Posted: | November 29, 2021 02:02 PM |
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From: | Representative Ryan Warner |
To: | All House members |
Subject: | E-ZPass V-toll Notification |
In the near future, I plan to introduce legislation that will require the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to notify E-ZPass customers, via email, if they are charged with a “v-toll”. V-tolls are issued to customers when their E-ZPass transponder is not detected when the vehicle enters or exits the turnpike or travels through a toll plaza. According to the Commission, this detection error occurs when either the transponder is not mounted properly or, despite proper placement, the transponder malfunctions due to age. In 2021 alone, over 200,000 Pennsylvanians have been charged with v-tolls, totaling millions of dollars. Unfortunately, because E-ZPass toll and fee charges are automatically withdrawn, and because v-tolls have frequently been mislabeled on monthly statements, it has taken customers months, or even years, to realize that they have been charged these fees. Customers may request an adjustment of their v-toll charges, however the process is reportedly difficult and, unless you can prove that the transponder malfunctioned, the adjustment is restricted to a period of 90 days The E-ZPass system already contains notification thresholds that will automatically send an electronic notification to the customer if their account balance becomes low, if a payment is declined, or if their billing information needs to be updated. Expanding the existing system to send notification to the consumer that a v-toll has been issued is an easy way to let the consumer know that the transponder is either faulty or has been improperly located. This simple safeguard would go a long way towards recovering and improving consumer confidence in our turnpike tolling system. Please join me in sponsoring this legislation. |
Introduced as HB2139