Last year I failed to update my credit card with HCTRA. During this time I also moved. To be honest HCTRA didn't even cross my mind at the time. One day, maybe a couple of months after I moved, I was stopped by the constables that are always sitting on the side of the EZ Tag lanes, I wondered why this happened, I was not speeding, I have insurance, I don't owe any tickets, a thousand thoughts came through my head in one instant. The cop then informed me that I owed almost $3400 in unpaid toll violations and fees!!! He said that he should arrest me, but he was going to be nice and give me a pass but that I needed to take care of this problem but he gave me a ticket for driving in an unauthorized lane. I live far from work and each day I use the EZ tag 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening, for a total of $14/day. I called HCTRA and they told me that the total of my actual tolls was less than $400 but that the whole amount of almost $3400 was due and needed to be paid right then and there. I could have my registration revoked, my license suspended, and I could go to jail if I didn't. Unfortunately, I did not have $3400 sitting around and could not pay. They were not negotiating their fees either, it was pay it all or suffer the consequences. I decided I was going to challenge it at the hearing for my ticket. I called the court and set it for Jury Trial. In between this time I called to update my credit card again because I lost it or something and while on the phone with HCTRA they informed me that my file had been sent to thier counsel Lineberger Goggan Blair & Simpson LLP that handles these matters. They had already held a hearing in their own court and filed a judment against me for unpaid tolls, violation charges, collection charges and attorneys fees in the amount of $4800 and change!
This has been a nightmare and here are some of the issues I have with the way they have their set-up:
1. There are no checks and balances within the organization: They get to charge you whatever they want and that's it. They state how much the tolls are, they state how much the fees are, how much any additional fees are and there is no negotiating or anyone to hold them accountable for their increases. Its about the money, nothing else, there is no customer service whatsoever, there is no trying to work with you.
2. There are no limits to their reach: It is my understanding that they are in a Public Private Partnership between the toll owners and Harris County. The toll owners ""lease"" the land from the government and in turn pay a fee. But their reach does not end there, it seems that they also have access to public funding entities, like the Harris County Constables as I found out in my particular case. From the little that I read, Harris County has a 50 year contract with the toll owners. So we're in it for the long haul.
3. The owners of the Tolls have a monopoly in this system. There is no one to compete with them, therefore, there is no one offering better pricing which causes them to not have any desire to ""work"" with their customers. So basically we're screwed, you pay or else...
4. They even have their own hearing board. My plan was to show up at the ""trial"" for the ticket and dispute it, I was hoping to at least get some of the fees taken off so that I could pay it. It turns out that even before my ticket trail happened, they scheduled their own hearing in their own administration (YES THEY CAN DO THAT). I didn't get notice because they still sent it to my old address, even after I updated it and since I did not show up they filed a JUDGEMENT against me.
5. Guess who sits on the hearing board? Harris County Officials. Who gets a cut out of any money from the Toll Owners? You guessed right, HARRIS COUNTY. In this hearing the Judge has the option to assess additional fines and costs, flag (block) the vehicle registration, or place a device (boot) on the vehicle prohibiting movement until the outstanding tolls and fees are paid. This could end with you in jail and/or with your license suspended. There are no checks and balances. How can you expect to get a fair trial or hearing or outcome when 1) the entity you are challenging has its own set of rules; 2) the hearing board is composed of people from the entity you are challenging; and 3) You just can't win.
6. You lose (in this case I did). There's no winning in this situation. I ended up being able to make a payment plan to pay almost the $5000 back in a ten month period after the Judgment was entered. I am paying over $400 every month, because well the alternative is not an option for me but it is extremely frustrating that there is no way to fight back, no way to get them to care.
Received a notice from attorneys office linebarger goggan blair & sampson, llp, saying i owed $343.75 in fines. On a licenses plate 1nwp50 this didn't match the cars i currently drive. Come to find out it was a car that i had back in 2004! i have had a credit card on file this whole time! it is now 2/6/2016 and they are after me to pay a fine that's already been paid. Word to the wise make copies of monthly statements these people are double dipping and committing fraud.
