November 26, 2019

HABITUAL VIOLATOR ON-ROAD ENFORCEMENT BEGINS DECEMBER 1

Remedies include publishing names of chronic offenders online, vehicle registration block, and toll road prohibition

At the Mobility Authority, we value our loyal customers. While there are a handful of drivers who drive our toll roads for the time-saving benefits without paying their bills, that is the exception rather than the rule. We appreciate the majority of customers who keep their accounts up to date, and are taking measures to stop Habitual Violators from taking advantage while loyal customers pay their bills on time.

December 1, 2019 marks the start of the Mobility Authority’s Habitual Violator on-road enforcement to address habitual non-payment of tolls by chronic violators. Before enforcement remedies begin, here are five things we want our customers to know:

1. Enforcement is for the most egregious violators only. If you missed a bill or two…don’t worry, you are not considered a Habitual Violator. Most Habitual Violators have dozens of unpaid bills, amounting to upwards of $1,000. Before someone is deemed a Habitual Violator, they will have received at least six different notices of the outstanding balance. Furthermore, Texas law defines a Habitual Violator as a registered owner of a vehicle who has been issued at least two notices of non-payment for an aggregate of 100 or more unpaid toll charges within a 12-month period. Each notice advises of the outstanding balance, penalties for continued non-payment, and resolution information.

2. If you are a Habitual Violator, it’s not too late to contact us at (512) 410-0562 to resolve your unpaid balance. Payment plans may be arranged as a courtesy to help customers resolve outstanding charges.
3. Habitual Violators have received many notices warning them of their status and enforcement remedies. The first notice, or the pre-determination letter, alerts the violator that they have 30 days to contact the Mobility Authority to resolve their outstanding charges. The first round of these notices were mailed out earlier this Fall. Customers who did not resolve their balance received a second notice, or determination letter, alerting them of their Habitual Violator status and warning them that remedies would be pursued against them. Violators were then given 30 days to request an appeal before entering “Habitual Violator” status.

4. Here's what happens once someone is qualified as a Habitual Violator: 
   • Violator receives a "Prohibition Order,” notifying them their vehicle is banned from Mobility Authority roadways
   • Vehicle registration renewal is blocked
   • The violator’s name is published on the Mobility Authority website
   • Violator is subject to on-road enforcement of the vehicle prohibition through vehicle description and Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology
     • Travis and Williamson county constables will manage on-road enforcement, responding to notifications received through our on-road, Automated License Plate Recognition (ALPR) technology that identifies when a Habitual Violator’s vehicle is on our roadways so that law enforcement can be deployed. At the discretion of the officer, the driver may receive a citation, may have their vehicle impounded, or be subject to other penalties.
     • Criminal trespassing penalties associated with violating the vehicle prohibition could cost a driver more than $500, including court fees.
5. Getting an electronic tag can help you keep your account current, while saving you time and money. The Mobility Authority accepts any of the following tags on its toll roads: the Texas Department of Transportation’s TxTag, the Harris County Toll Road Authority’s EZTag, the North Texas Tollway Authority’s TollTag, the Kansas Turnpike Authority’s KTAG, the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s PikePass, as well as Bancpass. The Mobility Authority is also working to achieve interoperability with tolling authorities in Colorado, California, Florida, Georgia, as well as the Carolinas in the near future. Tag holders not only save time through the automatic payment feature, they pay reduced toll rates across all toll roads in Central Texas. For more information on electronic tags and payment options, visit our website.

The goal of Habitual Violator enforcement is to improve customer service for the loyal, law-abiding customers that use our roads and pay their bills. Encouraging prompt payment ensures fairness for all patrons and prevents non-payment offenders from driving up administrative fees for others.

INNOVATIVE WRONG WAY DRIVER DETECTION TECHNOLOGY ON 45SW TOLL PREVENTS CRASHES

In May 2019, we joined the community and elected officials in celebrating the long-awaited opening of the 45SW Toll Road. The new, 3.6-mile roadway links the southern end of MoPac eastward to FM 1626 in Hays County, offering drivers an alternative to congested neighborhood streets. In the first 60 days of operations, the roadway surpassed projections, confirming just how great demand really is for this new connection. Drivers are already experiencing the benefits of time saved and less congested neighborhood streets, particularly through the Shady Hollow neighborhood.

In an effort to prevent incidents resulting from wrong-way driving, we outfitted 45SW with a wrong-way intelligent warning system that detects wrong-way motorists, activates roadside signage to alert drivers, and notifies law enforcement of the wrong way movement—before an incident occurs. Since installation of the intelligent warning system in June 2019, ten confirmed  wrong way events have been detected and all were self-corrected due to the warning system, avoiding potential crashes.

Check out our article on the wrong way driver detection technology in the Austin Business Journal here and view our public service announcement about the new technology below:

MOBILITY AUTHORITY MOVES CENTRAL TEXAS FORWARD WITH MOVEFWD, A WORKFORCE COLLABORATIVE OF CENTRAL TEXAS

The Mobility Authority serves the community through more than building roadways. The MoveFWD program is a prime an example of that.
 
The Mobility Authority created the program in 2018 in response to low unemployment rates coupled with rapid job growth in the Austin-Round Rock metro area. We are collaborating with other local agencies and nonprofit organizations to identify and prepare candidates for skilled positions within the construction, trucking, and service industries, where there is a shortage of qualified candidates.
 
The MoveFWD program helps people establish careers in growing industries that provide job stability and benefits. Knowing that integration into the workforce is dependent upon access to basic living necessities, the MoveFWD program assigns participants a career manager to address each candidate’s unique needs, connect them with all the resources necessary to achieve economic independence, and establish a better quality of life.
 
The broad range of guidance and assistance goes beyond hands-on job training. It includes interpersonal skills training and social services (career counseling, housing, work clothes, transportation assistance, etc.) which holistically prepares participants for the workplace and ensures they are well-positioned for the jobs currently available.
 
Partners of the MoveFWD program include Austin Community College, the City of Austin, Goodwill, Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Travis County, and Workforce Solutions. Employer partners include Cofiroute USA, the Mobility Authority’s toll payment provider; Colorado River Constructors, the contractor building the Mobility Authority’s 183 South Project in east Austin; and Capitol Wright Distributing.
 
While the MoveFWD Program is still in its early stages, results are pointing to success. A customer service training program held last year resulted in a 50 percent job placement rate, while also filling some critical positions in the customer service call center run by the Mobility Authority’s toll payment provider, Cofiroute, USA. October 2019 marked the start of the Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) training courses, which are offered monthly in Kyle and Manor.
 
For more information on the CDL training courses currently ongoing, as well as other opportunities, visit our website.