NTTA is the worst thing about Dallas by far
Posted by Nekrachiyan@reddit | Dallas | View on Reddit | 89 comments
I accidentally drove onto a toll lane and haven’t registered my car to the toll tag because I thought I wouldn’t have to. Now while waiting for the bill I suddenly get a “second notice” out of nowhere and it’s $70. I never got a first or initial notice wtf
LaminatedAirplane@reddit
NTTA manages many roads which should have been “free” by now like PGBT. They have been caught using shady business tactics to overcharge Texan citizens and are in bed with the government to enforce payment to the toll cartel.
Literally legalized highway robbery under the cover of “providing a service”.
Showertosavewater@reddit
yet apparently we can’t do anything about it ?
LaminatedAirplane@reddit
You’d have to convince enough Texans to vote for politicians to do something about. Too bad so many Texans are cucked for corporations and the GOP who’s in bed with them. Fuck Rick Perry
Unlucky-Invite6832@reddit
About 10 years ago, I was driving home from a poker game in the middle of the night and got stopped for speeding in farmers branch. The officer apologetically told me that he had to arrest me because there was am unpaid toll from several years earlier in Collin County that had gone to warrant. I had always had a toll tag, but at some point the reader didn't work, so it associated the toll with my plate. I was unaware of the 75 cent toll and I moved around that time, so I never got a notice. They took me to the station and allowed me to pay for the warrant and toll. About $300 later I was released and got a taxi back to my car. It's such bullcrap that private company uses the dfw sheriff and police departments to act as their collection agencies that must arrest you if a toll has gone to warrant.
Showertosavewater@reddit
why can’t the city change ntta? why are we being held hostage by them ?
refsoccer11@reddit
So if you shoplifted from Walmart and they caught your plate and made a police report, if you were stopped at a later time and police ran your plate and saw the report on the theft they are just supposed to let you go? Private company using the police.
5yrup@reddit
NTTA is not a private company. They are a government organization created by an act of the Texas legislature and have a board appointed by the county commissioner courts and the governor.
Matchboxx@reddit
The appraisal district is not the recipient of your property taxes. They simply assess property value.
3Time4Eater3@reddit
Cops or liars. There's always a choice.
NothingButTheTea@reddit
This is true. The Texas Criminal Justice Code only has a couple of instances where a cop MUST arrest and the rest are MAY arrest. Tolls is not one of the must.
Unlucky-Invite6832@reddit
It is mandatory they arrest, if the toll goes to warrant. I seem to remember hearing a few years ago, that they may have stopped this practice, but im not sure. Lol I do however continue to regularly check my account with ntta to be sure I don't have any surprise tolls!
9bikes@reddit
u/Unlucky-Invite6832 wasn't arrested for the tolls. He was arrested for the warrant. Arrest warrants in Texas begin with telling all peace officers "you are hereby commanded to arrest ___________, Defendent ...".
I'm not saying that is how it should be, but that's the way it is.
Unlucky-Invite6832@reddit
That is exactly correct. I was arrested because of the warrant. And the warrant was because of one 75 cent toll. As i stated, the police officer was apologetic, because he had no choice but to arrest me. Which is why he gave me a warning on the speeding ticket and didn't tow my car. He let me park it so I could come and get it after paying the warrant. Again, my point was that the police are forced to act as bill collectors for ntta with arrest being the eventual result if the tolls are not paid.
Upstairs_Balance_464@reddit
Should have been free? No. That stupid urban legend about the tollways going free when they’re paid off is NOT TRUE.
somethingsmells896@reddit
It is what was promised Ellen they started building it. It was supposed to become a freeway in 1996, at least that's what they promised the populous.
5yrup@reddit
Where is the official statement that DNT or any of the other tollways would be free?
Note, I mean an official statement, not just a one line phrase from an engineer not qualified to make such a claim said once a long time ago about one project, but an actual official statement on the record.
You won't find one.
TexManZero@reddit
Here is an official statement from J.H. Davis, a member of the Texas Tollway Authority from when the DNT was opened in 1968.
A Long Road Is Ending - DMN
That's an official statement from a member of the Authority.
5yrup@reddit
This is exactly the quote I'm talking about when I say "not just one lin phrase from an engineer not qualified to make such a claim". It was an informal breakfast where he, an engineer and not in a position to make such a claim, said that.
TexManZero@reddit
Again, he was a director on the Texas Tollway Authority. He was there when the decisions were made of you read the article. He may well have been an engineer; believe it or not engineers often know about the projects they are working on. More information from a statement from the TTA can be seen in this video link.
