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I-Team: Drivers Get Break As MassDOT Forgives Huge Tobin Bridge Toll Fines

BOSTON (CBS) - MassDOT will dramatically reduce fines and offer an amnesty period to forgive drivers who racked up enormous late fees for the pay-by-plate option on the Tobin Bridge.

The significant development comes in the wake of a series of I-Team reports about commuters who faced the threat of losing their licenses if they did not pay thousands of dollars in fines.

"The goal of the program should be payment, not punishment," MassDOT Secretary Stephanie Pollack told the I-Team on Thursday. "Clearly it has come across as being more about the penalties than getting people to pay tolls."

The Tobin Bridge's all-electronic tolling system rolled out as pilot program in July 2014. For drivers who did not have a transponder, there was no longer a cash option. Instead, the technology captured an image of the license plate and sent an invoice to the registered driver.

Open Road Tolls
The Tobin Bridge toll cameras. (WBZ-TV)

However, some drivers discovered the tolls carried late fees as high as $90. And the longer they waited to pay the bill, the more the fines ballooned.

Lynn driver David Babb was the first to share his story with the I-Team in February. He claimed he never received the first invoice for $12 in tolls over the Tobin Bridge.

By the time he saw a bill, it had already spiked by hundreds of dollars. He's been in a standoff with MassDOT ever since and the outstanding amount now surpasses $1,000.

"It's really unfair to people," David Babb told the I-Team. "They can take my license. They can take my shoes and my coat. I'm not paying it."

But there is good news for Babb and other drivers who felt crippled by the fees.

Tobin Bridge Tolls
(WBZ-TV)

Starting June 1, MassDOT will offer a 30-day amnesty program where people can simply pay the amount of outstanding tolls. All the late fees will be forgiven.

Drivers don't have to do anything. The invoices mailed in June will reflect the forgiven fees.

"That's a big deal," Babb said. "I give them credit. It shows they are trying to fix it and giving people an opportunity to wipe it clean."

Also starting in June, the fine structure will also decrease significantly. A $1 late fee will now be added to every unpaid toll after 30 days; an additional $1 after 60 days; and another $1 after 90 days.

Total late fees for a driver will be capped at $500 per year. After 90 days, a driver's license and registration will be marked for non-renewal at the Registry of Motor Vehicles.

To avoid drivers accidentally throwing bills in the trash, Pollack also said the invoices will arrive in bright orange envelopes with a "do not ignore" warning on the label. Additional road signage will be added to alert drivers of the approaching electronic toll system.

Pollack said the turning point for her came a couple months ago when she asked how many people owed last fees for the pay-by-plate system. The answer: more than 50,000 drivers.

"That's too many people who owe us too much money," she said.

The amnesty program will not be available to drivers who already settled bills with hefty fees, only people who pay up after June 1. Pollack said MassDOT checked and only a small percentage of drivers have actually paid the large bills.

The changes will apply exclusively to the Tobin Bridge. But Pollack said MassDOT wants to get the system working right since all-electronic tolling will be coming to the Turnpike in the next couple of years.

"We'll learn from the Tobin Bridge. We'll listen to our customers and we'll make changes when it makes sense," Pollack told the I-Team.

Ryan Kath can be reached at rkath@cbs.com. You can follow him on Twitter or connect on Facebook.

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