Toll road billing continues to take its toll on drivers

In an article today on News 8 Austin, writer Bob Robuck says they've received dozens of emails complaining about toll road billing , poor customer service and varying other problems. So many in fact, that they had the BREAK DOWN the complaints into "recurring themes".

Isn't this a job that should be done by the toll road administrators? I think so. Let another business like AT&T or Sprint try to get away with poor customers service and high fees - oh, wait, they have competition within their industry

Robuck writes, "The complaints most prevalent include: accusations of inaccurate billing, exorbitant administrative fees, inaccurate record keeping and promises made by customer service that were not fulfilled.

To be fair, these claims have yet to be substantiated."

Fair enough - but TxDOT has delayed giving News 8 any records. Several weeks ago News 8 "made an open records request for the total amount currently owed by toll road users, broken down into actual tolls and administrative fees."

News 8 has been told that Turnpike Authority Director Mark Tomlinson is too busy to talk with them and News 8 "wouldn't settle for talking to one of TxDOT's media representatives because, by their own admission, one of them had already given us inaccurate information."

In my opinion this is an obvious case of trying to cover up what this billing agency really likes to do. Force people into giving up thier bank account numbers (getting a TXtag) by charging excessive fees and "offering" to wave them if they get the tags. If people choose not to get the tags, then stick them with fees high enough to force them off the tool roads.

CONTACT NEWS 8 AUSTIN:

"We still want to hear from you if you have issues with Central Texas toll roads. E-mail us at yournews@news8austin.com, call (512) 531-8888 or write to us at News 8 Austin, 1708 Colorado St., Austin, TX 78701."

Full article:

http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=234443

Toll foes show up in force at hearing

2/7/07 - San Antonio, TX

Toll critics weren't allowed to set up a table to greet crowds coming into a public hearing Tuesday for a proposed U.S. 281 tollway, but once inside they made their point.

When Joe Krier, president of the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, got up to explain how tolls could fund twice as many miles of express lanes in half the time, letting motorists pay if they want to avoid worsening traffic congestion, boos laced the applause that followed.

When toll critic Terri Hall, leader of the San Antonio Toll Party, addressed the hearing to say that gas tax money can pay for what's needed on U.S. 281 and warned how foreign companies would suck million of dollars in profits from motorists, many in the crowd stood to cheer.

And there were a lot of people to make noise.

The Texas Department of Transportation, which held the hearing in the main ballroom of the Alzafar Shrine Temple to get input on its draft environmental assessment for the project, counted 652 people, far more than in attendance at most other local public hearings.

Almost one in 10 who showed signed up to speak.

More at MySanAntonio.com