The issues of bloated government and painfully inept bureaucracies are, of course, both chronic and ongoing. So, too, are the budget woes of federal, state and local government. So why is the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority sending money back to people?
We live in Wisconsin, but frequently travel from the Madison area into Illinois. My partner works four days a week in Rockford, and I have to go to Chicago a few times a month. For this reason, our cars have I-Pass transponders. To speed up the separation of motorists from their money, the Illinois tollways have what is known as "open road tolling." That's the term for the non-stop money collection for those with the little white boxes slapped on their windshields. The tollway commission did a good job of forcing the transponders on the driving public by making tolls paid in cash double the tolls collected digitally.
The open road tolling system is not infallible. Technical glitches happen. Generally, in situations of error, you -- the driver -- lose. At least that's how it seems. Trying to contest an alleged violation quickly becomes more trouble than it is worth. And that's why, when the toll authority sent us a letter with a blurry digital photo of the back of our car that claimed we didn't pay a few tolls, we decided to pay the violation fines and be done with it. Since they allegedly occurred almost two years ago on a car we haven't even owned for a year, we're not in a position to make much of a challenge. But the threat of all kinds of legal action was enough to make me cut them a check for $62.60.
Imagine my surprise when they sent the check back. Did they have a change of heart and decide we could cop a walk on this one? Hardly.
Re: Insufficient Information (for violation number X)
To Whom It May Concern:
At this time we are unable to process your payment due to either insufficient violation information of lack of data provided with your check. We are returning your original check to ask that you resubmit another payment as soon as possible so that your account does not escalate.
...
Thank you for your time and consideration to this matter.
Sincerely,
Illinois Tollway Customer Service Center
(emphasis mine)
So let me see if I have this straight. You , the Tollway Authority, sent me a letter accusing me of blowing through some tolls without paying. This even though our vehicles are outfitted with your toll-payment transponders. Being a reasonable person, I think it is possible that that maybe the transponder wasn't in the car, or otherwise the non-payment was our fault. Considering it took you 20 months to get around to coming after us for this transgression, we in good faith sent you the payment plus the $60 in fines. We sent that payment with the documentation you provided, marked the vehicle tag and your own transaction numbers on the check, and did so within days (not years) of receiving your notice.
Now you, the Tollway Authority, don't seem to remember why you asked us for $62.60, and you tell us your own documentation information is "insufficient" for you to process this remittance. You want me, the guy who until I got your notice didn't know I had any outstanding violations -- from 20 months ago -- to come up with additional information and send my check back again. And if I don't, you are threatening that my account may escalate... whatever that means
Gosh, Illinois Tollway Authority, I am really sorry that I didn't keep a file on the check I sent you along with your own documentation -- sketchy as it was -- when you alleged we skipped a few tolls in 2006.
I guess I should consider myself lucky that I am not dealing with some third-rate, bungling and inept operation. A little research tells me that -- surprise -- the Tollway Authority in Illinois outsourced the whole digital toll collection thing. And it's so darn good that it's an award-winning system!
BLUE BELL, Pa. -- Unisys Corporation (NYSE:UIS) and the Illinois Tollway today announced that the outsourcing engagement between the two organizations has won a 2007 Outsourcing Excellence Award in the annual Outsourcing Center awards program sponsored by Everest Group and Forbes magazine. The award - for "Best IT Application" - recognizes the e-commerce benefits the partners are delivering to the Illinois state government and users of Illinois' I-PASS electronic toll collection system.
Apparently Forbes and the Everest Group are grading on a curve.
(Cross-posted on Kerfuffle)