violations

Oklahoma Turnpike is voiding about 1,300 violation notices issued for non-payment during a blizzard around Christmas. Motorists complained that snow and ice made it impossible or unreasonable for them to pay tolls because booths were unstaffed, or equipment wasn't working. In some cases lanes were blocked by snow.

Most of the notices were for the standard $25 non-payment violation. Turnpike officials decided today that sending the violation notices out as usual had been a mistake, and they are voiding them.

TxDOT's three month-long 90%-amnesty program on outstanding toll penalty fees garnered about 1.25% of scofflaw debt - $767k out of $61.6m. The recovery of unpaid tolls was much higher - $265k out of $3.2m or 8.3%. Recovery of violation fees was $501k out of $58.4m or about 0.9%.

10,580 people who took advantage of the 90% forgiveness program represented just over 7% of about 150,000 people with serious toll and penalty debts.

Texas DOT will run their violations amnesty Aug 31 thru Nov 30 under which 90% of accumulated violation penalties will be forgiven in return for paying tolls in full and 10% of penalties. Amnesty seekers will also be required to open a TxTag transponder account and to keep it in good standing for 12 months.

After the amnesty period TxDOT say they will begin court filings to collect outstanding tolls.

Top Texas officials have approved in principle a write-off of up to 90% of non-payment penalties on unpaid tolls that have accumulated on start-up pikes in Central Texas (Austin) and a small tollroad in the far northeast (Tyler). To take advantage of the amnesty motorists will have to:

- pay actual tolls due

- pay about 10% of accumulated violation fees, the exact percentage not yet decided

Texas Turnpike Authority division of TxDOT (TTAD) is moving to use the courts to enforce payment by hardcore non-payers on the Central Texas turnpikes about a year after the current network (130 Toll 1-4, 45 North, Loop 1) was completed and about 30 months after the first substantial segments were open.

A bombastic and one-sided opinion by an appeals court judge has got toll authorities in central Florida some hellish publicity in the local media. Judge John D Galluzo of the 18th Circuit (Seminole and Brevard counties) has dismissed all sixteen unpaid tolls and violation penalties against a firefighter Christopher Baird.

Confidentiality designed to protect government workers in California from harassment by criminals is being abused to allow them to avoid toll enforcement, reports the Orange County Register newspaper (2008-04-04). The Register did a major investigation of what is called the Confidential Records Program, a law enacted in 1978 which allowed police and other law officers' home addresses and those of their relatives to be omitted from the state motor registry database.