” up to a maximum of $24.75, along with tolls assessed at the highest rate — or $8 on the Golden Gate.
At the time Herrera sued, a single bridge crossing triggered convenience fees each day for up to five days. The company stopped that practice nationwide last year. Now it charges fees only on days customers use the PlatePass.
The city will spend the $3.65 million on consumer protection enforcement. The settlement also requires new disclosures on how to pay tolls without using PlatePass.
Representatives of Hertz Corp. and American Traffic Solutions — which recently rebranded itself as Verra Mobility — did not return phone calls on Monday. Hertz Corp. operates the Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty and Firefly car rental brands.
Among rental car companies, Hertz isn’t alone. Without an industry standard, many companies tack on additional fees when customers drive on bridges or toll roads. Some charge a daily fee even on days the car doesn’t cross a bridge. At least one company charges a flat fee for unlimited tolls.
When he filed the suit, Herrera said he picked Hertz because the company makes it difficult for customers not to use PlatePass. But he didn’t rule out suing other companies.
“The ‘convenience fees’ — they’re always given some euphemistic name — are a really common thing,” said John Goodwin, spokesman for the regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission. He said the commission has not taken a position on this practice. “But we recognize that the fees come as a surprise to many customers, almost always an unpleasant one,” he said.
From now on, Hertz customers will have more information at hand, including a “Crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in a Rented Vehicle” brochure that explains how to pay a bridge toll by phone, online or in person. The settlement requires the company to distribute these pamphlets at highvolume locations, such as airports.
Officials at the Golden Gate Bridge Highway and Transportation District, which manages the Art Deco span, “want everyone to have a fair and first-class experience when they cross our bridge,” said spokeswoman Priya Clemens.