Planning to rent a car at Miami's airport? First, you'll have to walk, walk and walk

WALK, THEY SAID: After my flight from Newark to Miami, I picked up my luggage and set off for the rental-car center, using elevators, 4 or 5 moving walkways, above and below, and a train. After I returned the car at the end of my vacation, I had to walk farther than normal when I found the elevator to my terminal was out of service.

MORE WALKING: These photos of the walkways and train, below, were taken on Aug. 3, when I dropped off my rental car and set off for the terminal, which is about a half-mile away from the rental-car center at an airport that puts travelers second.

NO SHUTTLE BUSES: At Miami International Airport, Alamo and other rental-car agencies don't operate small buses to shuttle customers between terminals and the rental-car center, as they do at other airports.

Editor's note: The highway tolls the rental car agency told me about were billed to my credit card on Aug. 26, Aug. 28 and Sept. 2, for a total of $38.18 over 4 days. Even if you live in New Jersey, as I do, where our two major highways are toll roads, that's highway robbery.

By VICTOR E. SASSON
EDITOR

HACKENSACK, N.J. -- What's the last thing you want to do when you get off your first flight to Miami from Newark?

Take elevators, push your luggage over several moving walkways and then take a train to the rental-car center a half-mile or more away from the terminal.

But that's what was awaiting me and other travelers on July 3o, when I had reserved an Alamo rental car for my 4-day vacation.

In Miami for some reason, the rental-car agencies don't operate those small shuttle buses I was familiar with from other airports.

A funny thing happened...

Once I got to the Alamo counter, I asked if any gas-electric hybrids were available, and was told I could have a Ford Fusion hybrid for an additional $15 a day over the $151.45 rate for a premium car I got from CostcoTravel.com (for or a total of $222.78 with taxes and fees).

But a funny thing happened when I pulled into the parking lot of my hotel, the Hyatt House Miami Airport:

The car's engine was still running, but I couldn't find the key fob; it wasn't in the cup holder or on the floor, front or back.

The Ford Fusion, like the Toyota Prius hybrid my wife drives, has a push-button start, and the engine will start as long as the key fob is in the car.

I looked everywhere: In the trunk, between the driver's seat and transmission tunnel, under the seats.

Back to Alamo

I called Alamo road service, and was told to return to the rental-car center.

A young woman greeted me when I arrived, and the search for the key fob commenced. She finally found the fob in between the front passenger seat and transmission tunnel.

And because I complained the interior of the car stank of smoke, she gave me another Ford Fusion hybrid, and knocked $70 off the rental price to compensate me for the inconvenience and what she called a "dirty car," for a final total of $139.56 for 4 days.

That's great customer service.

Toll penalty

But Alamo lost points when it came to the system for charging me and others for tolls on Miami's extensive highway network.

Instead of giving me a SunPass, the equivalent of the E-ZPass transponder we use in New Jersey, cameras captured an image of my license plate, and charged me twice the toll I'd pay with a SunPass.

Alamo also levies a $3.95 a day convenience fee for the toll system, up to a maximum of $11.95.

Alamo says the tolls will be billed to me in 4 weeks to 6 weeks.

Read: Lot's of seafood, traffic,

 tolls and alligators

FORD FUSION HYBRID: I drove a total of 240 miles on my 4-day vacation, mostly on highways at speeds of 60 mph or a little higher, averaging about 42 mpg, according to the car's computer. I bought regular gas at a Costco Wholesale station for $2.36.9 a gallon.

ROCKING CHAIRS: A homey touch is rocking chairs in one of the terminals at Miami International Airport. I saw about a dozen.

BLUE, NOT FONTAINEBLEAU: This curved building is an apartment tower in Miami called Blue.

MIAMI BEACH: The island city on an overcast day, as seen from one of the many pleasure craft.

WYNWOOD: Murals line the streets, above and below, in a Miami neighborhood called Wynwood.

COFFEE AND TACOS: I had a cafe latte with macadamia-nut milk at Panther Coffee while I was waiting for my nephew, and then we had lunch at Coyo Taco next door. Both places were packed and noisy, and Panther, with loud music, resembled a bar more than a coffee house.

LIVING LARGE: Motor yachts on the Miami River.

SPANISH COLONIAL: A home in the city of Coral Gables with roof tiles that are a distinctive feature of Spanish Colonial architecture.

CORAL GABLES: I paid to park in the lot at City Hall during a visit to Coral Gables on an overcast day, and noticed at least two all-electric municipal vehicles.

NO SECURITY: I was struck by the total lack of security when I entered Coral Gables City Hall. No one questioned why I was there, and offices had open doors.

GRAND LOBBY: This is the grand lobby of a building with a hotel and offices on a street in Coral Gables that is referred to as the Miracle Mile. The ornate facade of the building is shown below.

A MIAMI COSTCO: At the Costco Wholesale warehouse on West Flagler Street in Miami, I saw two things missing at the Teterboro, N.J., warehouse I frequent: Self check-out, above, and recycling containers, below. However, the Costco gas station is self-serve. I didn't find any lines because only members are allowed to fill up there.