How Many Toll Tags Do You Need?

3,227 Views | 26 Replies | Last: 1 yr ago by Aggieangler93
LOYAL AG
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AG
We live in College Station but when toll roads became a thing we were in NE San Antonio and went to Austin regularly so our first toll tags were TxTags. Now the toll roads we use the most are in Houston and TxTag usage there is spotty at best. Our daughter is a student and the other school in Austin so we have those toll roads as well. Then there's family in Dallas and at a minimum I'll use Dallas North Tollway several times a year for them. I don't mind toll roads but I don't care to have a stack of toll tags on my car window. Right now I have only TxTag but every single time I go to Houston I get a bill for usage from HCTRA.

Am I the only one wondering about this?
A fearful society is a compliant society. That's why Democrats and criminals prefer their victims to be unarmed. Gun Control is not about guns, it's about control.
Rexter
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All TX based tags are good on all toll roads in TX. You can also use OK and KS toll tags in TX.
I have a TX tag and use it all over the state. I've never received a bill from any entity. It's all done electronically.
Dill-Ag13
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AG
LOYAL AG said:

Now the toll roads we use the most are in Houston and TxTag usage there is spotty at best.


Huh? TxTag works in Houston just fine. Been using one for years
txyaloo
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AG
LOYAL AG said:

We live in College Station but when toll roads became a thing we were in NE San Antonio and went to Austin regularly so our first toll tags were TxTags. Now the toll roads we use the most are in Houston and TxTag usage there is spotty at best. Our daughter is a student and the other school in Austin so we have those toll roads as well. Then there's family in Dallas and at a minimum I'll use Dallas North Tollway several times a year for them. I don't mind toll roads but I don't care to have a stack of toll tags on my car window. Right now I have only TxTag but every single time I go to Houston I get a bill for usage from HCTRA.

Am I the only one wondering about this?
TxTag's billing system is garbage. KXAN has had several "in depth" reports about all the the billing inconsistencies. I've also seen the same on Austin toll roads where I have a valid txtag and my license plate registered in the system yet still receiving bills.

No idea if the other toll authorities have better ones. As others mentioned, TxTags generally work on all toll roads in Texas. I have better luck getting billed correctly on Houston toll roads than on Austin ones
drumboy
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AG
Im in Houston but got an NTTA tag since it's free to add cars and get new stickers. Works all over the state.
aggie_wes
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AG
Yeah, NTTA tolltag works everywhere in Texas and OK except for IAH (but it's the only one that works at DFW apparently)

If that doesn't matter to you, go for it. They have been decent to deal with, and I am all over from DFW, Houston, Austin, SA Town and Oklahoma for work and never had an issue.
LOYAL AG
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Good feedback everyone. A couple of years ago I was getting bills from TxTag despite having a tag and it turned out they had the temporary tag from when the car was new. That was despite me having entered my tags when they were assigned to the car. That random change happened a year after I got the car after a year of no issues so I know I entered the permanent tags. I'll double check that even though I never get bills from the Austin area toll roads since I fixed that screw up in their system. I actually feel like TxTag works in some parts of Houston but not all of them or even some parts of specific roads but not all of them. Like I'll drive 25 miles on 249 and get a bill for like three booths.

Thanks again for the feedback. I'll look more closely at the bills and check my TxTag account and see if I can figure out what's going on.
A fearful society is a compliant society. That's why Democrats and criminals prefer their victims to be unarmed. Gun Control is not about guns, it's about control.
TSJ
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NTTA or T tag works fine in Austin and Houston, it's the only one I am aware that works for DFW airport's toll road, and it's accepted in Oklahoma instead having to buy a pike pass.

If this has change let me know, otherwise T tag is the superior toll tag.
FightinTAC08
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AG
get the one that works for the airport you use. otherwise on road is the same.
Tailgate88
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LOYAL AG said:

Good feedback everyone. A couple of years ago I was getting bills from TxTag despite having a tag and it turned out they had the temporary tag from when the car was new. That was despite me having entered my tags when they were assigned to the car. That random change happened a year after I got the car after a year of no issues so I know I entered the permanent tags. I'll double check that even though I never get bills from the Austin area toll roads since I fixed that screw up in their system. I actually feel like TxTag works in some parts of Houston but not all of them or even some parts of specific roads but not all of them. Like I'll drive 25 miles on 249 and get a bill for like three booths.

Thanks again for the feedback. I'll look more closely at the bills and check my TxTag account and see if I can figure out what's going on.


I had the same problem. I requested a replacement tag and it has been fine since.
BrazosDog02
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I don't have a tag for any of them, but they still manage to send a bill for me to pay, so I don't worry about it. I don't use them that much.
kb2001
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I've had TxTag billing problems as well. My account became disabled, and that racked up a few charges on a few tolls in Austin area. The problem is that it stopped reloading the account when my available balance got low so they disabled it. No idea why it stopped doing working, the TxTag people said they've been having issues with the system upgrade that's been going on for 2+ years now.

It took me several months to get these cleared up, they just kept sending new bills with a new late charge. The delay in processing anything is almost as bad as the IRS. In the end, all I had to pay was the tolls, though it was the higher cost for a non-tag vehicle. Only a few dollars, but irritating.

I had a problem with our newer vehicle. We hit a toll booth before I got it registered with TxTag, so I wasn't able to add it to our account until that was cleared up. Pretty annoying, but unsurprising.

My tags have worked all over Austin, Houston, and on I-35 in Kansas.

