Complaint Review: Harris Co. Toll Authority - Houston Texas

   I have been using the Harris Co. Toll Road for more than 20+ years. I have never had any problems in using it untill now. I had a credit card on file with HCTRA that had expired, even though they had my home and cell phone numbers on file as well as all other information such as address etc: No effert of any kind was made by HCTRA to contact me and make me aware of any prblem.

  Instead, I received a letter in the mail telling me that my card had expired and that I owed outstanding tolls and fines. I called HCTRA right away on recept of said letter to discover that I had ran up a grand total of $8.00 in unpaid tolls. I said no problem and opologized to the person on the phone and stated that I would take care of it right then and stated that I would like to include my new card on file. she then informed me that I owed $161.25 to clear the matter from their records.

  I explained to the lady that there must be some mistake, " I only owe $8.00 in tolls Maam", she said yes sir you do, but there are now fines added to the total that you owe. " WHAT?", fines? How can there be fines? I was just made aware of the problem and I called you right away. She said, " Any time we can't run your card for the minimum amount and you are still useing the toll way, you will be fined for each violation. " VIOLATION? What violation? You people have had my card on file for years. I would be considered a good customer in any other situation like this, why are you punishing me for something totally out of my controll? Have I not been a good customer? Have I not spent thousands of dollars thruogh the years with you? What is going on?

   Well, the bottom line is, the lady on the other end of the phone said, " We have the right to make these charges ". And they obviously will. She would not reduce the total or even make any apologies of any kind for openly SCREWING ME!

   There are people all over America that are in prison for what these people are doing. When the citizens fail to stand up and force the authorities to be accountable, this is what happens. This is an illegal operation and is completly against our constitution. We, in a democracy are supposed to have the say so about were our money goe's and how it is spent.

   When I was a kid, a toll road was only used in order to pay for it's cost of construction, and as time went on, the cost for using it got less and less untill finally there was no more toll. It was paid off. Today, big industry and crooked officals have found another way to rip off the public, and the tolls keep going up, not down. Now we are subject to heavy fines, unjust hearings and committees, a loss of driving privileges and even jail. This is an outrage. How can so many people be so blind and down right ignorant. WAKE UP PEOPLE! These roads are owned by you and I, we pay for them, not big business and dame sure not crooked officials. All they do is take and take and take untill we put a stop to it. And rest assure, at the end of the day none of these people will ever see a day in jail and will live very comfortable untill the day they die. All because your not paying attention. WAKE UP!!!!!