Toll Road Rate Increase - YouTube
That's your one other thing. If you want more education, Google is your friend. It's easy enough to find if you try and look.
5yrup@reddit
I agree, engineers will sure know a lot about the projects they work on. His statement is purely speculation, and he wouldn't have had the decision making capacity to say either way.
He was never a "director", that was not in his titles. That's your one other thing. If you want more education, Google is your friend It's easy enough to find if you try hard enough. Where does it ever say he was a "director"?
You're saying they started it officially. Something more than speculation at an informal meal at a diner from a guy not authorized to make such a claim. So find it, show it to me. Something actually from the Texas Tollway Authority. Seems strange if that was the policy it wouldn't have been written down by them in any way, shape, or form.
I've looked for anything other than this article. I've searched a ton. Everything else just references this one article in the end. So I'd love for you to actually back this up. Please do! You say it's so easy.
TexManZero@reddit
Listen, you asked for anything else. I gave it to you. Took me all of five minutes to show you what a member of the TTA and reports from WFAA said. I can show you, but I can't comprehend it for you. You have to make the connections.
Maybe touch some grass too...
5yrup@reddit
The TTA member never said what you're claiming they said. Only the WFAA person said it. Not a hard thing to understand.
The TTA and the NTTA have never officially said the toll roads would be free outside of that one diner statement.
I can point this out to you over and over, but I can't comprehend it for you.
tristand666@reddit
Except it used to be the way they did toll roads.
5yrup@reddit
Which toll roads other than I-30?
akm1111@reddit
It worked on I-30... thats why all the oldest exits are cloverleafs. Hasn't been a toll road in ages.
When all these were started, they were supposed to stop charging after the road fees were paid.
LaminatedAirplane@reddit
https://youtu.be/H9SLgjJULgw
You just weren’t around here long enough to know better.
5yrup@reddit
The NTTA is a government organization. They are the government.
Xydan@reddit
So who's run the government the last 50+ years?
5yrup@reddit
Largely people I don't care for. But that's irrelevant to my point.
NTTA is a government organization. Saying they're in bed with the government is like saying the library is in bed with the government. No shit, it is the government.
Too many people spreading lies and half truths isn't going to make our society better.
somethingsmells896@reddit
Nope they're a poetically owned company. Like DART.
5yrup@reddit
DART is also not a privately owned company. It's "owned" by the City of Dallas. And even the structure of DART and NTTA are nothing alike.
This stuff is public knowledge. Why lie about it?
BlazinAzn38@reddit
DART isn’t privately “owned.” It’s a regional transit authority which is created by and held to specific state law and is governed by the appointees of member cities.
Swirls109@reddit
Sam the road guy did a great video on toll roads. Basically they have been used as ponsi schemes to fund more toll roads that the states or federal government don't want to budget for. So the existing toll roads pay for new toll roads.
If you want less toll roads then you need to pay higher taxes. The current Texas government and populace doesn't want that. So we are stuck with a shitty situation.
I'm not arguing if it's right or wrong. Just how it is. Is there exploitation somewhere along the way? Sure. Every construction project involving government has waste built into it.
acidbree@reddit
Not to be bootlicker, but yall know the tolls cost money and yall know that you’re gonna be charged for them. Why not just call them and see if you have a bill? Or just go online and see?
autoheroism@reddit
👅👅😋😋😛😜😝👅👅👅👅👅
acidbree@reddit
I hope you find a fulfilling career and have a happy life 😊
autoheroism@reddit
Oh thank you, you as well.
I forget how often anger is undone by kindness.
True_Carry_3153@reddit
Sometimes it a scam. It will only come in the mail. Text bill is not possible it is a scam.
starsfan26@reddit
I hate them so much
Broad_Mushroom_8033@reddit
I had an unpaid toll in Washington state that I didn't know I had until I went to register my car and it got blocked.
They said the only way to pay the toll was through giving them an ID number on the paper statement, which of course did not have. They also wouldn't give me information on the amount I owed, or where the toll was incurred.
They wouldn't mail me a new statement to my new address either. THEY TOLD ME TO GO INTO THE MAILBOX OF MY PREVIOUS ADDRESS!!! To which I told them that was illegal, and could end up with me getting shot.
Eventually after a couple weeks of talking to the DMV and the toll people, and driving around with no registration, I was able to get them to mail a new statement and found I owed $480 from a $6 toll 2 years earlier. I was able to register my car for 2 years, then they decided to block it. I never used the drive-thru lanes again and always paid cash.