ETA- we've added two vehicles since the new system went into place, and for both of those, it still shows them as "2020 Other/Other" because the form to fill out the vehicle details didn't work when I added them. Attempts to get this fixed have gone unanswered
PlaneCrashGuy
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AG
I have an NTTA toll tag but it isn't even on my windshield. Just having the plates registered to my account is enough for them to find me with the bill.
“Not gonna lie...its a little disconcerting to have our minister of positivity be PlaneCrashGuy but Im in"
TxAg20
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I haven't had any issues with NTTA tolltags in Austin or Houston. I've been using them for years. I can add/delete vehicles and get new tags easily online. When my CC on file expries, they send me an email to update it.
txyaloo
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I'm tempted to switch to NTTA after everyone's feedback. Do y'all know if they have a tag limit or forced commercial accounts?

I'm on a commercial txtag account due to having 9 cars with tags. No benefits but plenty of downsides like not being able to fully manage the account online and a much higher minimum balance requirement
91AggieLawyer
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TSJ said:

NTTA or T tag works fine in Austin and Houston, it's the only one I am aware that works for DFW airport's toll road, and it's accepted in Oklahoma instead having to buy a pike pass.

If this has change let me know, otherwise T tag is the superior toll tag.

If you want to say it "works," OK, but only by the strictest of definitions. You still have to wait in line as long or even longer than you would to pick up a ticket or pay the fee. Its crazy. If they had a passthrough like on actual toll roads, I'd be very tempted to use that road way more than I do and just pay the $2 or whatever it is to go all the way through the airport, even if I'm not going to a terminal. But I end up going the service road with a few lights.

If you get behind a car that has an issue, you could be there for a while. This is not a tolltag solution.
UmustBKidding
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I have a few of each. NTTA is by far the best customer service. Txtag and hctra are a total pia. Ntta has gone to bat for me several times when tx tag and hctra said no tag assigned to my plate in zipcash or violations and told them they did not even query to validate. Others not so much.
Even my Ktag has been easier to deal with than tx tag.
So think ntta is only one that works in ok and ks but the real reason to choose a local one is airport access. Pretty sure iaj turned off hctra payment but believe ntta still does does dfw.
UmustBKidding
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Not sure limit on ntta but when i had more than 4 they made me recharge 40 i believe. Don't live in any toll city and travel less and they were offering me smaller minimum balance on the 2 tags i have left.
htxag09
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UmustBKidding said:

I have a few of each. NTTA is by far the best customer service. Txtag and hctra are a total pia. Ntta has gone to bat for me several times when tx tag and hctra said no tag assigned to my plate in zipcash or violations and told them they did not even query to validate. Others not so much.
Even my Ktag has been easier to deal with than tx tag.
So think ntta is only one that works in ok and ks but the real reason to choose a local one is airport access. Pretty sure iaj turned off hctra payment but believe ntta still does does dfw.

Only caveat I'd say to this is HCTRA will generally work with you more so if you have a HCTRA tag. Yes, they should all work in Houston. But I know several people who had credit cards expire and forgot to update the new CC # into their toll tag account. Both systems are garbage in that they don't, or didn't, alert you that it expired or that your funds were low until fees were actually assessed. Last I really looked into this was several years ago....

But, those with a TXTAG were told tough luck and forced to pay the fees. Those with the HCTRA tag had the fees waived.
aggiedata
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LOYAL AG said:

I actually feel like TxTag works in some parts of Houston but not all of them or even some parts of specific roads but not all of them. Like I'll drive 25 miles on 249 and get a bill for like three booths.


It's actually 4 scanners on 249. One way cost is $7.08.

The Aggieland Expressway doesn't come cheap!


LOYAL AG
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aggiedata said:

LOYAL AG said:

I actually feel like TxTag works in some parts of Houston but not all of them or even some parts of specific roads but not all of them. Like I'll drive 25 miles on 249 and get a bill for like three booths.


It's actually 4 scanners on 249. One way cost is $7.08.

The Aggieland Expressway doesn't come cheap!



OK now it's making sense. Guess I'll switch us to EZ Tag.

Thanks!
A fearful society is a compliant society. That's why Democrats and criminals prefer their victims to be unarmed. Gun Control is not about guns, it's about control.
Yellerjacket
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PlaneCrashGuy said:

I have an NTTA toll tag but it isn't even on my windshield. Just having the plates registered to my account is enough for them to find me with the bill.
Do you still get the toll tag discount if they have to send you a bill?
PlaneCrashGuy
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AG
It charges the toll tag account, which my job pays for. I only keep the toll tag in the center consul for use at the airport and marina.
“Not gonna lie...its a little disconcerting to have our minister of positivity be PlaneCrashGuy but Im in"
L8HIT
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PlaneCrashGuy said:

I have an NTTA toll tag but it isn't even on my windshield. Just having the plates registered to my account is enough for them to find me with the bill.


Do you still get the discount for having the tag?
sctxAG77
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AG
Have a TxTag in Austin and traveled through Ft Worth using the NTTA in mid November and received a bill in the mail for the toll fee and $10 fee for having to send a bill. Don't understand why it would not be included with my TxTag bill.
aggie_wes
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AG
sctxAG77 said:

Have a TxTag in Austin and traveled through Ft Worth using the NTTA in mid November and received a bill in the mail for the toll fee and $10 fee for having to send a bill. Don't understand why it would not be included with my TxTag bill.


Unless you went through the airport, it should be covered by your TxTag. Give them a call.
Aggieangler93
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I use txtag for all of them and 100 percent agree their electronic systems and customer service are absolute garbage.
Class of '93 - proud Dad of a '22 grad and a '26 student!
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