January 03, 2007
Tolls, TX DoT and stupid
Beginning Friday, TXDoT will asses the tolls on 45/1. In anticipation, I thought it would be fun to take a look at how good their billing systems are. Apparently, they have been mailing bills for 25 cents (the bills, not counting paper, actually cots 30.8 cents in postage to send) and billing people who've never actually used the roads. Of course, all new systems have bugs and anything this ridiculously complex is sure to have some as well. Especially when you don't build toll booths on the fucking road and instead decide to automate the entire process.
Lazy is what many would call it. I would be included in that many. These idiots never heard of an automated kiosk? I love the ones at theaters and... what are those machines that spit out money? ATM's?
Billing issues are already plaguing the toll road systems while TXDoT is lobbying for higher toll limits, government backing for the bonds that private companies will sell to finance the roads and, of course, the ability to convert freeways into toll roads.
Under the guise of such a flowerly reporting entitled "Forward Momentum: Recommendations to reduce congestion, enhance safety, expand economic opportunity, improve air quality, and enhance the value of Texas' transportation assets. A report to the 110th Congress, 1st Session" dated January 25 2007", TxDOT proposes that private equity become the primary resource for funding of highways. Note this is not only designated for new highways. The plan calls for "states to be able to buy back interstate segments by reimbursing the federal government its past contributions." Essentially, the state will be able to toll existing highways.
Getting extremely obvious that TXDoT is really angling for a permanent funding source, not tied to the Lege to become a self-funding bureaucracy. Which should make exactly no one happy, but is apparently what the Republicans have always had in mind.
I'm never entirely comfortable when a government entity doesn't have to go to elected officials and ask for money. I'm also not please with having to cover the profit of a private company which is more expensive than if TXDoT ran the roads themselves (some are run by TXDoT, some are not). What irritates most about this plan is that it's an endless toll. There will never be a time when the toll goes away because TXDoT wants the income, in perpetuity.
AAA now says that 'the public' prefers tolls to gas taxes. Of course, no detail is provided and it's odd that this would come out of AAA since AAA has traditionally opposed toll roads. Given that, I'm calling bullshit. I want to see the crosstabs and I want to see the how the questions were structured. It's pretty clear from what we've seen in Texas that when people actually see the cost comparison, gas taxes are ALWAYS the better option that the public supports.
Which is it, AAA?
Posted by mcblogger at January 3, 2007 09:05 AM
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