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A DRIVER had been paying $100 a week for a pass to access toll roads – a delay in the system reflected an overdue balance of nearly $5,000.
She’d been paying since December, but a tech issue caused her account to show she owed thousands.
April McCargo discovered a balance of nearly $5,000 on her account due to toll violations[/caption]
She is a Florida Sun Pass user who faithfully paid every month to use the toll roads and avoid traffic[/caption]
She said she paid $100 per week to keep her account active, and the company said a delay caused a misreading of her account[/caption]
April McCargo, a driver utilizing the Florida Sun Pass, used the pass alongside thousands of drivers to avoid driving in heavy traffic by using the Peach Pass toll roads.
McCargo faithfully paid hundreds of dollars every week to keep her pass active.
She quickly went into panic mode when she discovered a toll violation notice of $1,400 in uncollected tolls after using Peach Pass roads.
The violation caused her to question where the $100 per month since December had gone.
“This is so unfair,” McCargo told ABC affiliate WSB-TV.
“We’re using these lanes and we’re paying these funds. Where is the money going to?”
What made it worse for McCargo was she’d only received one letter in February.
She hadn’t seen another warning or notice until her most recent one notifying her of the balance of $1,400.
“This is absurd,” she said.
She told the outlet she’d get regular emails telling her it was time to add more money to the account.
“I would pay about $100 per week and we would get notifications via email when it would be time for us to reload the account,” said McCargo.
To add to the long list of stressful issues, she found out she owes $4,700 in toll violation fees as of June.
The outlet has reported other driver complaints revolving around delayed notices to the account, causing bloated late fees they didn’t know were compounding.
Reporters contacted The State Road and Tollway Authority to find out what could be causing McCargo’s account to reflect an overdue balance despite paying.
The agency reported a delay in their system is likely the cause.
In February, the agency’s website said tolls will be reflected on their account within 14 to 30 days.
Fighting incorrect toll violations
A legal expert says a toll violation notice can be disputed with a few simple steps.
- Double-check the name and license plate number. Violations are finalized by a technician before they’re mailed, and sometimes a simple mistake can be made. If the matter is as simple as someone misreading the plate due to a grainy photo, the matter can be resolved by calling the toll agency.
- If the license plate is correct but the car is no longer registered to you, you can dispute it by contacting your state’s transportation agency (ie. DMV) to provide proof the vehicle is no longer yours.
- If the violation claims it was issued due to a missing account and you indeed have an active account, the violation can usually be disputed on the toll agency’s website. If not, calling is an option.
- Dispute the notice promptly. Many toll agencies will impose a short time limit that drivers can dispute a notice, so it’s important to do so quickly to avoid late fees.
- Be clear when submitting a dispute online. The more details included, the easier it is to have the matter resolved.
- If necessary, drivers can submit a hearing to dispute the charge.
Read more here.
Late last year, it showed seven to 10 days, showing an increase in wait time.
The agency wrote to the outlet that issues like the one McCargo is experiencing are being looked into.
She may see relief come this winter.
“The State Road and Tollway Authority has awarded a new contract for the management of its free-flow mobility transactions to ViaPlus. This contract includes delivery of a Customer Service System to manage transactions across the Georgia Express Lanes,” the statement read.
“ViaPlus will implement a scalable system to support our transaction growth. ViaPlus will manage the free-flow transactions and customer service channels for Peach Pass for the next seven years. The new system is expected to launch in late winter of this year.”
The U.S. Sun has contacted the Georgia DOT for comment.
