Citing "lackluster service," the department will be seeking a new technology provider.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is ending its contract with its toll road operator, reports R.A. Schuetz, citing "unnecessary challenges" for users and a recent error that resulted in overcharging some drivers.
Marc Williams, TxDOT executive director, said "We take the responsibility of providing a quality and trusted customer experience very seriously, and regret the impact and inconvenience these past many months of lackluster IBM service have had on our toll road users."
The operator, IBM, disputes the charge, saying in a statement that TxDOT failed to fulfill obligations on its end, and that "[d]espite TxDOT’s failure, IBM’s performance and the system IBM has implemented far exceed operational requirements anticipated when the contract was signed to the benefit of Texas motorists."
The state is now using an "emergency contract" to provide toll services until a new operator is selected. "TxDOT assured customers that the interim technology providers would make sure that information remained secure and that the billing system would remain accurate, timely and usable. TxTag is not charging late fees during the transition."
Read the full story: We simply could not move forward': TxDOT cuts ties with toll road operator
Texas Would Need $24 Billion to End Highway Tolls
Texas politicians are wondering how much it would cost to remove tolls from hundreds of miles of roads around the state. Though the political cost of tolling is high, the actual cost, it turns out, is higher.
Indiana Proposes Tolls on Interstate Freeways
If the state’s request is approved by the FHWA, it would be the first to charge tolls on interstates within its borders.
Utah to Test Personalized Road Usage Pricing
A pilot program will use GPS-enabled devices to track driving habits, allowing cities to use the data to create road pricing fee structures based on hyper-local and individual driving needs.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
California plans to bury El Niño’s downpour
If the state plays its cards right, it may be able to store a billion acre-feet of El Niño’s water in aquifers.
Desperate measures: Advocates weigh draining Lake Powell to fill Colorado River
Draining the reservoir could reduce evaporation losses by a couple hundred thousand acre-feet.
Chicago voters approve permanent festival grounds, penalty for vacant property owners
Currently, major summer and fall festivals take over public parks for weeks at a time, drawing criticism from nearby residents
NYC votes to cut outdoor dining red tape, speed up permitting
New York City also voted to allow the Department of Transportation to begin work on urgent projects before notifying elected officials.
California appears to reject Prop. 45
The proposition would have expanded the projects that qualify for a streamlined environmental review, effectively paring down the California Environmental Quality Act.
FREE Course: Walkable City 1: Why Walkability?
After describing his path towards focusing on walkability as the essence of good planning, Jeff Speck marches through his five principal reasons for making more walkable places.
Reinventing Malls: Planning Alchemy—Turning Gray Fields Into Gold
The course focuses on the opportunities and imperatives that shape reinvention of mall sites.
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