*** CAPITOL UPDATE ***
NTTA revises toll collection process
AUSTIN — During the 82nd Texas Legislature, I supported Senate Bill 469, authored by Sen. Jane Nelson, to revise the North Texas Tollway Authority's (NTTA) toll collection process. SB 469 aims to clarify the toll collection process and address concerns regarding exuberant administrative fees on toll violations.
The bill benefits customers who pay to use the NTTA System by assessing the cost of the NTTA's toll enforcement efforts onto the small minority who refuse to pay. The bill includes the following five provisions for the NTTA's toll collection process:
- Requires issuance of an invoice for ZipCash tolls (i.e., non-TollTag transactions);
- Upon failure to pay the invoice, authorizes a "first notice of nonpayment", under which NTTA can impose a single administrative fee of not more than $25;
- Upon failure to pay the first notice of nonpayment, authorizes a "second notice of nonpayment", under which the NTTA can impose an additional administrative fee of $25 per unpaid toll, up to a total of $200;
- Upon failure to pay the second notice of nonpayment, authorizes a "third notice of nonpayment", under which the NTTA can add third-party collection agency fees; and
- Upon failure to pay the third notice of nonpayment, the registered owner may be prosecuted, in which case payment of the unpaid tolls, administrative fees, and third-party collection agency fees may not be waived by the court unless the court finds the that the owner is indigent.
This revised toll collection process will go into effect September 1, and make the system simpler and more fair to North Texans. If you have any questions about the new payment procedure, please don't hesitate to contact my office using the information below or call the NTTA at 972-818-6882.
To contact Sen. Deuell about the legislative process or if you have a suggestion for a future Capitol Update, please contact the Capitol office at (512) 463-0102 or send mail to Sen. Bob Deuell, Texas Senate, P.O. Box 12068, Austin, TX 78711. The website for the Texas Senate is www.senate.state.tx.us and Sen. Deuell's e-mail address is: bob.deuell@senate.state.tx.us.