Illinois State Toll Highway Authority

Yikes. After reading so many horrible experiences with the toll authority, I feel blessed indeed! My transponder is an ez pass from IN (that works on IL toll roads as well). It quit working one day when my credit card expired, whoops. Forgot about that one… Entirely my fault. I was able to call the IL toll authority, send them a screen shot showing that I had updated my account & credit card info, and they were pleasant & understanding. I paid the toll and nothing else; no fine, no fee.

One of the most depressing places in the world. And what a weird late payment policy. Like… what?

REVIEW ONLY FOR MY IN PERSON EXPERIENCE 2DAY!!!
I stood in line maybe 5mins, not bad for a state facility. Lbvs! I was called and greeted by a sweet young lady, I needed a new transponder & to resolve unpaid tolls which I did everything with her. She was very helpful and thoroughly resolved my issues w/​in 10mins. She was happy to actually be at work working! I can’t believe I had a pleasant experience w/​these ppl because I HATE THE LOW PAID, RUDE ASS CALL CENTER STAFF!!! INCLUDING THE IGNORANT ASS MANAGERS. (They’re run by Chicago Lighthouse, & they are shitty as hell)

The state of Illinois needs be held accountable for things like this. I recently relocated here from North Carolina. I went through a few of those tolls that you had to pay online for. So I try to go online to pay them and all you can do is look at a map and guess when and where you missed a toll. Its 2016 and your telling you that you have a system that reads licence plates, but yet you are unable to simply look up your license plate number and see which tolls you missed? That is literally being done for one reason, to try and make people pay unnecessary fees. Shame on this state. They need to be reported to the better business bureau. Unbelievable.

First off:
For any new resident in Illinois or new driver, it’s imperative that you get an I-​Pass transponder. These devices make contact with the branded «I-​Pass» toll lanes and tolls are paid from a funded account you created online. A transponder is a device which would hang inside your car, affixed to the windshield, rear-​view mirror or attached to your license plate (outside of the car). The cost is roughly $ 50 dollars. (I-​pass says they will reduce this cost at some point. Who knows when…) It used to be that $ 40 of the $ 50 was given back to you in toll credit. It’s wise to inquire.
Note: If you like to receive tickets & bills in the mail then continue to live life without one (transponder). Fines for non-​pass holders are extremely high. I’m talking $ 100 dollars above the cost of the toll. So, for $ 1 in tolls, your new total is $ 101 dollars. Fucking obnoxious. Alternately; if you have a transponder but the credits have fallen below their «replenishment threshold» it’s possible to be charged like a motorist without a transponder. It is the stupidest system of charging customers. This company likes to pretend they operate in the dark ages. Nowadays, companies might shoot you a text or «push notification» to your phone for replenishment. Not these guys. They make serious bucks off people that forget to replenish accounts. Fines and assessed fees can cost hundreds of dollars.
When trying to pay missed tolls. This act can be taxing. I’ll refer you to their website instructions in figuring that out. The simplest method is to call the 800# and pay a dollar or two.
I should also thank the Highway authority for all the recent updates to the tollways. There are many new express tollway lanes that were built. Speed doesn’t have to be decreased too much when passing through tolls and the debit seems to be expedited.
I-​Pass now hosts a non-​profit organization to take care of their customer service calls. They are merely representatives of the tollway. (Therefore making you an asshole for wanting to yell at one of these people. What a great way to save their asses. So, we’re limited to complaining online or via social media.

How can anyone possible record the location of the unpaid toll in Chicago’s traffic and horrid highway system? I was 10 cents off at night at who knows which exit. In from out-​of-​town, how does any non-​resident even know they need to record the location until it is too late and you are searching a map on their website desperately trying to figure out where you entered and exited in the worst traffic and roads you have ever experienced? Either do away with the toll system altogether or allow for search by license plate and 30 days to pay. Or let me punch a button that gives me a receipt so I know where I was that I need to pay!

