Motorists face big penalties for paying tolls late; $37 in fees on a $4 Monroe Bypass toll called ‘usury’

This article appeared in the Oct. 23, 2019, edition of the Charlotte Ledger, a morning e-newsletter on local business news. Sign up for free here:

Toll lanes are sprouting up all over the Charlotte region, and there are more on the way.

But statistics from the state show that local drivers don’t seem to be accustomed to paying the tolls just yet: Half of the people who receive bills in the mail don’t pay within 30 days and are charged late fees — which sometimes wind up being far more than the toll itself.

For instance, if you drive end to end on the smooth new Monroe Bypass, which opened almost a year ago in Union County, the toll is $3.92. Unlike in other parts of the country, there are no toll booths. Unless you have a transponder on your dashboard and an account with the state, the bill comes in the mail to the vehicle’s registered owner. If you don’t pay that bill within 30 days, the state tacks on a $6 fee. After 60 days, it adds another $6 fee plus a $25 civil penalty — or a total of $37 in late charges on a toll of less than $4.

That’s what Ledger reader Randall of south Charlotte had to pay after driving on the Monroe Bypass en route to Myrtle Beach this summer. He says the “exorbitant fine” is “usury” and a “total scam,” though he acknowledges he should have paid it on time.

“This thing came in the mail. It got buried under some stuff. It’s in the summer,” Randall explained. “I don’t disagree we should have to pay something. I just don’t think it should be $37. It’s too much money!”

Carly Olexik, spokeswoman for the N.C. Turnpike Authority, says the fees and penalties are set by state law. Before the road opened, she says, the state tried to spread the word about how toll roads work — including the late fees.

‘Like a utility bill’: “It’s important for us to get our marketing out there and make sure people are aware of what the fee structure is,” Olexik says. “It’s just like a utility bill. If you don’t pay on time, there’s a fee with it.”

The state encourages people to sign up for and use pre-paid transponders, known as the N.C. Quick Pass. Vehicles using those receive a 35% discount on tolls.

State data show that for last year, 59% of tolls statewide were paid via N.C. Quick Pass. Of the remainder, those billed by mail, half were paid in the first 30 days (on time):

The state estimates it will receive $2.6M in late-fee revenue this year from the Monroe Bypass, or about 14% of all toll-related revenue on the road.

Why it matters: You’re going to see a lot more toll roads around Charlotte in the coming years. Besides the Monroe Bypass and the almost-complete I-77 toll lanes between uptown and Mooresville, the state has started building toll lanes on I-485 between I-77 and Independence Boulevard, and it has plans to build them along Independence and on I-77 between uptown and the S.C. line.

That means more people will be receiving bills, not paying them, and racking up late fees.

In other words, there will be a lot more Randalls.