Submitted by the Washington State Department of Transportation
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is changing how it resolves disputes for customers who have received a penalty for unpaid tolls. Toll violators now have the opportunity to resolve their civil penalty by paying the outstanding tolls without fees and penalties.
Starting July 20, customers who have an unpaid civil penalty can contact Good To Go! to request a waiver of fees and penalties if they agree to pay all outstanding tolls.
“First-time toll violators can call Good To Go! to review their civil penalty prior to a hearing,” said WSDOT Toll Operations Director Patty Rubstello. “Customer service will work with them to pay their toll, waive the penalties and fees, and resolve the issue that caused them to get behind on their bill.”
The toll violator will have 20 days to pay the tolls on their civil penalty or a hold will be placed on their vehicle registration.
“We’ve learned that customers need flexibility and each situation is unique,” said Rubstello. “The purpose of this program is to collect the toll and educate the customer so they won’t get behind in in the future. This approach fairly balances enforcing tolls for the 95 percent of drivers who pay on time while giving others the opportunity start over with a clean slate.”
WSDOT worked closely with the 2015 Legislature to ensure the new resolution program worked within the provisions of the new toll customer service law RCW 46.63.160.
The billing structure and the $40 civil penalty remains the same. The registered owner of a vehicle receives a bill in the mail within two weeks of using a toll facility. They have 15 days to pay before a second bill is issued with a $5 reprocessing fee. If the toll remains unpaid for 80 days, a notice of civil penalty is issued with $40 penalty per toll transaction. Unresolved civil penalties will still result in a vehicle registration hold.
Starting July 20, all Notice of Civil Penalties will be mailed with information about the new program and the new option available to resolve a civil penalty. Vehicle owners with unpaid fees and civil penalties that have not received a ruling by an administrative law judge may contact Good To Go! to find out if they qualify for the new enforcement program.
If requested, individuals with cases that have been adjudicated but not fully waived can request an additional review by a judge.
