Unpaid Texas tolls - $85,592 for one family!

[KristaTX]

We use the local toll roads, and thanks to DH's commute we spend a decent amount (maybe $30 or $40?) each month. But how on earth do people drive enough to rack up these kinds of toll road tabs?? http://enews.ntta.org/DrivingForward/May2008/topviolators.html

And an even better question - why are they allowed to not pay without being arrested or something?

 

[gradtchr]

WHOA!!!!!!! Totally aggravating!!

 

[weregoingtodw]

The chart states:

Amount listed is the unpaid toll amount in addition to incurred administrative fees.

But still! That is a LOT of cashola!

 

[basas]

Wow!

 

[DemonLlama]

I know around here the toll roads have signs indicating you will be charged up to $200 for not paying. And that's at each toll booth.

That total is for two cars, according to the site, so at 43K apiece, they'd need to run through 215 toll booths for each car!

 

[basas]

I know around here the toll roads have signs indicating you will be charged up to $200 for not paying. And that's at each toll booth.

That total is for two cars, according to the site, so at 43K apiece, they'd need to run through 215 toll booths for each car!

Actually, if you put it that way, it's not really that much. I don't know if they use these roads every day or not, but 6-7 months of not paying and you're almost up to the $86,000!

 

[KristaTX]

Ahh. That would make more sense - a big fine for each time they went through without paying. But still .

 

[olena]

Well aren't they special? Tolls must be for 'other' people.

Texas should call their tab.

 

[KristaTX]

I think one of the toll roads around here doesn't even actually have toll booths, and it does confuse a lot of people. I'm talking about 121, for those of you who live around here. I know that my mom, who doesn't have a toll tag, has gotten bills in the mail after the few times she has driven on it. But unlike these people, she actually pays her bill .

 

[Gina]

Not to say that isn't totally aggravating... because it is! But here in Texas, they can't even collect the nearly $10 BILLION owed in child support by deadbeats. Toll road arrears don't stand a chance.

 

[kmp1191]

How do they get through without paying the toll? Aren't there gates or booths or something? I'm originally from Illinois and you would have to drive through the wooden arm thingy or pay the attendant.

I'm confused. (that's an understatement!)

 

[basas]

How do they get through without paying the toll? Aren't there gates or booths or something? I'm originally from Illinois and you would have to drive through the wooden arm thingy or pay the attendant.

I'm confused. (that's an understatement!)

They're probably electronic toll roads (no toll booths)

 

[Mad4Mickey]

I just got a toll tag bill for my old car that my husband traded in back in December. When I called them after checking with my husband to see if he knew where the road was that they said we had used, I called them. The lady was so rude and told me that they had our car on film running the toll . I tried to explain to her we didnt have the car anymore and that it was traded in on my new car she told me to track down who bought it . Can you believe that ?? INSANE . I called Mercedes and told them what had happened and they told me my car was sold the day it got there and it was shipped to Oklahoma . So as it stads I owe 4.95 cents LOL and they have "me" on film .

 

[escape]

So you just get a bill in the mail?

I travel on 121 whenever I drive from Arkansas to visit my friend in Keller. I don't recall getting a bill.

 

[Cheshire Figment]

The NTTA will continue to work with our violators to come to a mutual agreement in which we recover all the outstanding tolls and a negotiated amount of administrative fees. We encourage anyone who owes the NTTA, including these individuals, to contact our customer service representatives at (972) 818-NTTA (6882) in order to arrange payment of the outstanding balance.

The NTTA collects tolls in order to finance the maintenance and operation of its innovative system of toll facilities. The vast majority of NTTA patrons comply by paying the appropriate toll either with their TollTag, in cash or by mail. For violators, the NTTA has an aggressive toll collection policy.

Once a vehicle is in violation of not paying the appropriate toll, the customer is sent a violation invoice and has 30 days to pay it pursuant to statute Chapter 366 of the State Transportation Code. The rate on the violation invoice is the cash rate plus an administrative fee per violation, to offset the additional cost of the processing and collection of the Tolls.

If the issue is not resolved, the NTTA may forward the unpaid transaction to the Department of Public Safety for the issuance of a citation for the failure to pay tolls.

Per Chapter 366 of the State Transportation Code, the court of the local jurisdiction in which the violation occurs may assess and collect the fine in addition to any court costs. The court shall insure the collection of the toll and appropriate administrative fee.

I highlighted three of their statements. They are obviously lying in their press release, as they say "For violators, the NTTA has an aggressive toll collection policy" and this would not be an aggressive policy.

 

[DemonLlama]

How do they get through without paying the toll? Aren't there gates or booths or something? I'm originally from Illinois and you would have to drive through the wooden arm thingy or pay the attendant.

I'm confused. (that's an understatement!)

Most toll booths in Houston and up here in Colorado have several lanes set up for express toll people. They have a box on their car that counts the times they go through the toll booths and charge the credit card so you don't have to slow down or get in line to pay.

I'd guess these people are flying through the express lanes without a box. their license plates get photographed and the person registered to that plate gets a huge bill for every booth they go through.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm a big time toll protester but even I think this is a bit much. Wow, they need to pay up or avoid the toll roads like I do.

 

[mselly13]

They've done this story on the news more than once. Actually they found that their is no legal way to go after these people. That's why they get away with it. Besides getting this friendly little letter there is nothing more that can be done.