ORLANDO, Fla. — Earlier this month, Spectrum News’ Watchdog investigators found SunPass toll-by-plate errors could be impacting as many as 100,000 customers a year.
- Florida lawmakers calling on SunPass to find solution
- Sen. Scott, Rep. Demings encourage affected customers to call their offices
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Since the initial report, we’ve received more than 100 complaints from drivers saying it’s also happened to them.
Florida lawmakers are now weighing in.
“It actually started last year with a bill for $125,” Carl Graddy said.
That’s a hefty price to pay, especially if you didn’t rack up the fine yourself. Graddy says that $125 bill was a toll-by-plate charge from SunPass that didn’t belong to him.
He’s one of dozens with similar stories who inundated the Spectrum News 13 Facebook page after our initial report.
“I said, 'This isn’t my charge,' because (it) comes back to a semi tractor-trailer, which I don’t own or have. And then in February of this year, I got another charge for $700 — almost $800,” Graddy said.
To be exact, the charge was $794.
“I went down to the DMV (and) got a whole new tag, went back to the office in Ocoee for SunPass and showed them my proof, and he said they now have to turn it in to their investigation team to see that I’m not actually the one that owes them $800,” Graddy said.
We reached out to the Florida Department of Transportation with follow-up questions regarding our ongoing SunPass toll-by-plate investigation. An FDOT official said, “When a dispute is filed either online or via a call to customer service, we look at the dispute. If it was an invoice in error, we correct it.”
That hasn’t been the case for Graddy. He’s been waiting on a correction since January.
“I think (lawmakers) really need to look at this, because I’m just one person with a bill for $800. I can’t imagine if there are more people like me that are going through the tolls and that aren’t actually paying them, that they don’t even know that they are not paying them.”
Our team took his concern straight to the top.
“It’s wrong if somebody gets the wrong bill, and it has an impact,” Sen. Rick Scott (R-Florida) said.
Democratic Rep. Val Demings said, “I think they should be concerned, and you know technology is one of the greatest things that has happened to us until it fails us … So SunPass has an obligation to make sure those customers who received (what) they don’t deserve, don’t have to pay them.”
Demings is calling on the state toll system to find a solution. Scott says if you have SunPass issues, call his office, and he will speak with the transportation secretary about the ongoing problems.
If you have an erroneous bill concern, you can reach out to Scott’s office at 202-224-5274. To reach Demings, call 202-225-2176 for her Washington office or 321-388-9808 for her Orlando office.