BALTIMORE — Drivers are being told they can't register their cars because of toll flags.
Data from the Maryland Vehicle Administration shows toll flags jumped from around 100 to more than 12,000 in just 4 months. Now, more than 45,000 drivers are unable to register their vehicles without first clearing toll violations, which can sometimes amount to thousands of dollars.
“These are some 2021s, 2022s, I know I got 2024s somewhere,” said Tenia Steltz, as she sorted through various packets of toll notices.
Despite having an active Hatem Bridge pass, which costs her $20 a year for unlimited trips, Steltz said she’s being billed the video toll rate of $12 per trip whenever she crosses the bridge. And when she doesn't pay by the due date, she gets a civil penalty of $25 per toll, and it's been adding up.
“So far, I have paid $4,057 and some change [while] still owing $7,000 and I cannot get my car tags registration,” Steltz said.
And she's not the only one. Phil Blackiston, president of logistical marketing for Maryland Tag and Title Services, notifies customers on a daily basis that they too have toll flags and can't renew or register their vehicles.
“We've had customers with bills of over $3,000,” said Blackiston. “I guess 99 percent of the time, they're not aware of it. And they say, you know, I didn't know. I don't think I owe anything.”
WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii requested data on how many drivers have toll flags. According to the MVA, there were only a handful of drivers between September 2021 and April 2023. For a portion of this time, the state offered a grace period for customers to get caught up on any tolls that had been delayed during the pandemic. However, that grace period ended December 2022.
Starting May 2023, numbers went up gradually to just under 100 drivers per month. In August 2023, it grew to nearly 2,000 drivers, more than doubled in September 2023, went up to nearly 10,000 in October 2023, and has hovered around 9,000-12,000 drivers each month through May 2024.
As of May 31, 46,474 Maryland drivers had outstanding toll flags.
“It's been an ongoing issue. It doesn't seem to be getting any better,” said Blackiston. “I don't have the answer for what's going on with all the toll violations.”
These toll violations are staggering. As of April 29, more than 412,000 Maryland drivers owed $58 million in tolls over the last 2 years with civil penalties totaling nearly $200 million, according to data from the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA). WMAR-2 News requested the most current data and is waiting for a response.
WMAR-2 News also requested an explanation as to why there was a sudden increase in toll flags. In an email, an MDTA spokesperson wrote:
"The number of flagged accounts has increased due to a temporary suspension in sending notices before and during the civil penalty waiver process. Consequently, all outstanding tolls were deescalated, requiring them to be processed from the beginning. From July through November 2023, courtesy letters were dispatched to inform customers about potential MVA flags. As tolls escalated, Final Toll Violation Notices were subsequently sent to the customers. The Warning letters and Final Toll Violation Notices were metered based on the due date.
Additionally, the MDTA found a technical issue with its automatic flag release process, which prompted us to stop flagging in March 2024. The system was not automatically releasing the flags with MVA for customers who were paying tolls. To ensure customers’ flags were being released, the MDTA immediately stopped flagging and went into a manual process directly with MVA’s portal. The technical issue has since been fixed and we are now able to resume the process of automatic flagging, and we began test runs in June and have found no issues."
They added that no customers were incorrectly tolled due to the technical issue with the automatic flag release process and they’re continuously working with their vendor to optimize their tolling system.
“It’s just frustrating for the customers and me as a tag and title agency. I don't want to have any unhappy customers,” Blackiston said.
His customers want to be in compliance, but when faced with bills they can't pay, they are forced to make a judgment call.
“How long has your registration been held up?” Sofastaii asked Steltz.
“Since the beginning of this year,” Steltz responded. “I'm not driving. Not that car, put it that way.”
Steltz said she's made multiple trips to an E-ZPass customer service center to get her tolls cleared up and they offered her a payment plan of around $700 a month, but she doesn't feel it's a fair solution since she had an active pass.
MDTA can't comment on an individual's case, but an account specialist is contacting Steltz and a spokesperson said they're always willing to work with customers on their toll debt. Customers can call 1-888-321-6824, use the DriveEzMD.com webchat, or visit one of their Customer Service Centers to receive help from E-ZPass customer agents. The best way to receive significant discounts and to avoid the potential consequences of not paying tolls is to get E-ZPass, properly mount transponders and ensure accounts are funded.
Last year, the Maryland Office of Legislative Audits issued a report that identified 68,000 potentially improper tolls totaling $545,000 related to 11,488 Hatem Bridge discount plan customers. This year, the OLA plans to review corrective actions taken by the MDTA to fix this issue. If you believe you were improperly charged tolls, click here to file a complaint with the OLA.
There’s also added urgency to renewing car registrations. Fees in Maryland will go up starting July 1. Click here for additional information on the new fees and how to register your car before the rate increase.
