TAKES ITS TOLL
‘It’s every month’ driver fumes after she’s charged toll fees for car she doesn’t own – problem was ongoing for 3 years
The charges are for a mystery white car
A DRIVER has complained of harassment after being sent monthly toll fees for a car she doesn’t own.
She's been stuck in a red tape nightmare with Florida officials for three years.
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Pamela Laplante, of Tampa in Florida, has been using a hay trailer to get food for her three horses.
She bought the flat trailer several years ago.
But ever since buying the trailer, Laplante has received toll violations for a white car repeatedly going through the same tolls in south Florida.
The notices have landed every month for a mystery Mercedes SUV that she doesn't own, for the past three years.
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It feels like harassment, every single month.
Pamela Laplante
And she has repeatedly called the Florida Department of Transportation to sort the mess out - but the bills keep coming.
She became so annoyed at the lack of intervention that she contacted NBC affiliate WFLA for urgent help.
“It feels like harassment, every single month," she explained.
"I waste at least a good 30 minutes of my time getting through to somebody.
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"A live body supposedly will look at these invoices before they send them out. And that was supposed to cut this out but it actually seems worse now than it was."
And, incredibly, WFLA's intervention has finally brought some relief for Laplante, a fortnight later.
Officials told the station on Tuesday that it couldn't comment on individual accounts.
Fighting incorrect toll violations
A legal expert says a toll violation notice can be disputed with a few simple steps.
- Double-check the name and license plate number. Violations are finalized by a technician before they're mailed, and sometimes a simple mistake can be made. If the matter is as simple as someone misreading the plate due to a grainy photo, the matter can be resolved by calling the toll agency.
- If the license plate is correct but the car is no longer registered to you, you can dispute it by contacting your state's transportation agency (ie. DMV) to provide proof the vehicle is no longer yours.
- If the violation claims it was issued due to a missing account and you indeed have an active account, the violation can usually be disputed on the toll agency's website. If not, calling is an option.
- Dispute the notice promptly. Many toll agencies will impose a short time limit that drivers can dispute a notice, so it's important to do so quickly to avoid late fees.
- Be clear when submitting a dispute online. The more details included, the easier it is to have the matter resolved.
- If necessary, drivers can submit a hearing to dispute the charge.
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But it promised the broadcaster it would immediately escalate the problem, and contact her directly.
On June 18, an official contacted Laplante, and gave her a phone number to call should she receive another mistaken violation.
“I don’t have to go through that whole maze on the phone and spend 30 minutes trying to get hold of somebody," a relieved Laplante said.
"So hopefully, I won’t get another one. But if I do, I at least have his direct line, so I really appreciate it, thank you."
RED FLAGS
Laplante said she hoped her harassment story would spur the department to more speedily resolve the matter.
“They need to come up with some kind of different way to screen to make sure they are actually sending the tolls to the correct people," she advised.
"And they should have something in place so if they do send the toll to the wrong person that they flag it to where it doesn’t keep happening over and over again."
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Laplante said she still has no idea why she was being sent the toll violation notices.
That's because the department didn't provide an explanation.
But she was told her tag was believed to be just one letter off from the white car being snapped through the tolls.
DON'T PAY
The broadcaster recommended fellow drivers also incorrectly caught in a toll violation loophole not to pay the fee.
"You should call the number on the violation to alert them of the error, and make sure you take detailed notes about each phone call you make," it said.
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"Most importantly, don’t pay the bill, as that will just confuse the situation further - some people just pay it to make it go away."
The U.S. Sun has contacted the Florida Department of Transportation for further comment.