TxDOT waives $1.3 billion in late fees after new law takes effect

The Texas Department in Transportation will waive $1.3 billion in late fees. The Texas Department in Transportation will waive $1.3 billion in late fees. Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo Photo: Houston Chronicle File Photo Image 1 of / 20 Caption Close TxDOT waives $1.3 billion in late fees after new law takes effect 1 / 20 Back to Gallery

Drivers who have outstanding toll road late fees from 2007 to March 1, 2018 don't have to worry about paying them anymore.

About $1.3 billion in late fees will be forgiven, said Texas Department of Transportation Executive Director Brandon Bass during a House Committee on Transportation meeting Wednesday.

The fees were waived after Senate Bill 312, which changed the way TxDOT charges late fees, took effect on March 1.

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"Rather than trying to carry forward two different violation policies within the system, the decision has been made to only move forward with the current one," Bass said.

Rather than charging drivers late fees per transaction, TxDOT will now charge drivers late fees per invoice if the toll goes unpaid. Late fees will be capped at $48 for a 12-month period under the new law.

"We never expected to collect the majority of this money," Bass said. "It was never about collecting money. It was trying to encourage people to do the right thing to make payment on their tolls."

Customers who already paid late fees won't be reimbursed and the changes may take weeks to reflect on accounts.

Fares Sabawi covers crime in San Antonio and Bexar County for mySA.com. Read more of his stories here. | fsabawi@mysa.com | Twitter: @FaresInSA