CTRMA offers scratch-offs to promote cashless Toll 183A

CTRMA offers scratch-offs to promote cashless Toll 183A

Written by Kara Vaught Friday, 24 October 2008

During November, Toll 183A drivers will receive a scratch-off ticket when they pay cash at the Park Street Main Toll Plaza.

The Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority planned the promotional giveaways, which reveal up to $100 in prepaid TxTag tolls, to make customers aware the road is going cashless Dec. 1.

Instead of slowing down to go through the cash lane at a toll plaza, drivers without a TxTag can remain in the main lanes. Cameras mounted above those lanes will photograph each license plate and the vehicle’s registered owner will receive a bill in the mail. A $1 processing fee is charged per bill, and bills are sent out every 15 days.

Scratch-off tickets will also be available without purchase at community events, the TxTag Customer Service Center, 12719 Burnet Road in Austin, and by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the Central Texas Regional Mobility Authority, 301 Congress Avenue, Ste. 650, Austin, TX 78701.

The CTRMA and Magic 95.5 will be at Lowe’s, 1495 US 183 in Leander, from 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. Nov. 1 and at Circuit City in 1890 Ranch, 1335 E. Whitestone Blvd., from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 15.

Steve Pustelnyk, CTRMA’s director of communication, said the goal of the scratch-off campaign is to encourage drivers without TxTags to adopt the program.

"85% of our customers are paying with TxTag. With such widespread adoption of electronic tolling, it no longer made sense to keep the cash booths open," said Mike Heiligenstein, executive director of the CTRMA. "By going cashless, we can improve mobility and safety while eliminating needless idling that wastes fuel and increases vehicle emissions."

TxTag customers save 25% off the Pay-by-Mail toll rate. Tags are free, but require a $20 prepayment of toll charges. Drivers can add money to their account four ways: authorize TxTag to automatically charge their credit card when the balance gets low, authorize a credit card charge over the phone, pay cash in person at the customer service center or mail a check or money order to the center.

TxTags are available at all mainline toll plazas in Central Texas, online at www.TxTag.org or by calling 1-888-GoTxTag (1-888-468-9824).

183A will be the fifth cashless toll road in Texas. The Westpark Tollway in Houston opened in 2004. Other cashless toll roads in Texas include Loop 49 in Tyler, SH 121 in Dallas and the Fort Bend Parkway in Houston. In addition, the North Texas Tollway Authority is testing cashless toll collection on a portion of the Dallas North Tollway and has announced plans to covert all its roads to cashless by 2010.

For more information, visit www.MobilityAuthority.com.

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