Phantom Toll Violation

[Petorius]

I got a toll violation notice in the mail from Mass DOT, referencing a $7.50 toll not paid in December. My bike plate is listed, but the bike has been in storage since October except for a trip to GMD (plate wasnt attached and I didnt pass any tolls). The bike is also included on my EZ pass account. This is definitely a mistake. Has this happened to anyone else? What should I provide with the appeal and what should I expect?

[slowkermit]

weird

[SVRACER01]

Wirelessly posted (GS3)

Just go to an ez pass office and explain it. They will probably just nix it. Is the ezpass still on the bike in storage? Not to mention of the plate is reg'd they shouldve just charged your account instead of sending a violation.
definitely odd. No picture with said violation?

[Petorius]

Is the ezpass still on the bike in storage? Not to mention of the plate is reg'd they shouldve just charged your account instead of sending a violation.

After checking my EZPass account online, I think I see the problem. I re-registered from MA to RI plates over the summer, but I never updated the bike plates in my EZpass account. This wouldnt have been a problem, except that in September I took the bike to NYST on my open trailer. I prepped the bike the next morning, so I probably hadnt taken the plate off yet at that point. I can see that my EZpass did not pick up the MA portion of the trip going west, so it probably snapped a picture and identified the bike plate instead of the car/trailer and then billed me a violation. It is still strange that it shows this as a violation in mid December instead of September when the trip occured. I guess I will just include all of this detail in my letter (they claim to only accept letters?) and hope that they can reference a photo to confirm.

[maxim_X]

Do you only have to pay $7.50 for it to go away?

[Petorius]

$57.50 now. I'll write the letter and see what happens. Hopefully they retain those toll pictures.

[Stoneman]

We were fined once because I was off ONE character on the tags when I registered a certain vehicle to my EZPass account. A quick call fixed it...

[jerseygirl]

I had a problem with my trailer last year when someone else was towing it. I called to dispute the violation and all it took was press 1, press 3, press 2 (blah blah) and then violation went away. Still paid the toll, just not the violation. Didn't even speak to someone! It might have been Jersey though....can't remember. I have found each violation I have received though very easy to deal with if you just call in.

[Petorius]

Response from MASSDOT on Twitter:

I'm not up to speed on this newfangled Twitter thing... Do they need to be following me first before I can DM them?

[Petorius]

Well that was easy. Josh DM'd my info to the Mass DOT twitter handle and I received a call within an hour saying that my vehicle was mis-identified. No charge owed. So for future reference, twitter is the answer for resolving toll violation problems.

[-Dutch-]

Lol, good to know.

[shortbus]

I've always had a great experience with mass ezpass customer service, more services should take after them.

[me109g4]

I havent used EZ Pass in a while, why do you have to register a vehicles plates to the EZ Pass transponder? I used to use several vehicles on one transponder with no tickets,, whats changed? I would think as long as they get their toll why are they running plates?

[Rambunctous]

I've always had a great experience with mass ezpass customer service, more services should take after them.

Is it privatized?

[Inferno]

My bike broke down in Lynn, so i got a uhaul trailer and took it back to worcester on the pike. When i went through the tolls the green light flashed like 3 times
I didn't even bother looking at my account, I knew what happened

[Garandman]

I havent used EZ Pass in a while, why do you have to register a vehicles plates to the EZ Pass transponder? I used to use several vehicles on one transponder with no tickets,, whats changed? I would think as long as they get their toll why are they running plates?

If the pass doesn't register, they check your plate. If the reg# is in the system, no problemo.

If it isn't, they send you a violation notice which is $50 for first time. You can appeal it, but it's a lot easier to just go and add the other plates to your account.

[gregp]

So,...if an EZ Pass customer trailers or trucks a plated bike, they should remove/cover its plate to avoid an erroneous fine?

[Petorius]

So,...if an EZ Pass customer trailers or trucks a plated bike, they should remove/cover its plate to avoid an erroneous fine?

Nope, I dont think you need to. I thought that might have been the problem, but I was wrong (they misread somebody else's plate). They did tell me I should add my trailer plate to my EZpass account though. Not sure if it really matters because I have gone through a bunch of tolls with it and haven't had a problem.