HCTRA EZ Tag Reviews
Last year I failed to update my credit card with HCTRA. During this time I also moved. To be honest HCTRA didn't even cross my mind at the time. One day, maybe a couple of months after I moved, I was stopped by the constables that are always sitting on the side of the EZ Tag lanes, I wondered why this happened, I was not speeding, I have insurance, I don't owe any tickets, a thousand thoughts came through my head in one instant. The cop then informed me that I owed almost $3400 in unpaid toll violations and fees!!! He said that he should arrest me, but he was going to be nice and give me a pass but that I needed to take care of this problem but he gave me a ticket for driving in an unauthorized lane. I live far from work and each day I use the EZ tag 3 times in the morning and 3 times in the evening, for a total of $14/day. I called HCTRA and they told me that the total of my actual tolls was less than $400 but that the whole amount of almost $3400 was due and needed to be paid right then and there. I could have my registration revoked, my license suspended, and I could go to jail if I didn't. Unfortunately, I did not have $3400 sitting around and could not pay. They were not negotiating their fees either, it was pay it all or suffer the consequences. I decided I was going to challenge it at the hearing for my ticket. I called the court and set it for Jury Trial. In between this time I called to update my credit card again because I lost it or something and while on the phone with HCTRA they informed me that my file had been sent to thier counsel Lineberger Goggan Blair & Simpson LLP that handles these matters. They had already held a hearing in their own court and filed a judment against me for unpaid tolls, violation charges, collection charges and attorneys fees in the amount of $4800 and change!
This has been a nightmare and here are some of the issues I have with the way they have their set-up:
1. There are no checks and balances within the organization: They get to charge you whatever they want and that's it. They state how much the tolls are, they state how much the fees are, how much any additional fees are and there is no negotiating or anyone to hold them accountable for their increases. Its about the money, nothing else, there is no customer service whatsoever, there is no trying to work with you.
2. There are no limits to their reach: It is my understanding that they are in a Public Private Partnership between the toll owners and Harris County. The toll owners ""lease"" the land from the government and in turn pay a fee. But their reach does not end there, it seems that they also have access to public funding entities, like the Harris County Constables as I found out in my particular case. From the little that I read, Harris County has a 50 year contract with the toll owners. So we're in it for the long haul.
3. The owners of the Tolls have a monopoly in this system. There is no one to compete with them, therefore, there is no one offering better pricing which causes them to not have any desire to ""work"" with their customers. So basically we're screwed, you pay or else...
4. They even have their own hearing board. My plan was to show up at the ""trial"" for the ticket and dispute it, I was hoping to at least get some of the fees taken off so that I could pay it. It turns out that even before my ticket trail happened, they scheduled their own hearing in their own administration (YES THEY CAN DO THAT). I didn't get notice because they still sent it to my old address, even after I updated it and since I did not show up they filed a JUDGEMENT against me.
5. Guess who sits on the hearing board? Harris County Officials. Who gets a cut out of any money from the Toll Owners? You guessed right, HARRIS COUNTY. In this hearing the Judge has the option to assess additional fines and costs, flag (block) the vehicle registration, or place a device (boot) on the vehicle prohibiting movement until the outstanding tolls and fees are paid. This could end with you in jail and/or with your license suspended. There are no checks and balances. How can you expect to get a fair trial or hearing or outcome when 1) the entity you are challenging has its own set of rules; 2) the hearing board is composed of people from the entity you are challenging; and 3) You just can't win.
6. You lose (in this case I did). There's no winning in this situation. I ended up being able to make a payment plan to pay almost the $5000 back in a ten month period after the Judgment was entered. I am paying over $400 every month, because well the alternative is not an option for me but it is extremely frustrating that there is no way to fight back, no way to get them to care.
Received a notice from attorneys office linebarger goggan blair & sampson, llp, saying i owed $343.75 in fines. On a licenses plate 1nwp50 this didn't match the cars i currently drive. Come to find out it was a car that i had back in 2004! i have had a credit card on file this whole time! it is now 2/6/2016 and they are after me to pay a fine that's already been paid. Word to the wise make copies of monthly statements these people are double dipping and committing fraud.