Violation recovery period nears conclusion

***NEWS RELEASE***

TxDOT One-Time Toll Violation Recovery Period Nears Conclusion Only six days remain, $284,843 collected to date

AUSTIN - Motorists who have not paid delinquent toll bills only have six more days to take advantage of the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) offer to reduce violation fees. Following the conclusion of the one-time toll violation recovery program, the department will file in court to collect.

Delinquent toll road customers have until November 30, 2009 to take part in the program. In return for payment of all outstanding tolls, TxDOT will waive 90 percent of the administrative and collection fees accrued. To receive the fee reduction, customers must also open a TxTag account and keep it in good standing.

To date, $284,843 have been collected in outstanding tolls and fees. Over 4 percent of the roughly 150,000 accountholders in violation at the start of the program have contacted TxDOT and made payment. The TxTag Customer Service Center has fielded over 9,300 phone calls about the program since it began.

TxDOT encourages accountholders to not wait until the November 30 deadline, as a large call volume may make it difficult to get through the busy phone lines. After November 30, TxDOT will begin filing in court to collect tolls and fees owed to the state, which will result in additional fines and court fees of $350 or more on toll violations.
TxDOT’s toll violation recovery program does not apply to violations on toll roads operated by other entities, including the North Texas Tollway Authority, the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority or the Harris County Toll Road Authority. Rental car companies are also excluded from participation in this program.

Toll road users may inquire about the status of their account by contacting the TxTag Customer Service Center at 1-888-468-9824, which is open for extended hours throughout the toll violation recovery period. Customer service representatives are available by telephone Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Customers may also visit the TxTag Customer Service Center at 12719 Burnet Road in Austin, Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, call TxDOT’s Government & Public Affairs Division at (512) 463-8588