PA E-ZPass says I didn't pay the toll, but... (credit card, zoned)

[HappyRider]

So here I am sitting on a violation notice for not paying a $4 toll. The words FINAL NOTICE is emblazoned on the top of the page, asking me to pay $98 to settle. So I wonder what happened? Did my transponder not work? Is it out of battery or it's just their problem? Then I went into the PA E-ZPass system and sure enough found the $4 toll that was in fact charged to my account. Now I have to appeal it but I am sure this won't go away easily.

[KCZ]

Here in NH, we have to maintain a credit balance in our EZPass account, tolls are deducted from the balance when they occur, and when the balance drops below a certain level (it's either $10 or $20, I can't remember) it's "replenished" with a charge to your credit card.

If PA works the same way, I'm guessing either you didn't have any money in your account and/or didn't respond to previous bills. You're probably going to have a hard time fighting those things.

If you didn't actually go through that toll and the charge is in error, then you can probably fight it, but it will take time because they may want to review the camera footage. I'd just pay the $98 and set up my account so this didn't happen again.

[Lux Hauler]

You do not state if the $4.00 was in your account or not. Was it? What is the origin of the $98 charge, the maximum possible toll on the route? I replenish to $35 when I hit $10, seems to be more than enough. The few times I have had transponder read errors or simply forgot I didn't have the transponder in the vehicle and went through, typically they charge me the maximum toll for the route (end to end). There is a "dispute" page when you log in, fill out your grievance and wait. My state handles errors well in my experience and they have refunded charges based off the route I informed them of in the dispute.

[Malloric]

FastTrak they just use your license plate and charge you. The transponder works most of the time, but especially on I-80 where you just drive through at 70 mph it fairly routinely doesn't register. As long as you're in a car registered to the FastTrak transponder though they just charge you the regular rate.

[rbohm]

hr, you need to fight this. chances are it was not properly credited to your account initially. since you seem to have proof that it was, then take that proof and show that the notice was sent out in error. it also possible that your account was mixed up with someone elses regarding the notice, as that can happen also.

[Qwh]

In Maine i had the same issue i paid the violation but then they refunded the money into the Ez pass account as they noticed on the website i had more then enough money when it happened .

[reed303]

OP, if by "Delaware" you mean the bridge over the Delaware River on I-78, we had similar issue twice earlier this year (May & July). It did not pick up 2 different transponders on 2 different vehicles on 2 different trips. (Both times over the Tappan Zee were OK)

Got the notice in mail, returned with transponder numbers etc, no additional fee.

[HappyRider]

Originally Posted by Lux Hauler

You do not state if the $4.00 was in your account or not. Was it? What is the origin of the $98 charge, the maximum possible toll on the route? I replenish to $35 when I hit $10, seems to be more than enough.

I don't have to "replenish" my card. It is a credit card and they simply charge it. It never runs out. The $98 is the accumulation of various fines and charges. As I said, I checked my EZ pass history and the $4 toll was in fact deducted. I filled the appeal form and included a printout of my account activity. Let' see what happens. I also registered my car so if the transponder fails, they pick up the license plate. Looks like PA and MD don't talk to each other.

[don1945]

About a year ago, I got a letter with a picture of "my car", claiming I owed a fine for running through a toll booth in Miami Florida. Problem was, the picture was the rear end of a Honda, and I drive a Cadillac, and the plate number was not even mine. Plus, I was nowhere near Miami for the past 8 years or more.

I called them up and they checked it out and agreed it was not me, one digit on the plate was off. So, you might have to fight it to get yours taken care of too.

[jtab4994]

I once had my auto-replenishment credit card expire (I forgot it was expiring and the e-mail notice got buried), and I got like 5 notices in the mail about a month later. I called them, some place in Texas, and the lady happily waived the extra fees after I apologized and gave her my embarrassing story.


They just want the toll. They don't want to hassle honest people who maybe made a mistake or who are the victim of a technology glitch.