NonAssociate@reddit
Cha Ching
Dismal-Resident-8784@reddit
Love this comment.
MightAny7856@reddit
Just get a toll tag. Literally tolls make driving around the metro so much easier. I’d rather pay $1-$12 to use a toll than ride on 75 or loop 12 or 635 with those people.
Upstairs_Balance_464@reddit
If you don’t like tolls, vote for politicians that support raising the gas tax.
tristand666@reddit
Or maybe stop subsidizing corporations with our tax money.
ExtensionBranch8633@reddit
NTTA actually uses 0% of your tax money. That would be TEXpress lanes, which are far worst with their “dynamic” pricing.
TeaKingMac@reddit
Paying tolls is suck, but their roads are way higher quality than say... 35. It's not like they're just poaketing the money and not providing a service
225236@reddit
Ask to waive the fees and to “backdate” the vehicle to your toll tag account if you pay in full. If they don’t waive all the fees, ask for a manager. Don’t be rude though, or they will refuse. This should get you the 1/2 off tolltag discount as well as removing the fees. Source: I recently quit working for them
easterhunny@reddit
i got my $4000 balance waived because the “manager” i spoke to had a stutter and i asked if he was buffering 😭😭 feel bad now but fck ntta
subhawk737@reddit
Every single notice I get is the '2nd' notice. Never been notified of the original charge. Glad to hear people getting the same - I thought I was missing something. Not cool NTTA.
ThisCharmingDan99@reddit
This happened to me. Crooks.
subhawk737@reddit
Obviously, this is way too common. General Counsel Dena needs to look into this. Just as I suspected - crooks.
Alalamajama@reddit
I find the non NTTA variable price “Texpress” type lanes to be far worse. Pricing can reach double digits per segment, the HOV discount requires all passengers to install tracking apps on their phones plus inconsistent billing that sometimes doesn’t match what was posted.
With NTTA at least I know the segment cost ahead of time and can budget for it. Plus their roads go places the texpress lanes don’t. Texpress lanes just parallel existing highways to create a rich-people-don’t-sit-in-traffic lane.
That said, make sure you stay current with NTTA. They really become the toll mafia as soon as you have a negative balance with them.
ponycorn_pet@reddit
Wait what? It's not counted per head? My kids would have to have tracking apps??
Alalamajama@reddit
Yep. GoCarma.com/dfw
Each person in the carpool must have the app installed.
ponycorn_pet@reddit
I had no idea. That is fucking insane. Maga wants to talk about the nanny state but then they don't throw a shit fest over ACTUAL over-surveillance that shouldn't exist? Jfc
dkv-texas@reddit
Every "rich" person in the texpress lane is one less driver on the free lanes. You benefit as well.
pokeyporcupine@reddit
All toll roads are scams. I already pay for roads and you want me to pay for road DLC? fuck that. All roads should be public.
5yrup@reddit
Regular taxes don't go for the construction or maintenance of toll roads in North Texas.
omenoracle@reddit
Just call them and pay the original fee. They $70 thing will get waived once you say you never received the original notice. The support center people are quite nice.
Not to say it isn’t bullshit.
Nekrachiyan@reddit (OP)
Yeah I did it this morning and the lady on the phone was really sweet. Got most of it waived outside the original invoice
Optimistiqueone@reddit
Everyone who drives in North Texas should get a toll tag. It doesn't really cost anything, but not having it can cost so much more on that one day.
rmg418@reddit
Told my bf the same thing. It’s free to get so you might as well have one even if you don’t drive on the toll roads. If you do one day need to drive on them, it’s nice to have it already and not pay the higher price.
MerlinsLens@reddit
I agree they suck but it seems fairly obvious that something most Dallas people cant afford is not the worst in dallas. That's rich people problems.
badlyagingmillenial@reddit
I've never gotten a "first notice" bill from them. It is ALWAYS a "second notice" with fees.
Even though I have a tolltag with auto replenish, I still get 3-4 zip cash bills a year. It's fucking infuriating.
GotHeem16@reddit
Always get a NTTA toll tag…..always
AggravatingMath717@reddit
Of everyone just stopped paying this would sort itself out almost immediately. People hate to act collectively though so 🤷🏾♂️
davis214512@reddit
I would suggest you get a tag, just in case. Having options is always good. Also, DFW airport.
tristand666@reddit
This is why I never get on any NTTA toll roads. I have still gotten bills despite never using them. They are crooks that need to be abolished.
