Many states have pay by plate systems for missed tolls. Why doesn't Illinois?

[peterj920]

Illinois penalizes people that miss tolls after the 3rd unpaid toll.  They capture license plates like any other state and have the capabilities of sending bills to people who pass through toll booths.  My guess is that they welcome the toll violations as extra revenue.  It would be great if they could implement a pay by mail system or at least have your license plate easy to search for online to see what the bill is like Texas instead of having to remember which toll booths were passed through.  At a lot of off ramps, it's tough to pay at the booths because I doubt people carry tons of coins with them.  Some exits along the Tri State Tollway only accept coins and the tolls are $1.90.

[jakeroot]

I was always under the impression that ISTHA allows you to pay your toll online using your plate number, soon after passing under the toll gantry?

[peterj920]

I was always under the impression that ISTHA allows you to pay your toll online using your plate number, soon after passing under the toll gantry?

They do but you have to remember where and when you passed under and they give 7 days to pay.  Texas has it where you can search for your plate number and they have everything listed, or they will send a bill in the mail which is very convenient.  I got stung with a three $20 toll violations because I went on vacation for a week and didn't think about the tolls until I drove back and realized that I forgot about them.  Texas has a 30 day grace period after the bill is mailed so I would have been fine there.  I believe Washington State also has pay by mail? 

[jakeroot]

I was always under the impression that ISTHA allows you to pay your toll online using your plate number, soon after passing under the toll gantry?

They do but you have to remember where and when you passed under and they give 7 days to pay.  Texas has it where you can search for your plate number and they have everything listed, or they will send a bill in the mail which is very convenient.  I got stung with a three $20 toll violations because I went on vacation for a week and didn't think about the tolls until I drove back and realized that I forgot about them.  Texas has a 30 day grace period after the bill is mailed so I would have been fine there.  I believe Washington State also has pay by mail?

Yes, WSDOT has pay by mail, but only for the bridges and one stretch of express lanes. One of the bridges has a tollbooth; all other facilities are fully electronic. There's no way to pay by license plate here, unfortunately. If you're from out of town, you have to wait for the bill in the mail. Which is okay, but there's an additional $2 fee tacked onto the standard toll, plus you have to wait for the mail, which can be annoying. I'd rather be able to pay my toll immediately after exiting the toll facility, either online, over the phone, etc. Even longer facilities, like express lanes, can work like the bridges: the gantry charges you once upon entry, and you can look up that charge by using your license plate number.

British Columbia's Port Mann Bridge has a whole bunch of different billing options: pay using TReO decal, pay online by plate number within seven days, by phone (either automatically using an existing account, or manually, by telling them your plate number), at your bank (using an account number provided on the mailed invoice), or at one of the two customer service centres. Ideally, you pay within seven days to avoid the $2.30 processing fee, but if you forget, it's pretty easy to make emends.

[Brandon]

Illinois penalizes people that miss tolls after the 3rd unpaid toll.  They capture license plates like any other state and have the capabilities of sending bills to people who pass through toll booths.  My guess is that they welcome the toll violations as extra revenue.  It would be great if they could implement a pay by mail system or at least have your license plate easy to search for online to see what the bill is like Texas instead of having to remember which toll booths were passed through.  At a lot of off ramps, it's tough to pay at the booths because I doubt people carry tons of coins with them.  Some exits along the Tri State Tollway only accept coins and the tolls are $1.90.

Illinois does.  But the responsibility is on you to pay online within 7 days without penalty.

http://www.illinoistollway.com/tolls-and-i-pass/unpaid-tolls;jsessionid=7B02250677A6B2DA70F0959E08E59A4C

[johndoe780]

What you're describing is coming.

http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160417/news/160418907/

[US 81]

The search-by-license-plate function is relatively new to Texas, but I am glad to see it. It used to be that you could only search by account number or statement number. That made it awkward for those of us who didn't want to set up an account because we only wanted to drive the road for road-geeking purposes.

[hbelkins]

Still waiting for my bill for using the George Bush Turnpike in Dallas back in 2010.