I-PASS glitch cautions subscribers about unpaid tolls. Some nearly a year ago.
Drivers who use the Illinois Tollway might want to check their I-PASS accounts because they may discover a surprising message.
One of our CBS News Chicago producers went to the Tollway's app to add a new credit card and found a warning about "unpaid tolls."
The message went on to caution about "added fees if left unpaid. Pay now to avoid future invoice fees."
A customer service representative told our producer to ignore the message and the tolls would automatically go away, which did not happen.
After speaking with a supervisor, who told him that due to a glitch, the Tollway recently discovered a batch of previously unbilled tolls. This particular toll dates back to July, 2025.
The supervisor informed our producer that the Tollway can bill a customer up to one year after a car drives on the Tollway.
A spokesperson for the Illinois Tollway said that some 100,000 customers were recently billed for these older tolls due to a glitch.
CBS News Chicago asked why the Tollway did not notify affected customers or post a general notice on its website. The Tollway said in a statement:
Illinois Tollway is regularly monitoring and assessing toll transactions and payments, so that any issues can be identified and corrected as quickly as possible. What happened in your [producer] case is not an ongoing problem for customers. We do advise all of our customers to take time regularly to check their accounts – online or via the App – to make sure that payment methods and license plates are on file and correct. This will ensure that they will receive the best service. And if they see something unexpected, we'll work to identify what's going on and provide the best possible solution.
This comes as the Illinois Tollway is currently seeking public input for a hike that would add about 45 cents to each toll. That would bring in more than $26 billion over 15 years to improve the Tollway system.
The Tollway is holding more than a dozen hearings to seek input from the public about the proposed rate hike.
Comments can also be submitted online through August 3. If approved, the Tollway hike would begin on January 1.
Are there any old tolls on your account? If so, we want to hear from you. Send us an email (with a screenshot of the message if possible): cbschicagotips@cbs.com.
