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Thursday, June 25, 2009 , Updated

North Texas Tollway Authority cracking down on non-paying drivers

by PegNews wire

As the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) transitions to all-electronic toll collection, the organization is enhancing its toll collection procedures.

Photo credit: Flickr user TheTruthAboutMortgage.com

Pay Stop Toll?

The NTTA redesigned its invoices to clearly outline amount owed and due date as well as consequences if payment is not received. The NTTA also adjusted its collection agency contract to incentivize the collection agency. Furthermore, the NTTA recently began more strictly enforcing the collection of fees for nonpayment.

"We owe it to the region, our bond holders and, most importantly, the customers who pay their tolls on time, every time to do our best to collect all tolls that we are owed," said Allen Clemson, NTTA executive director. "These scofflaws will not like paying a steep fine, but we believe they will think twice before they refuse to pay again."

Timing of these changes is influenced by the Authority's transition to all-electronic toll collection, which occurs on the President George Bush Turnpike on July 1. The entire NTTA system is expected to be all-electronic by 2011. The transition to all-ETC is expected to improve mobility, safety and air quality through the elimination of cash collection on the roadways.

"Getting a TollTag is the best option for North Texans. They'll save money, up to 45%, and they don't have to worry about paying invoices or late fees," Clemson said. "It is much more efficient for the NTTA to collect from customers who use transponders such as the TollTag -- we pass our savings on to those customers."

In 2007, the NTTA made the decision to transition its existing toll roads to all ETC facilities. The conversion means that drivers who do not have TollTags will no longer have to stop to pay their tolls. Instead, the cash booths will be closed, and drivers will receive ZipCash invoices in the mail. The Sam Rayburn Tollway opened as an all-ETC road without cash toll booths in 2006, and the Lewisville Lake Toll Bridge will open in August 2009 as an all-ETC toll bridge.

Photo credit: Flickr user PatCastaldo

Pay up. We're serious this time.

The ZipCash invoices mailed to drivers who use all-ETC roads are being updated to include notification of failure to pay on time. Owners of vehicles traveling on cashless facilities who do not have active TollTag accounts -- considered ZipCash customers -- will receive initial invoices in the mail indicating the tolls accrued and including a notice to pay within 30 days to avoid penalties. If the invoice is not paid within the 30-day timeframe, a late notice will be sent, adding a $2.50 late fee. The late notice will state that if payment is not received within 15 days, each transaction will become an independent toll violation and appropriate action will be taken.

If the owner continues to avoid payment after the 45-day process, a violation invoice will be sent, listing each transaction plus the $2.50 late fee and an additional $25 violation fee per transaction. The violation invoice allows 30 more days to pay the full amount plus the additional fees before further action is taken. However, should the account continue to go unpaid after the violation invoice payment period ends, the bill will be sent to a collection agency or to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) where a citation will be issued resulting in an appearance at a Justice of the Peace Court.

Accounts with less than 100 unpaid transactions will be sent to a collection agency. If the collection agency is unable to collect after 180 days, legal action will be taken. Owners with more than 100 unpaid transactions are considered habitual violators, so their accounts are automatically sent to the DPS for a citation. If the citation remains unpaid, the violator will be taken to court.

The NTTA also plans to be more stringent regarding fees accrued for nonpayment. If a first invoice is received in error, the customer is encouraged to contact the NTTA immediately to correct the situation before additional fees are added.

Source: NTTA

Staff
Verified User
Anonymous

burlyqueen, says:

So they took out the toll booths completely? It's almost like a trap.

This is one of the reasons why I HATE the NTTA.

Anonymous

5 months, 1 week ago
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John McClelland, says:

How is it a trap? Either get a Tolltag or pay your bill in the mail.

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5 months, 1 week ago
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Pavel Lishin, says:

Yeah, it's not that difficult to tell whether you're getting on a highway or a toll road. There's usually a sign that says "toll".

Now, if you think that toll roads in general are scams, I agree, but that doesn't make it a trap for any given individual driver, just people as a whole.

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5 months, 1 week ago
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Sander Wolf, says:

what if you're in a rental car?

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5 months, 1 week ago
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swampem, says:

They can track who rented the car and bill that person.

Anonymous

5 months, 1 week ago
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Scott Doyle, says:

This is one of the reasons why I HATE the NTTA.

More like TxDOT. They award contracts for toll-roads, and obviously are fans of NTTA.

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5 months, 1 week ago
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burlyqueen, says:

I liked it when they had the toll booths. That way you can pay your 75 cents or a dollar. Now, you don't have that choice. It's either the tolltag or an invoice of the toll plus a $25 "admin fee".

