TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Floridians who use SunPass will soon start to see their bank accounts billed daily as the system catches up after a more than 40-day delay, transportation officials say.
- SunPass to soon start billing customers again
- Bills causing problems for users who submit for reimbursement
- FDOT to hold vendor accountable for delays, it says
- Drivers will not face late fee penalties
Those bills are creating major problems for those who depend on the SunPass billing system to submit reimbursement purposes.
"For one of my delivery jobs, in order for me to get reimbursed for the tolls, I need to see the transactions, and I also need to plan my budget, because I live on affordable housing," SunPass user Mike DiMauro said.
DiMauro worries the situation will put him in a financial hole too deep to climb out of. He's created a petition asking the Florida Department of Transportation to waive late fees. SunPass has failed to bill customers since June.
Hundreds have already signed DiMauro's petition.
The state's contract with vendor Conduent includes several performance provisions, but the company has failed "to meet obligations," according to FDOT.
"The delays in providing a fully functional SunPass system is completely unacceptable to FDOT and to our customers," FDOT secretary Mike Dew said in a statement. "I am committed to holding those responsible accountable."
It's estimated that Conduent will have to process up to eight million backlogged transactions each day to get caught up.
The issues began after SunPass began switching to a new system called the SunPass Centralized Customer Service System.
FDOT said in a statement that it will hold the vendor fully accountable for the delays it has caused and will enforce penalties.
Until the SunPass system is fixed, FDOT says late fees and penalties for customers will be suspended.