AUSTIN, Texas — Every day, millions of Texans drive on toll roads, paying the price through TxTag. It is a system that Texans say they've had some issues with.
"I almost want to ask 'who hasn't had trouble with TxTag in the past, or toll authorities?'" TxTag customer Dax Patton said.
Michael Sheehan, a fellow customer, echoed that thought.
"I have had friends that have had problems with billing, had gotten billed for things that they didn't do and, you know, $50 for this or $50 for that," Sheehan said.
At a Texas Transportation Commission meeting, TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams admitted the department has struggled with operations in their toll system.
"The option that really stood out to us was to go out and solicit with some of the different toll operators in the state that also do the same processing of transactions," Williams said.
Starting soon, the Harris County Toll Road Authority will take over toll collection and customer service operations for TxTag.
"We believe this is going to help bring down the fees that customers may experience," Williams said. "It's also going to be a significant savings and efficiency gain for the state of Texas and for both us and the Harris County Toll Road Authority as well."
Under the agreement, Williams anticipates the cost for them to process a driver entering a toll gantry will be cut in half from about 30 cents per transaction to about 15 cents.
"We believe that, too, will begin to, over time, approach about $100 million of savings for the state of Texas," Williams said.
Customers will still be able to pay tolls at Austin-area TxTag walk-in centers, EZ TAG stores in Houston and at Walmart and H-E-B locations.
It is a change that drivers are eager to see hit the road.
"If it makes it easier for the customer and better for the state, then it's worth doing," Sheehan said.
The transition to the Harris County Toll Road Authority is expected to happen in phases at the end of this year and into 2025. Toll rates will not be affected directly by the transition, but they could be adjusted on Jan. 1.
Customers will still be able to use their existing TxTag to pay tolls on all toll roads in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.