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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah residents love to relax in sunny California. But a new automated toll road system in Orange County is causing a lot of stress and leaving many drivers facing hundreds of dollars in late fees.
In May, several traditional collection booths were replaced with license plate readers that snap a picture of your car. From there, drivers can download an app to their smart phones, register their vehicle, and pay using a credit card within a few days.
KSL-TV assignment manager Janelle Hanson says a recent getaway to the area left her with more than $200 in penalties and late fees.
For starters Hanson says the agency that rented her a vehicle never said a word about a new digital toll system.
"I had no clue that we were able to download an app, otherwise I would've done it."
Plus, she says poor road signage created confusion and the lack of fee collection booths led her to believe she'd missed the toll roads and didn't have to pay.
"We remember going under a little bridge where it takes your picture type of thing, but there was no place to pay the toll."
KSL news producer Nichole Coombs got hit with a violation notice to pay more than $650.00, mostly in penalties and late fees, because she failed to pay the initial fees for six toll roads she used.
- Rental car companies will educate tourists
- Increase the number of road signs warning of tolls roads
- Repair computer glitches that kick certain license plate numbers out
- Add dozens of call takers
- Create violation notices that are easier to understand
Coombs says she was shocked.
"They've got to be crazy, there is no way I'm going to pay them over $600.00," Coombs said.
She told KSL Investigators she tried over and over to pay the tolls during her visit to California.
#PAKK
In her case, Coombs downloaded the payment app but the system kept declaring her license plate number invalid. After wasting hours of her vacation trying to sort out the problem, Nichole fired off an e-mail, which included her contact information, to the agency that operates the toll roads.
"I put in there I'm trying to obey your laws as a visitor to California and I can't."
She thought the problem was resolved when the agency responded with a bill for $23.50, but then came another notice outlining multiple penalties and late fees because she didn't pay the original toll fees in the required window of time.
Both Hanson and Coombs say they tried over and over to call the agency for help. Coombs never spoke to a real person and was able to correspond by e-mail only. Hanson finally got through to an employee.
It took three attempts for the KSL Investigators' call to connect, and they had to wait on hold through 70 callers to speak to a customer service representative.
The toll road agency said it's listening to consumer complaints and working through problems. The best news for Utah tourists is the agency is waiving late fees and penalties for first time offenders through the end of the calendar year.
Travel tip: Before you go, learn more, register your vehicle, and make payment arrangements at this website.
