Comments on: Illinois Tollway Authority :: Embrace Technology, Please!

By: Gary

Gary — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 16:42:47 +0000

I hear you!

I’m the manager of an independent car-rental agency in southern Illinois, and we just got a $900 bill from Harris & Harris, a Chicago collection agency.

Apparently the Tollway has outsourced their collection efforts, and Harris & Harris added in their OWN $50 “service charge” per supposed “violation”.

I had to call the collection agency to get specifics, and found that some of the supposed “violations” dated back to 2006! Further investigation revealed that many of the “violations” had already been resolved. Apparently the Tollway neglected to reconcile the list of “violations” with the list of payments!

I suppose Harris & Harris won’t mind if someone just sends in their money without checking first!

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 10:27:04 +0000

Their system is obviously a complete mess! I was in Chicago for a little over a month and was added to a friends ipass account while I was there. So for a little over a month I drove on the toll roads with a rental car all the while not realizing that they were not registering any of them to the appropriate ipass account and all as violations! So fast forward about six months I get a letter in the mail from the car rental compmay with a violation notice from the tollway authority telling me I have 1241.00 in fines and tolls. This is where the phone calls start on my end with everyone telling me the same thing that there is nothing I can do and need to pay the money. By their postmark it turned they didn’t mail the violation notice out to the car rental company until 5 days before the date the violation had to be worked out by, however the violation was already issued for 16 days before they mailed it! Which means by the time it was in my hand they said I now owed 2541.00! Anyways long story short I spend the equivalent of over half a work week on the phone with most people giving me the same story (basically your screwed give us the money). Long story short I just kept going up the chain of command there until I got someone on the phone that waived all the fines except for 100.00 which at that point I would gladly pay and get the situation off my back! But needless to say I may never use an ipass again. Their system and their customer service is the most useless, convoluted, and unhelpful system! Something really needs to be done about these situations are handled by them, I have heard too many similar stories. I even submitted a letter of complaint to the Illinois attorney general asking for mediation. What they did, which they are not supposed to do when someone asks for mediation is forward it to the Illinois tollway authority! The very people who were refusing to help me!

By: Scott Williams

Scott Williams — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 06:13:05 +0000

I’m with you. Just got a bill for four “missed tolls” from Nov of 2008. Never missed a toll with two other guys (one from Chicago and we have driven it countless times) in the vehicle as well. Both verify I paid. I didn’t have an IPass at the time and I remember saving the exact same amount of change it cost to go through on the front end of the trip for the way back the next day. I got “caught” for the trip back…funny how the change worked out perfectly though. It sucks to be 100% correct but knowing no amount of explaining will work. I’m fuming but will be paying to end the matter. This is messed up big time!

By: Kris Nestingen-Palm

Kris Nestingen-Palm — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 01:41:33 +0000

I just received a letter from the Illinois Toll, two months after the supposed violation, saying I did not pay at 3 tolls, each $.80. Two of these occured on July 25, 2008 and one on July 27, 2008. Attached to each is a $20 fine.

But I paid at each and every toll. I had 2 other people in the car and we all remember paying at each and every toll.

I live in Wisconsin, I cannot go down to protest. What are my options?

By: Bill G

Bill G — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 20:14:01 +0000

Crazy, I have been on hold for many different times trying to dispute… The phone is awful. I assume that they are just trying to see who can hold out longer… I’m thinking I just need to pay em… I feel like it is not just though… There is NO ONE to talk to though if you go online…
Maine is great!

By: paul

paul — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 14:10:48 +0000

Man, I feel your pain. What I find very laughable is that the state will be completely irresponsible and unaccountable in the time frame and manner in which they do these things, but then they expect you to behave in a completely different manner. They spend irresponsibly, but expect you to stay within your means. The red tape state will never do these things well, unfortunately. But they go after tax dollars with an incredible zeal. Why is that? Their ineptitude is infringing on your valuable time – and that is offensive.

pauls last blog post..Logitech Speed Force Wireless Wii Steering Wheel

By: Patrick

Patrick — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 03:00:53 +0000

Unbelievable.

ITA sent me a bill that I rec’d in April 08 for violations that occurred in December ’06. They waited almost a year and a half!

First, I can’t figure out why I have violations. I’m from Georgia and was back in Illinois visiting family. I borrowed somebody’s IPASS for a trip into the city. Needless to say, entrance ramps and exit ramps gave me the “green light” and everything seemed fine. 18 months later, I get 8 violations and a bill for $170. Needless to say I’m steamed – can a user not borrow a friend’s IPass?

Secondly, I did a protest and argued my situation. The response I got back didn’t even acknowledge my letter – just “judgment – $170″ Just a complete feeling of getting bent over backwards.

Third, the “judgement” came on vacation – was sent July first, with a July 14th due date!!! Given mail times, they gave me basically one day to respond! This is insane. I get back from vacation and they’re piling fines up exponentialy. Has anybody had any success paying their fines and getting any semblance of forgiveness on these nazi-fines?

Fourth, this has gotten so out of hand I’m ready to retaliate. I’m a law abiding citizen, but this is extortion. Any info on what ITA’s authorities are? Can they impact credit scores? I don’t forsee living in Illinois again (and now have no desire to, and will steer all work conferences I have control over to other states!) What advice would you guys give about the prospects of walking away? I walked away on a ridiculous ticket given by a New Jersey municipality. It’s been 2.5 years and no impact… thoughts appreciated.

Best…

By: Dustin Durrenberger

Dustin Durrenberger — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 05:10:41 +0000

I have 6,000 dollars worth of fines do you think i can work a payment plan out

By: pauletet

pauletet — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 16:36:35 +0000

I think if the system is automated the authorities should also double check for the accuracy of the system.

By: Ken Detmer

Ken Detmer — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:24:12 +0000

I got a $253 violation notice regarding this issue.

The main problem is they have a serious issue with the transponders not registering and they refuse to acknowledge it. My accounts show about 1/3 of the time they don’t work.

For more blog comments on I-pass on this post here:
http://dereksemmler.com/2008/04/08/illinois-tollway-authority-embrace-technology-please/#comments.

Ken Detmer