Administrative Fees

Apparently our local transit authority is allowed to charge a 2500% administrative fee each time a toll is not paid appropriately. So if you blow off a $1 toll both they can bill you $26. They allow the charges to accumulate for six months before submitting a request for payment. I first realized this three years ago when we sold the Explorer. I didn't even think to update the account transferring the toll tag over to the Trailblazer. Six months later I received a bill for over $1800. I didn't have to pay it and it was in fact very easy to resolve, it only took a two minute phone call but it left an impression. By the way they actually had already collected the $1 for each of those charges from the toll tag account. So it really was more of an $1800 penalty for not letting them monitor your movements. I think that if you pay for the tag you should be able to use it anytime in any car -- but the rule is that it be assigned to a single vehicle.

Tonight we received another bill for over $1000. The Trailblazer we sold a year ago is now blowing through tolls all over town and still registered in our name. The first violation was six months and one week ago. All of the rest were since Oct 1. This time a phone call wasn't quite enough. I have to provide proof of sale for the vehicle (luckily Sid kept the odometer statement from the dealership when we sold it) before they can waive the fees. They also recommend that we notify the state.