The TxTag system for toll roads is ending after years of drivers facing persistent billing issues. However, the transfer of the tolling system to a new agency is sparking fresh concerns.
TxTag, an automatic toll road payment system, operates statewide but is primarily used in Central Texas, as Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston have their own regional toll collection systems.
Over the past several years, reports of drivers being overcharged when using TxTag have increased. This led to the toll collector terminating its contract with IBM over technical issues, resulting in more than $11.7 million in refunds to drivers.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, TxTag users will be transitioned in November to the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA); however, they can continue to use their current TxTag stickers.
This move has raised alarms, as HCTRA has been embroiled in its own controversies. A 2015 CNN report referred to it as one of the most aggressive toll billing agencies in the country.
Terri Hall, president of Texans Uniting for Reform and Freedom, expressed concerns that transitioning TxTag drivers to HCTRA’s billing system will significantly increase costs for drivers.
She highlighted a 2017 law introducing reforms, including capping toll administrative fees at $48 annually and criminal fines at $250 per year. However, these caps do not apply to HCTRA.
“While HCTRA may be experienced in toll collections, they are hostile to drivers, refuse to enter into basic payment plans, exploit their power to block vehicle registrations, impound cars, and even threaten arrest or jail to force drivers to pay when they can’t afford to,” said Hall. She also criticized HCTRA’s court system, calling it “patently unconstitutional” for denying drivers an impartial third-party adjudication.
“HCTRA’s ‘administrative’ court is like the fox guarding the hen house. Drivers don’t stand a chance of getting a fair hearing when the courts are run by the very entity they are in dispute with,” Hall added.
Opponents of the transition also note that HCTRA is operated by Harris County, which has frequently clashed with the state government on issues ranging from election integrity to universal basic income.
Hall warns that the transition would be disastrous for consumers and recommends a short-term extension of the current contract until the legislature can address the issue next year.
Meanwhile, the Republican Party of Texas platform, approved in May, calls for the Texas Legislature to “abolish existing toll roads and prohibit future construction, returning responsibility for road construction and maintenance to the appropriate jurisdiction.”
No ads. No paywalls. No government grants. No corporate masters.
Just real news for real Texans.
Support Texas Scorecard to keep it that way!
