Toll Trap: Drivers face steep penalties for unpaid tolls

Customers report excessive pricing, confusing bills and severe consequences if they fail to pay. THE BIG STORY [A looped timelapse GIF shows a car driving down a toll road with the words “Toll Trap,” which is the title for a new investigative series from The Dallas Morning News.]( [A complex web: Texans share stories of navigating state’s toll network, penalties]( Shane Hardin [quit going to cardiac rehab]( because his tollway bills were piling up. Hardin, a 46-year-old construction manager and father of two teenage girls, had emergency quintuple bypass surgery on Nov. 17, 2021. Once home, his routine included harried early morning drives on the TEXpress lanes to cardiac rehab in Euless three times a week. After a few months, he calculated he had been charged $750. So he quit going. Like Hardin, many Texas drivers share similar stories of financial struggles when it comes to Texas’ complicated network of toll roads. The state boasts more toll miles than nearly all U.S. states combined. The roads were initially hailed as a solution for easing commutes amid exploding growth, but a Dallas Morning News investigation reveals a stark reality. Steep penalties and aggressive collection practices disproportionately affect people of color and low-income communities. “If you’re filing a criminal case, how in the world can you sit there with a straight face and say this is enough evidence? These are criminal cases and they require the highest burden of proof in the land,” said Attorney Jeffrey Beltz. Unlike some states, Texas offers no relief for frequent toll users or unintentional offenders – Texans like Dee Davis. Davis was stunned to receive a [$17,200 bill in the mail from NTTA](. She says her ex-boyfriend borrowed her car and ran up $10,000 in tolls. During a yearlong investigation into Texas’ toll network, we found a story of economic desperation, officials seduced by the promise of quick-fix solutions, and above all, thousands of motorists just trying to make sense of it all. These stories are part of a new investigative series examining the state's complex system of tollways. See stories from North Texas drivers and read our full investigation at [www.dallasnews.com/tolltrap.]( [READ MORE]( [The Dallas Morning News]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [X (formerly Twitter)]( [YouTube]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Account Login]( | [Help Center]( | [Privacy Policy]( | [Terms of Service]( [Manage Preferences]( | [Unsubscribe]( ©2024 The Dallas Morning News • 1954 Commerce St. • Dallas, TX 75201