Complaint Review: South Bay Expressway - San Diego California

We implemented the Pay-by-Plate program, which allows travelers who didn’t pay at cash machines or by FasTrak, the ability to avoid citation and pay for their trips within four business days, using their license plate. You can pay online, over the phone, in person or by mail. The Pay-by-Plate toll is $2 higher than the cash toll, but nowhere near the $60 fine (plus toll) that is assessed when a toll is not paid within four business days. You can view Pay-by-Plate program details at https://csc.southbayexpressway.com/pay-by-plate.

Should you have any other questions, please feel free to contact us directly at (619) 661-7070.

Hello. We're sorry to hear about your experience using South Bay Expressway. You did the right thing by taking a Pay-by-Plate envelope when you were unable to pay your cash toll at the Automated Cash Machine. Pay-by-Plate is the easy way to pay your toll if you dont have a FasTrak account and didnt pay cash. You can use our Pay-by-Plate payment option online at www.southbayexpressway.com, by bringing in or mailing your payment to our offices at 1129 La Media Road, San Diego, CA 92154 or by calling 619-661-7070 during normal business hours (Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Please note that Pay-by-Plate tolls are $2 higher than using our Automated Cash Machines and if your payment is not received within four business days by any of the options listed, we treat the trip as a toll violation which carries a $60 minimum penalty. Im not sure why your $5 payment did not post but in that situation, it would have been best to call us upon receipt of the $53 Notice of Toll Evasion. As described in the toll violation letter, anyone who receives a Notice of Toll Evasion has the right to dispute it, by completing the information on the back and sending it back to us. Often times, these disputes are handled very quickly. Mistakes can happen and when they do occur, we always correct them. In your specific case, wed be more than happy to research your situation further and correct any mistake. Please e-mail [email protected] and address the subject line: ROR #617472. Be sure to include your violation number (found on the Notice of Toll Violation you received) and contact information and well call you once weve researched your citation and have details to you within 24 hours. Were looking forward to speaking with you.

This happened about 4 months ago but I remember filling out an envelope. Whether it was because it was sent to me or it was there, I remember having to fill out a slip and sending $5. It definitely was sent back to me and without fighting the next $53 violation, I sent a check to avoid any further charges. I am not asking for a refund of $53, but I know I sent it and I think it is unfair to be charged $103. I don't care if I don't get refunded anything at all, as long as I am not charged yet again when I just paid the $103 debt. All I ask is this to not happen to anyone else and for them to start charging me when I keep sending over checks. I don't like when issues like this go unspoken because if it is not brought up, other people's payments may be getting sent back or unnoticed as well.

I am familar with FastTrack and have NEVER seen an envelope that you can use to send in a check at a later time.  If you go through the toll "booth" without paying you will get hit with a fine.  Granted I am familar with other Toll Roads/Bridges in CA that use FastTrack, and not specifically the South Bay one.  So I did check their site and still didn't find anything about being able to mail in a check to pay just the toll amount.  The signs at the entrance/exit ramps are pretty clear in stating "Cash or FastTrak only", and are also pretty clear about the amount of a "Toll Violation".

So unless this is some hidden program that they have, I don't think you have a case to avoid the initial $53 fee because you thought you could just mail in the toll.  However,  if you did send in the $53 check to the correct location and it was never cashed or it was cashed and they didn't credit you, then you have a valid complaint against the "lost" payment.