Tollway proposes scofflaw system reforms

Facing pressure from lawmakers and the public, tollway officials Thursday granted a reprieve on scofflaw fines and launched reforms of the toll cheat enforcement program, following the exposure of systemic problems by the Daily Herald.

Dubbed a "spring cleaning" that lasts through June 30, the temporary break eliminates a $50 fine tacked onto each violation unpaid for 21 days or more. It also allows alleged violators to clear their debt in payments over the next three months.

Alleged violators still would have to pay the initial $20 fine and the missed tolls to the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority.

The break in fines affects hundreds of thousands of motorists tied up with violations that can't even be erased via bankruptcy and cause the suspension of license plates and driver's licenses.

The tollway estimates more than 600,000 notices sent out from the largely automated system would be subject to the fine reductions.

During the amnesty, the tollway also will hold back on suspensions. Right now more than 130,000 license plates and 10,000 driver's licenses are on the verge of suspension for unpaid toll fines.

"We hope a lot of people take advantage of this opportunity to wipe the slate clean," acting Executive Director Michael King said.

Under fire for a 13-month backlog of violation notices, agency directors also backed requirements to issue notices within 90 days - preventing them from ever again stacking up fines for more than a year and then sending them out.

Additionally, the tollway is moving to allow more missed tolls to be paid online, allow fine appeals by mail and provide more violation data on its Web site.

The agency's actions come after newly sworn-in Gov. Pat Quinn threatened to enact a spring cleaning of his own at the tollway. And it follows months of threats from state lawmakers angling to force an amnesty program and tighter guidelines on the tollway after hearing scores of complaints from unwitting motorists buried by thousands of dollars in fines.

Asked why it took so long to offer some relief - more than a year after problems were apparent, King said the agency was waiting until it had cleared the backlog of violations, which occurred in December.

"It's something we've been kicking around for months," he said, adding the agency factored in the slumping economy also.

State Rep. Paul Froehlich, a Schaumburg Democrat, had introduced legislation twice in an attempt at reform. He said Monday he was satisfied with the changes.

"I think it is a new day there," Froehlich said.

Downstate lawmakers also have been urging reforms after hearing complaints from constituents receiving unwarranted fines in the mail from the suburban agency.

The problems with the violation system largely stem from a 13-month hiatus in issuing notices in 2006 and 2007. Tollway officials blame a switch in contractors for the delay.

When the tollway finally started mailing notices, many I-PASS users were hit with massive fines because they were unaware of account issues that critics say a more timely system could have brought to light sooner.

The tollway later conceded about 50 percent of notices where landing in the mailboxes of I-PASS users with account issues, such as incorrect license plate information or expired credit cards.

Once notified an alleged violator is actually an I-PASS account holder, tollway officials say they do clear the fines.

A Daily Herald investigation last year, Toll Gridlock, brought the problems to light and exposed issues with mailing notices to the right addresses and difficulties enforcement cameras have identifying license plates.

Also as part of the reforms approved Thursday, the tollway is looking to use the U.S. Postal Service database to better locate a vehicle's owner.

Still, perhaps the longest-lasting change will prevent a massive backlog from occurring again.

If approved by a panel of lawmakers, the tollway will have to get notices out within 90 days after the third recorded violation. (The tollway doesn't fine the first two violations.)

In all, the 13-month backlog included about 1.6 million notices. Currently more than 200,000 violation notices are so delinquent they have gone to collection agencies. All of them would be subject to the fine reprieve.

Tollway board Chairman John Mitola said the problems with the enforcement system are "something that has bothered all of us for I don't know how long."

"We have all received complaints and all been upset about it," he said.

But the agency was steadfast last year under then-Gov. Rod Blagojevich in refusing similar reforms proposed by lawmakers and critics.

I-PASS user Michael Kelley of Carpentersville received a notice last month for alleged violations back in 2007. He likes the changes.

"Having the violation notices sooner is much better than receiving a statement from two years ago and then being told that they don't know how many more statements will show up," Kelley wrote in an e-mail. "It would be nice if they could have some sort of limit on the length of time they can go back for missed tolls."

Don Schaefer of the Mid-West Truckers Association is pleased with the 90-day notice deadline aimed at preventing a future backlog. He said numerous trucking companies were recently hit with a mountain of late fine notices they hadn't budgeted.

"There are a lot of companies who thought they had clean accounts and found out that wasn't the case," Schaefer said. "The 90-day requirement will give us more opportunities to stay on top of drivers."

To find out more about the program, contact illinoistollway.com or call (800) UCI-PASS.

Officials encouraged people to call at nonpeak hours and weekends.

A look at the tollway violation backlog:

• 1.6 million notices during a 13-month gap in sending out violations

• $22 million in tolls not paid last year

• $47 million collected in fines above and beyond the price of missed tolls last year

• 600,000 unpaid violation notices

• 50% - Half of violation notices issued last year went to I-PASS customers because of customer account errors or defaults

• 270,000 - Violation notices forwarded to collection agencies last year

• 130,000 - License plates on verge of being suspended for tollway violations, far above the 13,500 total suspended last year

• 10,000 - Driver's licenses on verge of being suspended for tollway violations, far above the 5,000 total suspended last year

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