L.A. police divert drivers into toll lanes; private contractor fines thousands of them
Source: Los Angeles Times
Thousands of drivers who were diverted onto toll lanes following a dramatic gun battle in Los Angeles last month were fined for not having the transponder needed to travel on the pay-to-drive lanes.
The fines, which in some cases were for as little as a dollar, were issued to thousands of commuters detoured by police onto the northbound 110 ExpressLanes near Vernon Avenue from 3 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Aug. 18 when police closed the regular lanes, city officials said.
... Transportation officials estimated that thousands of drivers mistakenly received the fines, which they said do not have to be paid. Those who did pay the fine will have their money refunded, said Los Angeles Metro spokesman Rick Jager.
The tracking system on the ExpressLanes is contracted to Xerox Service, which said there is a protocol for shutting down the tracking system when motorists are diverted onto toll lanes. But company spokesman Carl Langsenkamp said the system didn't function properly that day.
Read more: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-metro-toll-fine-mistake-20140917-story.html
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But then ... somebody had to go and say something.
