Robot Tolls - At My Limit!

[AdvancedQs]

Maryland. Has anyone had trouble with Maryland?

I went through 2 tolls in Maryland over a year ago. October1, 2022.

In November 2022 I checked on their website to see if I had tolls to pay. It said they were none to pay. I took screenshot of that. With the date and everything.

Now yesterday I got a new thing in the mail from Maryland. It says I owe a six dollar and an 8 toll plus $70+ in penalties. Civil penalties it’s called.

Between last October and now I have received nothing else. No communication. Only this notice over a year later saying that I owe fees and fines even though I screenshotted their system showing no tolls.

So I called customer service. Trying to get those fines taken off and to pay. The woman was pretty nice. No problems there. She reduced everything down to $24 which is still more than I should be paying, but just to get it over with that’s fine. This is how they rob people. I understand it. it’s a shake down because you’re not from the state. No problem. I’m paying the $24.

So she put me through to the automated system. It doesn’t take my card. It takes me back to her. No problem. So we try my card manually. Decline. It has over $5000 available on it. We try it again. Declined. So I try my debit card. There’s $10,000 in there. Declined. Apparently their system is not working properly or my bank is deciding that they are not on the up and up.

OK so no problem here now. I’m going to spend even more time paying a toll. I go onto their website and I create a brand new account. Putting all of my license plate information. Credit card information. (The online system took my card no problem ) They ask for a lot of information. I had to fill it all out so that I could pay online. Well guess what?

The online system says I HAVE NO TOLL DUE!!!

I am beyond my limit here. This is the stupidest thing I have ever seen. Nothing works with that system. I can’t even pay. I don’t even know what else to do. But it sure will keep accumulating and they will pass it onto my state won’t they?

Has anyone else had all these problems with Maryland?

Also it should not take $24 and 6 hours of my life to go through two ******* tolls. Especially not when it cost all of those toll operators their jobs.

I have had it with these kind of tolls at this point.

[valhalla360]

free radical wrote:



Plus theres also atendant booth that takes cash or cc. Grab a ticket when entering highway and pay on exiting.

Problem is many toll roads/bridges in the USA have eliminated the attendants and credit card machines.

They have a camera that reads you license plate and for some reason are allowed access to out of state govt databases to get your personal information (I'm sure they've come up with some BS official reasoning). It's up to you to go online and find their website, create an account, find the toll (often doesn't show up for a few weeks, so easy to forget about), then pay the toll. If you don't they add massive late fees. If there is a mistake, they won't accept email or phone calls to cancel it. They want a paper copy of your request mailed in, once mailed, it goes into a black hole and they can deny receiving it.

As the OP said, it's a setup so it's easier for you to pay the false toll rather than fight it.

[valhalla360]

cptqueeg wrote:

Samsonsworld wrote:


I just got one from September for a truck I traded into a dealership in July and I was told that I am liable for it. How's that for a scam?

That’s not possible unless you left the license plates on it?

I've never taken the plates when trading at a dealership, but rethinking it. And this was no small dealership.


You're not liable, it wasn't your truck at the time. I think you could fight and win by providing proof of sale.

Problem is...is it worth driving 500miles for a small claims court date to cancel a $2.50 toll?

[valhalla360]

cptqueeg wrote:

vermilye wrote:
Crossing the Peace Bridge into Canada at Buffalo with the NY EZpass,I was "up" charged from a class 4 to a class 5 combination of truck & trailer, adding $14.00 to the bridge charge. Filed an adjustment claim & they refunded the difference.

Interesting point - I was traveling with friends & their single axle trailer was also "up" charged a class. This happened to both of us on two separate crossings this year, one in July & one in September.

One might suspect that EZpass is trying to overcharge those that don't check their billing or don't bother to correct problems...

I used to use separate senders for truck and truck and single axle trailer and then got another one for the dual axle.

EZ Pass is a HUGE +++++, are there issues yes, but it was life changing on the commute and it overcomes not having sufficient cash or correct change.

I had couple major fights w them over the years, but I always ended up paying the correct amount.

For a commuter who purposely gets the ezpass, sure.

But for the random guy passing thru, they've taken away the manual pay option on many toll roads. No reason they couldn't put a credit card machine on a lane or two, so you didn't get a surprise later.

[hotbyte]

free radical wrote:

Interesting problem.
Was in Japan recently and all toll roads have gates w ETC Electronic Toll Control, automatic toll readers which most cars trucks have inside.

Plus theres also atendant booth that takes cash or cc. Grab a ticket when entering highway and pay on exiting.

The price is displayed instantly when paying or spoken by computer in your car when exiting without stoping.
Very convenient and precise,japanese are serious about perfection in everything.

Only downside its bit pricey,to drive on toll roads about 30$ for 300 klicks.

Sounds similar to how tolls used to be here in US. No idea if accurate but Google search showed average toll attendant salary in Japan as about $8 per hour. I'd guess the US average was 3x that - hence no more US toll attendants.

[free_radical]

AdvancedQs wrote:
Maryland. Has anyone had trouble with Maryland?

I went through 2 tolls in Maryland over a year ago. October1, 2022.

In November 2022 I checked on their website to see if I had tolls to pay. It said they were none to pay. I took screenshot of that. With the date and everything.

Now yesterday I got a new thing in the mail from Maryland. It says I owe a six dollar and an 8 toll plus $70+ in penalties. Civil penalties it’s called.

Between last October and now I have received nothing else. No communication. Only this notice over a year later saying that I owe fees and fines even though I screenshotted their system showing no tolls.