Illinois Tollway system has to be the worst thing ever. So fuhkin dumb it’s unbelievable how stupid it is. The person that got paid to create that website is the biggest thief this country has ever seen.
I’m from Florida! They do everything wrong in Florida but yet somehow SunPass looks like a it’s from the future compared to this shyt show.
If you can’t pay a toll because
a) you don’t have an Ipass due to being from out of state
b) don’t have a $ 1.50 in coins because they don’t have a tollbooth that takes cc or bills
You might as well just keep driving to Springfield and crash on the state houses front door cause that’s about as good as trying to pay using their online payment system
1star is about 100stars to generous

Wish I could give ZERO stars! Ipass is a bunch of bullshit. Their outdated system is old and takes forever to update and their website is less than helpful. Not to mention that they «don’t know how much you owe on your account until money is posted»? No where does it say on their website that if you have another car on the account that does not have a transponder that any tolls that car incurs will be charged the CASH TOLL PRICE (which if you aren’t familiar is over double the ipass rate)! What is the point of even having the other car on the account then! I went from having to put $ 30 on my account every month to over $ 90 for two cars. They are a bunch of scammers. Something shady is definitely going on at Illinois Tollway. They also don’t mandate that you have a transponder in every car –which should be mandatory if you are adding another vehicle to the account –they just want to take all your money. BEWARE Illinois Tollway!

«There is nothing more permanent than temporary government tax, like the Illinois Tollway Authority.»
«If you’re calling about a collection notice, hang up now and dial the telephone number on your collection notice.»
– Illinois tollway authority greeting via 630−241−6800
Skip the phone calls and see the #PObox5382 ‘protocol’ to help skip junk fees and penalties and hits to your credit report.
The idea is to do what I did as a credit expert and pay via paper checks so that we get a paper trail. They hate that. But they cash the check so we now can fix our credit.
If you’re calling (630) 241‑6800 about a collection notice, you better be asking them for their fax #, before faxing them. There is a ‘9’ on your #ExpTransFax. Because collection notices get sold from one collection agency to another. (note the pic is of 2400 ogden ave. DG IL 60 515. They accept paper checks there and #PObox5382

Corrupt is the word that comes to mind when dealing with these folks. We visited Chicago from out of state. We forgot our transponder was not in the dash.
We logged online to see what the damage was — and then followed up with a phone call to confirm: In order to pay missed tolls, you have to know the specific date and location you missed; That would be a problem for out of towners who aren’t familiar with the city — and went ALL OVER the city.
They WILL NOT confirm or deny if you have a violation… until you’ve been issued a citation. And that folks, is corruption — unfairly fining folks who are not your constituents via your «gotcha» loopholes. They are withholding information they could easily provide to citizens who want to do the right thing. Instead, we feel like our only option is to pay every toll in the city in hopes that we hit the actual ones we went through. …and to think that with all the modern day technology these cronies conveniently just aren’t capable of providing that detail.
This experience significantly decreased the enjoyment of our trip and lessens the likelihood we will come back. I realize you guys are a «public service» and have little incentive to make things easier when it conveniently benefits you — BUT for the love… have some integrity Chicago.

Bought a transponder and put $ 40 on it. Used it twice then accidentally left it in a rental car (Enterprise). Enterprise claimed they could not find it. I tried to cancel the account and could not do it over the phone or via email. I wrote a letter. I cancelled the account and asked for a refund. I never received the refund or any response from the toll company.
Now it is showing up that I owe over $ 140 and that this has been turned over to collections ON MY CREDIT REPORT!!! I don’t own a car and I rarely rent. What a scam. Attorney General, please look into this!

The system they have in place to settle unpaid tolls is virtually unusable and the fees they pin on unpaid tolls is criminal. $ 3 in tolls turns into $ 63 into $ 153 – it’s extortion. I can’t believe this is happening in America.

One month ago, I drove to Chicago for an interview. Since I didnt keep cash with me so I paid toll fees online. Its about 20 – 30 bucks. According to their route calculate system, I thought I paid all of them. But today, I receive a 200 dollar violation for that. How bad you system is. so ridiculous. no more than one star.

Of the dozens of reasons why I moved my family from Illinois to north dakota leaving behind the Illinois toll way is in my top five. The illinois tollway represents every thing wrong with the state, utter and total corruption. They doubled the tolls a couple of years back and the only people that voted on it where ones that stood to gain financially. Miss a couple tolls? Don’t pay then fast enough expect a bill in the $ 70+ range each. Still don’t pay? They then send you letters threatening to have your drivers license suspended. Good bye illinois the only thing I miss is the food.

Somehow, a transponder I’ve been using for 2 years «has never been activated» even though it only started flashing yellow the last 2 months. I’ve been commuting on the toll roads to work 3−5x/week and it was flashing blue. The reps at the tollway headquarters were pretty easy to deal with, but I had to go back to Jewel and have them look through their paper logs to find proof of transaction. This took 2 weeks, now I have to go back to HQ with the Jewel copies and my credit card statement and see if they will reactivate the transponder. Wish they had better records.

