Ticket for not paying toll roads.

[Jtl3692]

I live in California. I have received a letter for toll evasion. I remember driving up to a person and asking "Do I have to pay?" and the worker responds with "yes, $2." I give her the $2, the light goes green, and go on my way. The letter says that the toll was $2.75. Is the toll violation justified then? Or is this the toll worker's fault?

 

[CdwJava]

You say you received a letter. What does it say? Is it a citation to court? Or, is it simply asking you to send in an extra .75 cents?

 

[Jtl3692]

It was a letter saying that I did not pay the toll at all. The letter also requested that I pay $2.75 as well as a $55 violation fee.

 

[CdwJava]

It was a letter? From whom?

What toll road was this?

You can choose to pay it or not pay it. If they are making a civil claim, and you refuse to pay, the next step might be to take the matter to small claims court or collections (if they can).

 

[Who's Liable?]

I live in California. I have received a letter for toll evasion. I remember driving up to a person and asking "Do I have to pay?" and the worker responds with "yes, $2." I give her the $2, the light goes green, and go on my way. The letter says that the toll was $2.75. Is the toll violation justified then? Or is this the toll worker's fault?

It is ALWAYS wise to get a receipt REGARDLESS of what the toll operator states. It resolves issues just like this.

Seems to be a common occurrence in CA.

 

[Free_Advice]

well. its seems pretty clear that the toll operator messed up. The state says that the OP did pay 2 bucks .... you would have to find someone with personal experience with similar issues ... I have none

 

[Jtl3692]

The state says that i did not pay anything. They think I just ran the red light and avoided paying the toll completely. I was not given a receipt. The letter was from "The Toll Roads." That is the name of the company. What should I do from this point? I have been told by others that I should write a letter telling them that I am not at fault and they should review the security cameras to see that I did pay the toll.

 

[I_Got_Banned]

I can't remember the last time I'v driven through a toll road in California (although I do know there are a few)...

A quick Google search came up with 1 link that leads to the following information:

The state says that i did not pay anything. They think I just ran the red light and avoided paying the toll completely.

Well, since you ignored the following question:

... What toll road was this? ....

... so here is a listing of the toll roads in California and the amount of toll due on each: https://www.thetollroads.com/home/maps.htm

The letter was from "The Toll Roads." That is the name of the company. What should I do from this point? I have been told by others that I should write a letter telling them that I am not at fault and they should review the security cameras to see that I did pay the toll.

I can only guess that the "letter", and in addition to saying "you avoided the toll and that you'll have to pay" also includes information on how to pay or dispute a violation... If not, then this link should make it VERY clear: https://www.thetollroads.com/violation/

I have been told by others that I should write a letter telling them that I am not at fault and they should review the security cameras to see that I did pay the toll.

Here are the Transportation Corridor Agencies (TCA) Administrative Review Hearing Appeal Rights and Responsibilities : https://www.thetollroads.com/home/Appeals.pdf

You should also take the time to read the several FAQ's listed on that website here: https://www.thetollroads.com/violation/nav.do?dest=faq regarding the time limit during which you can appeal, and your rights during the process.

I have not found any reference to them simply billing you for a payment of the total $2.75 or the partial $0.75 the you allegedly skipped, instead, it says:

Sometimes customers forget to carry the correct amount of change needed to pay tolls or do not properly anticipate the amount of the toll. To meet our obligation to collect tolls for every vehicle that uses The Toll Roads, a violation enforcement process is in place.

If you pass through a tolled location without making the proper payment, pictures of your vehicle are taken. These pictures are reviewed and the plate information is sent to the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The DMV provides the name and address of the registered owner. The registered owner will receive a violation notice in the mail (usually within two weeks).

Each violation transaction is assessed a $57.50 processing fee in addition to the toll amount due. If you do not have previous violations, the violation notice will include an offer to open a FasTrak account. FasTrak is a convenient way to pay your tolls electronically. When opening a FasTrak account, you establish a prepaid account from which tolls can be deducted. We will apply $40 of the violation processing fee to your prepaid balance if you chose to open an account. If you prefer not to open an account, you can simply mail in the $57.50 processing fee and the toll amount upon receipt of the violation notice.

If you fail to respond as outlined in the violation notice, an additional $42.50 fine may be assessed and a hold may be placed on your vehicle registration.

Violation notices are mailed to the address the DMV has on file for the vehicle at the time of the violation.

If you have questions, please call our Violations Department at (949) 727-4800.​

So your failing to pay or dispute the $2.75 in a timely manner (if that is what they're requesting) could end up costing you $102.75... So you need to read the information and proceed accordingly!