Barbara Hoberock
Tulsa World Capitol Bureau Staff Writer
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma Turnpike Authority officials are working to reduce the backlog of unpaid tolls as it transitions to a cashless system.
The OTA recently said it has millions in uncollected tolls because the new PlatePay system could not read certain tags, including some tribal tags.
The OTA is phasing out its toll booths where customers could pay cash.
It is switching to a system, called PlatePay, that records a license plate and sends an invoice to the holder of the vehicle’s registration.
Customers can still use PikePass, where a toll is automatically deducted from a prepaid account when a vehicle passes certain locations on the turnpikes.
Using PikePass to pay a toll is cheaper than using PlatePay.
Turnpike officials have said a cashless system is safer and more efficient.
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Joe Echelle, OTA deputy director, said some tribes share ownership information with the state through the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Telecommunications System.
The system is for law enforcement purposes only, he said.
“We can use the same file the tribes share,” Echelle said.
File sharing would allow OTA to look up the registration and send an invoice, he said.
“That will completely solve this issue,” Echelle said. “We knew this was coming. This wasn’t something that wasn’t unanticipated.”
The OTA has converted most of its 12 turnpikes to cashless. The Turner, Will Rogers and Indian Nation turnpikes are expected to be converted by the end of 2024.
“Since May 15, 2023, vehicles with tribal tags from 33 tribes have used the Authority’s turnpike system, incurring more than $4.5 million in unbillable charges,” according to a July 23 memo distributed by the OTA. “Several of the identified tags have an individual balance in excess of $600.”
The OTA was told earlier this month the projected loss for tribal tags was $11 million.
Sara Hill, Cherokee Nation attorney general, said when OTA moved away from cash collection to PlatePay, the tribe was never notified.
“We presumed they had their ducks in a row,” she said.
When the tribe heard the state was having difficulties, it reached out to see how it could work with the state, she said.
“We are willing partners to resolve this issue,” she said. “We were never brought into the loop.”
Echelle said in 2022, the state converted several turnpikes to PlatePay.
“Only then did we realize how many tribal plates are on the system,” he said.
Pictures of plates that used the cash payment option are not taken, Echelle said.
Now former cash paying vehicles are using PlatePay and drive through the PikePass lane, where a picture of the license plate is taken, he said.
Echelle said that once file transfer agreements are worked out with tribes, the OTA will be able to send invoices for tribal tag owners using PlatePay.
He said the OTA never blamed the tribes for the problem created with PlatePay.
“We are working with the tribes to solve it, and they have been great partners so far,” Echelle said.
Those with tribal license plates who believe they may owe a turnpike toll may look up their license plate at platepay.com, which can display the dollar amount owed. They can also call OTA’s customer service line at 1-800-745-7277.
Turnpike users can also use the PlusPass mobile app to pay tolls. The tolls are 25% less than the prices charged for PlatePay, Echelle said.
The OTA is also working to resolve problems with some out-of-state tags and dealership-issued paper plates or temporary tags.
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