The Washington State Department of Transportation says tolls for 226,000 trips on the I-405 Express Toll Lanes were billed incorrectly, and a tolling vendor missed the problem until a customer questioned a bill. When drivers traveling alone take the lanes, overhead signs show what the trip will cost. But for eight days in December, drivers were billed for rates that did not match the signs. WSDOT says the error affects drivers who traveled between 4am December 17 and 1:30am December 25. The state blames a toll equipment vendor, Schneider Electric. According to WSDOT, instead of billing drivers for the rate that changes with traffic, the company billed pre-set rates based on the time of day. That's the backup system if there's a problem measuring traffic. 80 percent of customers were overcharged and 20 percent were undercharged. State officials say they are now investigating why the company did not detect the problem until a customer called to question a bill. WSDOT says all 405 tolls for that time period will now be re-calculated to the lowest rate of 75-cents, a savings for drivers. WSDOT says Schneider Electric will reimburse the state for lost toll revenue, an amount that's not yet known. The company said it is taking steps to keep the mistake from happening again. State officials say drivers with a Good to Go account will automatically be credited. About 200 pay-by-mail bills sent on December 28 have incorrect amounts. WSDOT suggests drivers who receive one of those call customer service.
KIRO
