F the NTTA

[tammywammy]

I drove through some tolls back in August, I don't have a toll tag, since I don't usually drive through them. They've phased out all the cash stops, so they send you a bill. Well, they've been mailing it to the wrong address, my mom's house. My vehicle hasn't been registered there in over two years.

To make matters worse, I just sold that vehicle. So I have to go to the County Office and get a copy (for a fee) of my last activity showing I registered my vehicle at a different address.

Then *maybe* the stupid NTTA might take the damn $250 worth of "administrative fees" off my tolls of $7.85.

I called and said "how can you justify $250 worth of fees on $8 worth of tolls?" They can't. I said I'd mail in the check today, since I just got my first notice of it last week when I get home today. She said that they'd send it back, doesn't that mean that I've made an attempt to pay it then?

This is highway robbery.

[sui generis]

1. they can remove all the administrative fees

speak to the supervisor and tell them you're filing a lawsuit in small claims court, and you will win by the way. You have to receive notice and have reasonable time to react to it. They have to prove they've incurred 250 dollars worth of administrative charges.

Finally the fact that they're continuing to attempt to collect the administrative fees instead of their actual fair billing means that they're engaging in racketeering.

Sign an affidavit saying the matter is in court - ask the registrar how disputes are managed.

Also, they won't return the check. They're just saying that.

[tammywammy]

2. I called my state representative, Paula Pierson

Her office is going to call the NTTA. I just called to say this isn't right, and it's something that needs to be looked into.

I'm mailing a check tomorrow for the $10.35 I owe. Oh when I called the NTTA they offered to reduce it down to $90 total due. That's still unreasonable. I should still have a copy of my registration receipt at home for last year when I registered my vehicle, I'll mail in a copy of that as well.

Bastards.

[sonias]

3. Bastards!

Good for you fighting this. It is totally highway robbery. I hope too many people didn't get ripped off this way.

Sonia

[tammywammy]

4. That's why I called my representative

I called because this is outrageous, $250 in fees over $8 in tolls. I don't have $250 to pay them in the first place and you know there are some people out there paying these ridiculous fees. I started off just saying that I have something that I want Paula Pierson to look into, that this is just flatly wrong. Hey, and I sent her $20 last year, so that means I can call and complain now right??? :P



My mom said she read something in the Star Telegram about them starting to investigate the NTTA for these so-called "fees."

http://www.star-telegram.com/consumer_news/story/1676897.html

NTTA's late-fee collection has 'gotten out of hand,' state senator says

As the North Texas Tollway Authority creeps more and more into our lives, drivers continue to have fits over steep fees levied when toll bills aren’t paid on time.

Apparently, the NTTA takes the word authority in its title quite seriously. It continues to charge customers who missed a few dollars in toll payments many hundreds of dollars in fines and fees. Some motorists say they never received the original bills.

State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, says she has seen enough of what she calls "exorbitant" penalties. She says the $11 million in penalties collected from drivers since last year is the authority’s way of making up for lost revenue.

"It’s gotten out of hand," Nelson says. "What really bothers me is this is not supposed to be a revenue source for the NTTA. A fine should be a reminder that you need to pay for the tolls. But $11 million? That’s a lot of fines."

The authority says it also spent $35 million in staff salaries and postage to administer its billing system.

Nelson plans to hit the problem head-on in the Legislature: "The way we set it up, I’m not sure we didn’t give them too much authority. We need to go back and consider more oversight."

-snip-

[sonias]

5. Good I hope Representative Pierson makes it an issue

Even Senator Nelson is calling it "exorbitant". And we know most republicans don't have a problem with companies making huge amounts of money. But this is costing Texans a lot of money - again a privatization deal gone bad. But too late to pull the plug on this one.

Sonia

[tammywammy]

6. I hope so to

Since my mom told me about the news article, I know I'm not the only one getting screwed.

[Aragorn]

7. for what it's worth

Verizon incorrectly billed me for over $500 of services which they then admitted they did not provide. (Directory assistance up to 15 times/day on a business line. I never used it once in my life. A colleague told me they did the same to her.) So I wrote PUC - the number is on the bill, in very fine print. They said that even though Verizon admitted they had not actually provided the service I still had to pay.

I had already dropped Verizon on the business line and soon found I could change my home line to Suddenlink. (The city had "confirmed" that Verizon was the only choice here.)

Almost a year later I started getting collection calls on the paid bill! When I made copies of canceled chacks and old bills to send on this, I found Verizon had actually overcharged me anyway. Mostly they charged me after the line had been dropped. And now I'm getting monthly bills for the home line I dropped.

I have all the documentation, but guess who provides alleged oversight for the public utilities in Texas? I know you know this.....

One more thing I did write my congress people and got no replies at all.

I have written about many things. Usually, all I get - and only from the Repubs - is a form letter and future requests for campaign money.

[tammywammy]

8. I was looking at the stuff last night after I got home

The notice is dated due Sept 11 (I just got it last week), but is postmarked Sept 21. I also found my registration information on the car I just traded in (it was due to be registered in Sept) and again that was mailed to my home.

I looked on the interwebs last night and saw a bunch of complaints about the NTTA doing this. I know they have a budget shortfall and I guess they're using this $25 administrative fee for a $0.68 toll as a revenue generator.

[derby378]

9. NTTA was kind enough to rescind some of its "administrative fees" for me

I was hit with a $125 bill even though I sent payment a few days ago. When I checked my account, though, someone at NTTA made those administrative charges go away, for which I was quite grateful.

Only thing is, it now costs almost $2 just to drive the tollway from Forest Lane down to Wycliff. Weak. I avoid the tollway now except for emergencies.

[tammywammy]

10. Yeah, they offered to knock it down to $90 from $250.

I sent in the check for $10. I rarely need to use the tollroads, that's why I don't even have a Toll Tag, and you can't stop to pay cash at booths anymore either.

[tammywammy]

11. Update, it's all been settled

I did mail my check for $10 the next day, and today I got a phone call from the NTTA. They received my check and since my Rep. Pierson's office had called, they decided to drop the $250 in "administrative fees." So it's all squared away. :)

[jstall20]

12. Same stuff need help

Hi I found this post online and I am dealing with a pretty hefty fine from the NTTA. $600+
the problem is that they somehow had been sending my fines to an address in Savannah, GA that I haven't lived at in over a year! when I asked them what numbers they contacted, they gave me one in Savannah, and one that was a 972 number, neither of which are even close to belonging to me. they called me saturday morning and told me i owed over 500 dollars, and didn't mention i had a 'seperate account'that added an additional 100+. I tried contacting my local district senetors office and I haven't heard back quite yet. they said if I didn't pay by the end of the month the police would be notified. What should I do?!? thanks

[Not Sure]

13. Check out this link

http://www.star-telegram.com/2011/06/22/3171583/dps-warns-of-red-light-ticket.html

I think this may be a variation on the scam described in the linked article. The NTTA sux, but calling on a Saturday sounds a little suspicious. Per the article, I would contact the Consumer Protection Division of the Texas Attorney General's Office at 1-800-621-0508.