PokeMeRunning@reddit
We get the services we vote for. You pay tolls so Texas politicians can then tell you there’s no income tax in the state.
IveKnownItAll@reddit
I'm fighting them now for a car I sold, that the toll images show very clearly was on a tow truck..
NTTA is absolute trash
TXWayne@reddit
Did you not remove the license plates from the vehicle you sold? Yes stupid when the image shows on a tow truck but I have NEVER let a vehicle leave my possessions with the plates on it. Just sold a car two weeks ago that left on a tow truck and the plates stayed with me and as the tow truck was leaving I was on the state website registering the sale.
Unlucky-Invite6832@reddit
I've lived in Texas more than 40 years and have bought and sold probably 10 vehicles (maybe more) during that time. I have NEVER taken the plates off when trading a car in our selling it. I was always told the plates in Texas stay with the car.
TXWayne@reddit
This DMV guidance gives you the option, https://www.txdmv.gov/motorists/buying-or-selling-a-vehicle. But given all the problems I have seen with folks who do not remove the plates there is no way in hell I am ever leaving them on. I guess you have just been lucky, but luck often runs out.
Unlucky-Invite6832@reddit
I wasn't saying you were wrong. I was saying that I wasn't even aware I had the option of removing the plates when I sold the car. I never even considered any possible problems with leaving them on the car. In the future, I will take the plates with me!
IveKnownItAll@reddit
Yeah, unfortunately I didn't, because I traded it in to a dealership and didn't think about it.
TXWayne@reddit
Bummer, but I do agree common sense should prevail and if the image shows it on a tow truck then any fees should be waived.....
dallassoxfan@reddit
Vote with your steering wheel. You don’t have to take toll roads. For years. I lived up in Frisco and worked in Addison. I did the math and the $200/month tolls wasn’t worth the extra 10 minutes each way versus just taking Preston.
You have a choice.
TeamImpossible4333@reddit
I recently learned the NTTA is owned by a private company in Spain. So random
sandychimera@reddit
It is overly complicated, but you learned incorrectly Im afraid.
NTTA is a locally operated Not for profit corporation (note, not a non-profit) which theoretically answers to the governor and the state legislature, but practically, their board of directors doesn't have much government oversight. Ntta toll roads have fixed toll rates, that generally increase about every 2 years
The Texpress lanes on various roads in dfw have lease ownership by Cintra USA, a division of Cintra corporation based in Spain. These have variable time and demand based toll rates that are usually much higher. However, Txdot made it a requirement that their toll equipment be compatible with existing systems, so NTTA provides the toll processing for Texpress lanes, but doesn't control the price.
This is all to say yes NTTA customer service sucks and changes should be made. But its never quite as simple as it seems
5yrup@reddit
Their board of directors is chosen by the government. Each county commissioner court gets two directors and the governor gets one. They're absolutely accountable to the government, they serve at the pleasure of the government.
5yrup@reddit
It's not true. NTTA is a government org. You're thinking of NTE Mobility Partners.
SendTittiesThx@reddit
It's way better than the system Illinois has in place. They didn't even mail a invoice at all until it was already late and they will not reverse fees for any circumstances.
You're supposed to see a sign on the side of the highway that tells you to go to a website and make your payment. It's ludicrous.
$5 worth of tolls ended up being $80. Thry refused to accept the toll payment without the fees so I refused to pay it.
SignificantNoise5261@reddit
In florida, you have two options to pay your tolls.
"Pay the fees incurred"
Or
"Pay all fees current and future" or somesuch wording.
A rational person pays the fees incurred, because why the fuck would i pay more than the tolls?
But if you select "fees incurred", they hit you with admin fees a month later and then it snowballs. So the toll is paid, but admin fees and non-payment fees tack onto the admin fees. Wild shit.
allie06nd@reddit
They're the WORST. I'm on like my third toll tag because the previous two weren't working correctly, and I was getting double billed, had multiple Zipcash accounts that were opened for my car Ieven though my license plate number and home address were the same for both, and I kept getting overdue notices, collections threats, etc. despite having a toll tag the whole time that was on autopay.
tgoz13@reddit
If you have a toll tag you can just tell them that and they’ll waive the fees.
Nekrachiyan@reddit (OP)
That’s what I’m planning on doing tomorrow. I had one for my old car but stopped using it and didn’t add my new one.
DFD1976@reddit
It’s a grift.
Xydan@reddit
Look at their 100 year contracts with the city. It's no surprise.