STAFF REPORTS
(Photo Courtesy: Online.com)
Orange County – The website, www.thetollroads.com, states, “Sign up and drive today! With the end of cash toll collection, now all drivers enjoy a nonstop, stress free, time saving, reliable commute on The Toll Roads.” However, the “stress free” part might be a bit of a premature tagline.
In recent reports there have been as many as 17,000 violations in a single day since Orange County toll roads recently eliminated manned cash-collecting toll booths and became all electronic. Because of this transition, some of the fees are being waived for first-timers, but toll agencies are going to start enforcing penalties soon enough.
The Transportation Corridor Agency has eliminated the manpower in favor of electronic signaling for which commuters can utilize a special transponder, or pre-pay tolls online. There are always violations that occur in the toll roads, but the new system is obviously a source of mass confusion. Many drivers have been reported pulled over on the side of the road near the electronic booths trying to figure out what to do. With an estimated 250,000 motorists using the four Orange County toll roads each day, that’s a lot of perplexity.
If you sign up for an account online and provide bank or credit card debit access, you can receive a transponder and not worry too much about it. Those without accounts are required to pay one-time tolls online within 48 hours of their usage or suffer the consequences.
The agencies are trying to educate consumers on the new system and assist with the transition. For now they are said to be waiving the $57.50 violation penalty fee through Labor Day, as long as the toll is paid within a 30 day time frame. They are also installing more signage, and flashing information on nearby freeway information boards to help guide those heading for the toll booths.
It makes sense that the confusion has added significantly to the number of calls coming into the toll agencies. They have temporarily increased customer service representatives to help alleviate the backlog and provide assistance.
Visit wwwthetollroads.com to gather more information. You can pay online, or even download their payment app, One-Time Toll, to help you on your way. Just remember, don’t stop at the booth, just head on through or you’ll hold up the line. If you go through a toll booth, you’ll have to pay it in some fashion. With a little patience and education, it can be penalty-free.