You guys are just stupid. Point dam blank. How do you only accept certain types of card payments? What kind of sam hell mess is that. azzBackwardsness. God bless my Jesus for the laundry quarters in a bag hidden in the crevices of my purse.
Just R.E.T.A.R.D.E.D

this entire situation reminds me again of our world where no one gives a crap about about each other and all you can do is claw, scratch, bite, hit, stab and twist other people into sick perversions of brutality in order to survive.
victimize the out-​of-​state drivers who are unfamiliar with the toll system. they are unable to travel back to Illinois to plead their case in person. the state of Illinois needs/​wants the money. if you don’t pay, then the promises of further criminal legal action amount to predatory and intimidating tactics.
is the tollway designed in such a way that certain people are destined to fail?
the innocent die in the war against the predators

Their customer support is hit and miss. Most of the time you will get some incompetent rep and sometimes someone will actually help you out… REMEMBER THAT THEY *CAN* LOWER THE FEES! If you want to get anything achieved make sure to ask for a manager or supervisor.
I had to speak with one in order to make sure things were correct. Even then she wasn’t being precise… I had to interrogate her to actually understand what happens after I pay the amount and she gave me an attitude.

First off, I want to give these jerks zero stars, but apparently you can’t give that on Unilocal.Anyway, these «people» are as ignorant as can be. Had to deal with these lowlifes after getting a fine on my transponder, even though there was plenty of money on the account to cover tolls. The first subhuman I talked to just argued with me over my identity, saying my phone number wasn’t the one on the account and my driver’s license was wrong. I asked her, «why would I be faking my identity to take care of someone else’s fines?» Her one working brain cell couldn’t process this though, so I asked to speak to a manager. She «transferred» me to a dead phone line.
Called back and got moron number 2. She argued over my balance being negative. When I informed her that I had bank statements that clearly showed I had put money in my account much more recently than they claimed I did, she just told me, «you can send in the statements, but they won’t do you any good.» Apparently ipass is so brazen about stealing their customer’s money that they brag about it. I got the address to send the statements to, and hung up.
When you first call, you get a recorded message telling you that they hire the handicapped, the underprivileged, and veterans. Apparently that means they hire the mentally challenged, the ghetto sistas with bad attitudes, and PTSD veterans who can’t relate to people anymore. These are the rudest, most ignorant screw ups I’ve ever dealt with. Seriously ipass, screw you.

I admit I am fairly naïve with how toll booths work. There is only one in the Denver metro area and it is set up where it takes your picture and then they mail you the bill.
It is unfortunate too that Chicago is one of my favorite cities to go visit too because the metro area is peppered with toll booths everywhere. Especially in the northern and north west area. I was there recently and payed with cash at some of the tolls and then used the I-​Pass option when the toll cash was running low.
I went through I-​Pass several times and hit the last one at the state line, not too far from Madison, WI.
Soooooo I thought then I would have gotten a bill in the mail with the remaining tolls? I did but it was a fine! Claiming that I did not pay my tolls. Apparently it is up to any drivers who use the I-​Pass toll to go online and pay for their tolls. I remember hearing vaguely about that but I assumed I would have gotten a bill… like how the toll booths work in Denver!
My normal toll was somewhere around twelve bucks but now with this fine I got to pay a hundred and fifty! So I need to pay it or go schedule a hearing which probably means I would have to drive all the way back to Illinois. Just the trip back will cost more than the fine so I will just pay it.
Now I am not one of these minimalist government types that seems to be all the rage these days but one would think in our glorious country of ours they could at least have a toll booth system where it is universal in all states. Enough with the private contractors with who have a completely different system in each state. It is one thing where you have a universal toll booth system and one thing not having a universal credit card machine. You hit cancel for credit or exit? What does it matter? You will not be issued a fine for hitting the wrong button at Walmart but that seems to be the only demands I hear for anything being universal.
I also think it is a good way for the state of Illinois to get extra money from unaware drivers who are from out of state who don’t know how it works. I bet the mail sends out loads of fines out of state? My recommendation if you are going to Chicago? Do some research and take all of the roads that do not have tolls. This will take you in the middle of nowhere I am sure but you will be far from the tolls OR check and see which town in the metro area starts to see the first signs of Chicago’s subway system and dump the car and take the train. No hassle with tolls going into town and no hassle with parking in town. I-​80 is toll free northbound till downtown Chicago and southbound I-​80 is free too. I believe in fact several southbound freeways, like the one to Indianapolis is free as well.
Pretty sneaky and slick Illinois, you got me this time. Pretty evil and vile of you! Get behind me Satan!
##Rant of the Week##