< div class=" app_friendly_callout_box"
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0 rgb (0 0 0/ 0% ), 0px 0px 10px 0px rgb( 0 0 0/ 40%);. border: 1px solid #cccccc;. background-color: #eeeeee;. screen: inline-block;. padding: 1em;. margin: 0 0 1em 0;." > Investigative Summary: This story is part of BNN's "TxTag Troubles" investigative job introduced May 7, 2023. Following related reports over the last few years, our team rededicated its resources to this major customer concern, after numerous audiences complained to us about resurfaced billing and customer service problems with the state's tollway operator and its contracted suppliers. During our reporting, the Texas Department of Transportation started connecting to viewers who had actually called BNN to resolve their issues, and state legislators restored their technique to repairing future TxTag problems.
AUSTIN (BNN)-- The leading official at the Texas Department of Transportation stated he thinks existing vendors operating the state's tollway systems are performing much better than the previous ones, despite "documented deficiencies" with one company's handling of back-office systems and countless dollars in liquidated damages evaluated to another business in charge of client service and billing.
" We had a really substantial problem with a previous vendor, and we had to end their agreement," TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams stated. "There has been some healing because of that trying to deal with some of the concerns that they had with some of the information migration that we needed to overcome.".
" These vendors, on balance, I believe they have actually been doing a remarkable job working through them," Williams added.
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This timeline information our attempts to talk to the agency head. March 13: BNN emails TxDOT, requesting interview.
. March 15: TxDOT asks for details. BNN explained types of complaints, asks for specific interview date .
March 20: BNN follows up through e-mail. TxDOT replies, stating it's working on the demand.
. March 21: TxDOT emails, requesting for questions. BNN replies with conversation topics. . March 23: BNN follows up through voicemail. . March 24: BNN follows up through e-mail. TxDOT reacts it has no update on interview request. . March 27: BNN demands update via email, informing TxDOT we'll go to upcoming commission meeting for interview. . March 29: BNN participates in commission preparation conference, where Williams requests BNN viewer ideas. . March 30: BNN provides flash drive with suggestions and provides public remark at commission meeting. Williams consents to on-camera interview after meeting. TxDOT also sends statement through e-mail. .
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TxDOT offered to BNN through open records request more than 800 grievances the agency got considering that 2020 about mostly customer care and billing issues. Within 10 days of asking BNN viewers to send us stories connected to TxTag problems, our group received more than 580 reactions.
For weeks, our group sent emails and called asking for a sit-down interview with TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams to talk about technical mistakes and billing and customer care issues raised in grievances from TxTag users.
It was not up until after our group approached the director at two public meetings, brought up our questions throughout public comment at the April Texas Transportation Commission meeting, and supplied a flash drive of complaints we got about TXTag that Director Williams agreed to talk to our team on cam.
The flash drive we provided to TxDOT authorities on March 30 included more than 150 TxTag and toll-related grievances sent out to BNN over the last few years. TxDOT officials said they evaluated the grievances as a sample of consumer issues and even reached out to some to fix their problems.
Who are the players behind TxTag now?
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40 The director mentioned, as an example, consumers not upgrading charge card information on their accounts, which can cause car pay no longer working and pay-by-mail costs being sent with additional fees.
Records acquired by BNN also reveal TxDOT sent out a letter in November to Accenture-- one of its specialists accountable for tollway back-office system software-- which was crucial of the company's handling of an unanticipated transaction stockpile a month previously.
700 TxTag complaints sent to BNN in a month. Here's the impact.
The letter stated Accenture "took no interacted actions to repair the issue till TxDOT directed them." The state agency likewise requested a brand-new point of contact because of the issues raised in the letter.
In a declaration to BNN, a representative for Accenture said it stands by its deal with TxDOT on its tolling system, which it worked on considering that September 2021 after the termination of the previous contractor, IBM.
IBM was in charge of the tollway's back-office system from 2019 to August 2021. Records show throughout that time, the state punished the company more than $6 million for not satisfying contractual obligations.
" We have standards that those suppliers are held liable, and when they don't fulfill those requirements, we notify them, and at times they have actually evaluated penalties in their agreements," Williams said. "We integrated in these measures to hold those vendors accountable to the job they're worked with to do for the state of Texas.".
In a declaration to BNN, Accenture stated it has actually not had "fines, charges or financial damages examined related to its work.".
Records show TxDOT has also had concerns with another specialist, TTEC, which handles billing and customer support for the toll system.
PREVIOUS INVESTIGATION: Nearly $1 billion contributed to TxTag accounts as billing issues continue.
According to TxDOT, TTEC has actually been assessed more than $3 million in liquidated damages. TxDOT's agreement with TTEC specifies it can assess damages to the company for failing to meet targets and for triggering lapses in service.
The firm did not offer records or reveal the exact reasons why it took this step. TTEC officials did not react to our questions and requested we forward them to TxDOT.
Williams stated in his interview with BNN he gets metrics monthly on how the tollways are carrying out-- and said his office would release those records through the open records procedure if permitted by law.
Upon getting our requests for those month-to-month metrics, the firm asked the Texas Office of Attorney General for a viewpoint on whether it must release them under Texas' open records laws.
‘‘ It ain't working.' TxTag auto pay problems leave some motorists with big expenses.
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" There's been significant development that's been made. I'm not satisfied. We've got to continue to do better. And we're continuing to look at methods we can do better as a company to more enhance the consumer experience, and enhance the role in our vendors," Williams stated. "We want those suppliers to be dealing with us because exact same-- with that same frame of mind. And, by and big, they do. To be reasonable, they did. However when they do not, we inform them and we hold them liable.".
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