TxDOT Offers Last Chance to Late Toll-Payers
Written by admin, Feb 15, 2010, 0 Comments
Courtesy Raul Leal,
AUSTIN – Time is running out for motorists who owe overdue tolls to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Starting this week, vehicle owners who have ignored multiple requests for payment of tolls may receive a “last chance letter” that explains how to avoid legal action by paying overdue tolls within 30 days.
Failure to pay toll bills is a violation of state law. TxDOT depends on toll revenue to make payments on the bonds that financed toll road construction and to fund the roadway’s maintenance and operation expenses.
Motorists who cannot afford to pay their unpaid tolls and fees at one time may arrange a payment plan with the debt collection agency handling their account. However, once a case is referred to court, the collection agency and TxDOT can no longer negotiate payment, and the customer must wait for the judge’s ruling.
“TxDOT really views legal action as a last resort, which is why we offered the Toll Violation Recovery Program to all TxDOT toll road customers last year,” said Mark Tomlinson, TxDOT Turnpike Authority director. “In fairness to the thousands of customers who have paid their toll bills, the time has come to enforce state law and collect the toll revenue owed to the state.”
The Toll Violation Recovery Program offered a 90 percent reduction in violation fees in exchange for full payment of outstanding tolls and opening a TxTag account. During the three-month-long program, TxDOT received nearly $850,000 in payments on over 265,000 overdue toll transactions.
Vehicle owners with unpaid toll violations are strongly encouraged to pay their tolls and fees before TxDOT takes legal action. After a case is filed with the justice of the peace, additional court fees and fines of $350 or more may be applied to toll violations.
Toll road users may inquire about the status of their account by contacting the TxTag Customer Service Center at 1-888-468-9824 or by visiting in-person at 12719 Burnet Road in North Austin. Customers whose violations have been sent to collections should call 1-866-934-7381 to work out payment arrangements.
