The new Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission (OTIC) toll collection system is “working well and as expected” since it was put into operation in April. About 97.5 percent of all customers completed their transactions successfully at a toll point, using E-ZPass, cash, or a credit card. Just 2.5 percent of drivers had to be invoiced for unpaid tolls.
That was the central message of a recent Cleveland.com guest column written by OTIC executive director Ferzan Ahmed. In part, the column was a response to some recent news reports — based on anecdotes or fragmentary data analysis — that the hybrid system has major flaws. It was also part of an OTIC effort to reduce the volume of invoices by helping customers understand not to use toll plaza lanes reserved for E-ZPass transactions unless they have a transponder account and a properly mounted transponder.
While candidly acknowledging that no electronic tolling system is 100 percent accurate, Mr. Ahmed maintained that “when 97.5% of the transactions on a brand-new tolling system have been completed successfully over a six-month period, the system is working well.”
Is OTIC getting through to local news media? Yes and no. WTOL reports that Mr. Ahmed shared system performance data and observations with his board members during the Monday, October 21, OTIC meeting. The article includes several of the key points raised in Mr. Ahmed’s column. On the other hand, WTOL leads by reporting that the percentage of successful transactions has dropped since August — even though the difference amounts to just two-tenths of one percent of millions of transactions.
WTOL also notes that OTIC customer service requests have risen substantially this year due to confusion over the changes in the tolling system and complaints about individual transactions. On Monday, Mr. Ahmed told board members 11 new service center employee have already been hired and 10 more positions will be added in 2025. In response to the telephone call and email surge, the turnpike has temporarily suspended the imposition of late fees.