Toll road rules are changing to eliminate some free rides

(9/25/07 - KTRK/HOUSTON) (KTRK) -- Who is getting a free ride on the toll roads in our area? Not long after 13's Wayne Dolcefino and Ted Oberg began asking questions about congestion on the toll roads earlier this year, the Harris County Toll Road Authority stopped allowing hundreds of employees to use the toll roads for free. It was a perk that was never approved. Now, county leaders are working to figure out a new plan.

After a huge public backlash forced the county to undo the doubling of tolls on Westpark, we learned there were what are called non revenue EZ tags, for everyone from first responders to county workers. Now a new toll road policy is emerging.

This month the cost of driving Beltway 8 went up by 25 cents a toll stop. It adds up on those EZ tag statements. Ask any toll road customer about how much they spend.

"Most likely I pay more than on gas, that's for sure," said driver Ed Lawrence.

And if others didn't have to pay as a kind of job perk...

"I'd guess they were lucky," surmised Sharon Lang, a toll road user. "I guess God blessed them. Did they get it on purpose?"

Not so much on purpose but several hundred drivers were given the free pass by virtue of being employed by the toll road authority. When county commissioners voted to undo the doubling of fees on the Westpark Tollway, they also audited the use of what are called non-revenue tags, or free toll road use. On Tuesday the recommendations were revealed.

Harris County Judge Ed Emmett admitted, "Nobody knew who had them. I want to take these EZ tags away from those who don't deserve them and we (should) have a system where we can monitor and enforce."

It's suggested the following have free use of the toll roads: