TxDOT teams up with HCTRA to enhance toll operations

AUSTIN - To help provide the best customer service and toll billing experience, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is partnering with the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA).

HCTRA will take over toll billing and customer service operations, providing a more regional approach that will improve the user experience through consolidated invoicing and support. After a transition period, HCTRA will handle all toll transaction processing, billing and account management for customers who use TxDOT's toll roads in the Austin and Houston regions.

"HCTRA has successfully performed toll services as its core business for 40 years, and we expect them to deliver reliable, high-quality service for our Central Texas and Houston toll road customers," TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. "This will bring significant savings and efficiency gain for the state of Texas. Customers could see less fees and it'll help keep tolls low going forward."

Benefits for customers include simplifying billing and avoiding fees from multiple toll operators in the same region. TxDOT will also have operational efficiencies to process tolls that will result in millions of dollars in savings.

TxDOT entered a Toll Services Agreement with HCTRA on Nov. 6, 2024. Under this agreement, TxDOT will continue to own and maintain its toll roads in the Austin and Houston metro areas, and the Texas Transportation Commission will retain responsibility for setting toll rates on TxDOT-owned roads.

TxTag.org and TxTag systems will go into maintenance mode starting at close of business Friday, Nov. 15 until Monday, Nov. 18 to prepare accounts for transfer to HCTRA. During this period, customers will not be able to log in to their accounts, update account information, make payments or receive account-specific assistance from customer service representatives. Customers with Pay By Mail accounts or accounts not transferred to HCTRA who need to pay outstanding invoices, will be able to contact TxTag starting Monday, Nov. 18 to make payments.

Customers traveling on TxDOT toll roads in the Austin and Houston regions on or after Nov. 9, will be billed through HCTRA rather than TxTag. Customers whose accounts are transferred to HCTRA will not be able to access their account until Dec. 2. There will be no late fees assessed during the blackout period. More information about these blackout periods can be found on TxTag.org .

If you have a TxTag account and your credit card is up to date, you do not need to do anything now. You can still use your TxTag as usual, then create a new online account with HCTRA after the blackout period ends on Dec. 2 to pay your future bills.

TxDOT would like drivers to be aware of important changes following the switch to HCTRA's tolling system:

• TxTag accounts: TxTag customers with accounts migrated to HCTRA will transition to an EZ TAG account and manage their account at HCTRA.org instead of TxTag.org. Your TxTag will continue to work on toll roads throughout Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, and information will be provided about how to log in to a HCTRA online account.
• Non-tag billings: To simplify billing, customers without a toll tag will receive a single statement from HCTRA for both TxDOT and HCTRA toll roads in the Austin and Houston regions. TxDOT will continue to collect past due toll bills generated prior to the transition.
• Walk-in centers: Customers will have more options to pay tolls and manage their account in person. After the transition, they can visit any of the EZ TAG stores in the Houston or Austin area or pay tolls at Walmart, H-E-B and other HCTRA retail partners around the state.
• Non-tag fees: After the planned migration to HCTRA, non-tag customers will receive one bill for travel on TxDOT and HCTRA toll roads in the Austin and Houston regions. This EZ Invoice sent by HCTRA will include only the fees under HCTRA invoicing structure. Austin drivers without a tag will continue to receive separate bills on Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority toll roads.

Drivers with a prepaid toll tag account always pay the lowest toll rates. TxDOT encourages non-tag customers to avoid bill confusion or higher toll rates and fees by paying any overdue toll bills and signing up now for a tag. More details about the transition are at txtag.org where TxDOT will continue to provide updated information.

Contact Media Relations at [email protected] or (512) 463-8700.

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