Anonymous

5 months, 1 week ago
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Scott Doyle, says:

Citation on said $25 fee?

It's <a href="http://www.ntta.org/NR/rdonlyres/A93F20DA-CAE7-46AE-BA67-FB2CD92D7E7E/0/NTTAAllETCConversion_041409.pdf">my understanding</a> that there's an additional $0.45 per use fee for processing...nothing about a $25 fee.

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5 months, 1 week ago
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gstefan, says:

What happens in a rental car is that the rental agency sends your tolls to an agency that bills you the original toll plus anywhere from 5 to 25 dollars PER TOLL TRANSACTION. So if you travel down 121 in it full length right now, with some rental car agencies (like the one that "tries harder"), it will cost you over 100 dollars.

Many out of town vistors have been scammed by this system and no new convention center hotel is going to bring them back to Dallas any time soon.

Anonymous

5 months, 1 week ago
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Scott Miller, says:

It's a trap alright.

Or at least it was when I entered the NDT up in Carrollton somewhere where I threw my money in the toll basket and drove it all the way downtown only to discover there was no toll basket. So about 6 months later I get a bill for five dollars and something in the mail for 3 trips on the tollway. They tack on an extra 50 cents to mail you the bill they wont let you pay on the road. So when that went neglected- which is easy to do with an unexpected bill for a paltry amount- I got a bill for over 100 dollars.

After a couple of calls and much begging and pleading they agreed to waive the additional hundred dollars just this one time.

I promised to never ever drive on one of their stupid toll roads again. Better to increase the CO2 in the atmosphere and help increase our nations dependence on foreign oil than take more direct route under those kind of circumstances.

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5 months, 1 week ago
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sidkneebone, says:

To whom it may concern: This is to anyone who has had a run-in with the George Bush toll authorities' admin fees. I have always paid my tolls at the booth and until they did away with the toll-takers, have never had a problem. I would like any feed back you may have as well.

I think if they are going to charge outrageous fees and hide behind the wording of the law, they should have to follow the whole law.

In the short version:

An authority shall operate its turnpike projects through a force of toll-takers and other employees of the authority.

The following entities shall consider offering motor vehicle operators the option of using a transponder to pay tolls without stopping

The longer version:

Laws of Texas Transportation Code

Sec. 366.182. Operation of Turnpike Project. (a) An authority shall operate its turnpike projects through a force of toll-takers and other employees of the authority or through services contracted under Subsection (b) or (c). (b) An authority may enter into an agreement with one or more persons to provide, on terms and conditions approved by the authority, personnel and services to design, construct, operate, maintain, expand, enlarge, or extend the authority's turnpike projects. (c) An authority may contract with any state or local governmental entity for the services of peace officers of that agency.

Sec. 366.179. Use and Return of Transponders. (a) For purposes of this section, a transponder is a device placed on or within an automobile that is capable of transmitting or receiving information used to assess or collect tolls. A transponder is insufficiently funded if there is no money in the account for which the transponder was issued. (b) Any law enforcement or peace officer of an entity with which an authority has contracted under Section 366.182(c) may seize a stolen or insufficiently funded transponder and return it to the authority that issued the transponder. An insufficiently funded transponder may not be seized before the 30th day after the date that an authority has sent a notice of delinquency to the holder of the account. (c) The following entities shall consider offering motor vehicle operators the option of using a transponder to pay tolls without stopping, to mitigate congestion at toll locations, to enhance traffic flow, and to otherwise increase the efficiency of operations: (1) the authority; (2) an entity to which a project authorized by this chapter is transferred; or (3) a third party service provider under contract with an entity described by Subdivision (1) or (2). (d) Transponder customer account information, including contact and payment information and trip data, is confidential and not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.

I found my material at http://www.fastlaws.com/index.php?id=...

Anonymous

1 month, 3 weeks ago
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mc2206, says:

I think the NTTA is a rip off. I understand that if you go through the toll you should pay! My situation is this: I had a $14.00 fee owed in which I failed to pay(my fault) due to I didn't get the first invoice but I did get a final notice but took sick and was in the hospital and the bill wasn't paid again my fault. The problem I am having with this is the Fee that was charge on $14.00 a fee of $389.00!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now this was my 1st and ONLY time that I didn't pay due to certain situations again I take the BLAME! But the additional fee is CRAZY $389.00!!!!! $389.00 come on this is HIGHWAY ROBBERY!!!!