So I called customer service. Trying to get those fines taken off and to pay. The woman was pretty nice. No problems there. She reduced everything down to $24 which is still more than I should be paying, but just to get it over with that’s fine. This is how they rob people. I understand it. it’s a shake down because you’re not from the state. No problem. I’m paying the $24.

So she put me through to the automated system. It doesn’t take my card. It takes me back to her. No problem. So we try my card manually. Decline. It has over $5000 available on it. We try it again. Declined. So I try my debit card. There’s $10,000 in there. Declined. Apparently their system is not working properly or my bank is deciding that they are not on the up and up.

OK so no problem here now. I’m going to spend even more time paying a toll. I go onto their website and I create a brand new account. Putting all of my license plate information. Credit card information. (The online system took my card no problem ) They ask for a lot of information. I had to fill it all out so that I could pay online. Well guess what?

The online system says I HAVE NO TOLL DUE!!!

I am beyond my limit here. This is the stupidest thing I have ever seen. Nothing works with that system. I can’t even pay. I don’t even know what else to do. But it sure will keep accumulating and they will pass it onto my state won’t they?

Has anyone else had all these problems with Maryland?

Also it should not take $24 and 6 hours of my life to go through two ******* tolls. Especially not when it cost all of those toll operators their jobs.

I have had it with these kind of tolls at this point.

Interesting problem.
Was in Japan recently and all toll roads have gates w ETC Electronic Toll Control, automatic toll readers which most cars trucks have inside.

Plus theres also atendant booth that takes cash or cc. Grab a ticket when entering highway and pay on exiting.

The price is displayed instantly when paying or spoken by computer in your car when exiting without stoping.
Very convenient and precise,japanese are serious about perfection in everything.

Only downside its bit pricey,to drive on toll roads about 30$ for 300 klicks.

[monkey44]

If Florida, we take the plate off the sold vehicle, install on the new one, and go register it ... If we do not use it on a different vehicle, then keep it until we do - or we can turn it into the DMV and get a receipt which is good for a new plate later at no cost but the transfer fees. Once you buy the first plate in Florida, it belongs to you and can transfer to any other vehicle own or buy in the future.

[Bobbo]

Samsonsworld wrote:
I've never taken the plates when trading at a dealership, but rethinking it. And this was no small dealership.

Never, EVER, leave the plates on a vehicle that you sell.

[Grit_dog]

It’s a toll. Consider it a cheap lesson.
I never let a vehicle go with my tags on it.
That’s like giving someone you don’t know carte Blanche to do whatever, lol.
Hell, I’ll run around on someone else’s tags for however long if they’re silly enough to leave them on. Pretty sure someone in Vancouver has been getting toll bills from my kid since August. lol.
Yes I do insure the vehicle in due time though.
Reminds me I need to transfer title and get tags for his commuter-mobile soon. I think the prev owners tabs expire in November!

[Samsonsworld]

Probably could fight it but I also know my attorney charges $300 per hour.

[cptqueeg]

Samsonsworld wrote:


I just got one from September for a truck I traded into a dealership in July and I was told that I am liable for it. How's that for a scam?

That’s not possible unless you left the license plates on it?

I've never taken the plates when trading at a dealership, but rethinking it. And this was no small dealership.


You're not liable, it wasn't your truck at the time. I think you could fight and win by providing proof of sale.

[Samsonsworld]

Grit dog wrote:

Samsonsworld wrote:

haste maker wrote:
It's not just Maryland they are all crooks, I paid to get on a toll road in Maine this summer, went one exit (about 3 miles) to a service plaza for food, and had to pay another toll to get back on the same toll road.

I just got one from September for a truck I traded into a dealership in July and I was told that I am liable for it. How's that for a scam?

That’s not possible unless you left the license plates on it?

I've never taken the plates when trading at a dealership, but rethinking it. And this was no small dealership.

[cptqueeg]

vermilye wrote:
Crossing the Peace Bridge into Canada at Buffalo with the NY EZpass,I was "up" charged from a class 4 to a class 5 combination of truck & trailer, adding $14.00 to the bridge charge. Filed an adjustment claim & they refunded the difference.

Interesting point - I was traveling with friends & their single axle trailer was also "up" charged a class. This happened to both of us on two separate crossings this year, one in July & one in September.

One might suspect that EZpass is trying to overcharge those that don't check their billing or don't bother to correct problems...

I used to use separate senders for truck and truck and single axle trailer and then got another one for the dual axle.

EZ Pass is a HUGE +++++, are there issues yes, but it was life changing on the commute and it overcomes not having sufficient cash or correct change.

I had couple major fights w them over the years, but I always ended up paying the correct amount.

[Grit_dog]

Samsonsworld wrote:

haste maker wrote:
It's not just Maryland they are all crooks, I paid to get on a toll road in Maine this summer, went one exit (about 3 miles) to a service plaza for food, and had to pay another toll to get back on the same toll road.

I just got one from September for a truck I traded into a dealership in July and I was told that I am liable for it. How's that for a scam?

That’s not possible unless you left the license plates on it?

[wapiticountry]

It’s the government. The are too incompetent to actually run a scam involving overcharging for tolls. The inherent ineptitude of big government is reason number one why grand conspiracies are not possible.

[vermilye]

Crossing the Peace Bridge into Canada at Buffalo with the NY EZpass,I was "up" charged from a class 4 to a class 5 combination of truck & trailer, adding $14.00 to the bridge charge. Filed an adjustment claim & they refunded the difference.

Interesting point - I was traveling with friends & their single axle trailer was also "up" charged a class. This happened to both of us on two separate crossings this year, one in July & one in September.

One might suspect that EZpass is trying to overcharge those that don't check their billing or don't bother to correct problems...