It was TxTag's glitch, but drivers still on hook for tolls

HUTTO, Texas (KXAN) - Users of the TxTag toll payment system are furious they were not told of a plan to back bill those who drove on a section of State Highway 130 after a glitch in the toll collection agency’s hardware that lasted several months.

“I was livid when I first found out," said Marie Hand, a toll road user from Round Rock. "And I said, 'you know, I'm all for paying the charges (but) a little heads up would help.' That way I'd back off on going out to dinner or something. And I'd be able to pay this bill."

TxDOT’s Veronica Beyer told KXAN in an email that a bad hard drive on a section of the pay-to-ride highway between US 79 to Gregg Manor Road did not properly collect tolls during October, November and December. The problem has since been fixed, but users say their trust in TxDOT’s automatic payment system has been eroded.

If you have a TxTag, your bank account can be debited automatically to pay for your tolls. Your account is debited in $20  increments. But, for some drivers, those debits never happened late last year. Now, the debits for a three-month period have been happening all at once.

TxTag Customer Service Center

• 1-888-468-9824
• 12719 Burnet Road
• Austin, TX 78727

Hutto resident Claudia Cook told KXAN she has been using SH 130 to get to work every day in Manor, a drive of about 20 miles.

 “I was afraid to take the toll because every time I would take the toll, 20 dollars would be deducted,” she said, adding TxDOT offered no explanation, no apology after her bank account was forced into overdraft. 

Cook's normal toll bill averaged $60 a month -- until January, when it skyrocketed to nearly $284.40.

On this stretch of roadway TxDOT runs the toll plaza maintenance and billing.

In TxDOT’s email response to a series of specific questions, the agency said:

• $2.7 million in revenue was "delayed in posting to customer accounts."
• As many as 20,000 TxTag accounts could have been affected. That's one in five.
• TxDOT is not aware of problems on its other toll roads.

While the technical glitch may have been fixed, the fallout continues.

TxDOT offered some users who complained, reverse tolls. They offered Cook a $100 credit.

But Cook, a middle school teacher, now says she fears her bank account can't afford any more surprises. So she's off the toll road.

“It's not my fault. If I had missed a payment they would have charged me fees, late fees,” she said.

TXDOT says it's happy to work with customers on payment plans, if they ask. If you have had any confusing bills or other issues with a toll provider email us at reportit@kxan.com.