The beloved and astute Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is under fire yet again. Though, at least this time around it does actually involve driving-related issues.
Virginia drivers with a toll-paying E-Z Pass box in their cars have reportedly been overcharged multiple times. A website glitch that occurred a couple weekends ago has resulted in over 1,600 E-Z Pass customers to be falsely charged after adding funds to their toll-paying accounts.
As many would like to believe that the tolls on the Northern Virginia Beltway were the cause of the problem, this was on the E-Z Pass website. Unfortunately, the $47 tolls last week actually did happen.
Shannon Marshall, a spokeswoman with VDOT, remarked on the website glitch affecting customers saying, “It is unfortunate,” according to a report from the Richmond Times-Dispatch. “We certainly value our customers, and we’re going to do whatever we can to make it right,” she said.
VDOT was informed of the cases of customer overcharges last week, which were tracked back to transactions on the E-Z Pass website made by customers between March 30 and March 31. Customers claimed they were billed multiple times for the same transaction.
Customers who attempted to add money to their toll-paying accounts while using a credit or debit card received an error message, Marshall explained, resulting in many customers adding the money several times, accidentally.
Starting Wednesday, VDOT began reversing the transactions and refunding money to E-Z Pass customers.
“Everyone is trying their best to sort out what happened,” she said.
With tolls hitting $47 on the Beltway in Northern Virginia, E-Z Pass customers have not been able to catch a break. With the recent investigation into certain VDOT officials revealing bags of cash, call girls, and cocaine, it would certainly not be hard to believe if Virginia drivers are beginning to question the integrity of the department.
