Hertz ‘fines’ driver $436 before even taking his car — then he realized he had to pay for a stranger’s actions

A HERTZ rental driver claimed the company charged him more than $400 for a traffic violation before he got into his car.

The driver posted on a travel blog that his credit card had been charged by Hertz for a highway law violation committed while he was still on the plane.

The rental company told The US Sun that it has taken several steps to help resolve the customer’s complaints.

The driver said he rented the vehicle at the Calgary airport, according to a blog post on FlyerTalk.

The post claimed the driver was scheduled to pick up the car at 10:30 p.m.

However, the driver said the Hertz representative accidentally moved the pickup to 10:30 a.m.

The rental car was on another trip with another customer during the morning.

Police captured the vehicle illegally running a red light at 2:33 p.m., almost eight hours before the blogger was scheduled to pick up the car.

The blogger said they were on their way to the airport on an American Airlines flight during the alleged violation. They had airline tickets to prove that they could not drive the car during the red light violation.

But because of the exchange, the renter said he received the fine.

They also allege their credit card was charged for an extra day with the vehicle and “various small charges.”

The driver said he sent Hertz the airline records. The company rescinded the extra day charge.

However, the blogger claimed that the $436 fine for the red light violation still remained on his card.

They also claim that they have received “no further responses to my emails and [I’m] unable to contact anyone by phone.”

The rental company said it has since contacted the customer and issued a refund of all charges.

“We regret that we were unable to resolve this matter sooner,” a spokesperson told The US Sun.

“We apologized to the customer, issued a refund for the inaccurate charges, and provided points that can be used toward a future rental.”

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Other drivers have recently complained about other accident fees from Hertz.

Joshua Lee, a renter who stole a Tesla Model 3, was charged a gas fee after returning his electric vehicle.

Lee received a $277 “restocking” fee from the company.

Combat incorrect toll violations

A legal expert says a toll violation notice can be challenged with a few simple steps.

1. Double-check the name and license plate number. Breaches are finalized by a technician before they are sent, and sometimes a simple mistake can be made. If the problem is as simple as someone misinterpreting the sign due to a grainy photo, the matter can be resolved by calling the toll agency.
2. If the license plate is correct but the car is no longer registered in your name, you can dispute it by contacting your state’s transportation agency (i.e. DMV) to provide proof that the vehicle is no longer yours. .
3. If the violation claims it was issued due to a missing account and you actually have an active account, the violation can usually be challenged on the toll agency’s website. Otherwise, calling is an option.
4. Dispute the notice immediately. Many toll agencies impose a short deadline for drivers to contest a notification, so it’s important to do so quickly to avoid late fees.
5. Be clear when submitting a dispute online. The more details you include, the easier it will be to resolve the issue.
6. If necessary, drivers can file a hearing to dispute the charge.

Read more here.

Lee, part of the company’s Presidents Circle Status, said he returned the car 96% charged. He had already paid for the “Skip the Bomb and Save Time” option.

But instead, he was initially charged for 46 gallons of gas for a car that doesn’t use oil.

Hertz previously told The US Sun that the company “apologized to the customer and issued a refund.”

The company also said it “issued a refund” for the “erroneous charge.”