Tolling systems across the U.S. have advanced rapidly in recent years, with agencies shifting to license plate recognition technologies. While these systems increase efficiency for transportation authorities, they often do the opposite for auto finance and leasing companies.
At Radius Global Solutions, we believe there’s a better way. We help the Auto Finance industry establish a streamlined, customer-first approach to toll charge and violation management that preserves internal resources, recovers revenue, and enhances customer satisfaction along the way.
The Toll Management Challenge
With toll authorities across the country moving to cashless, license plate recognition (LPR)-based systems, the volume of transactions tied to vehicle ownership data is steadily increasing. In these systems, when a toll is incurred, the notice often goes to the registered owner listed in DMV records—frequently the finance or leasing company—not the actual driver.
While this may not have been a common issue in the past, the widespread adoption of LPR tolling has increased the likelihood of finance companies receiving these violations. That puts your team in the difficult position of having to quickly resolve a customer’s toll charges.
To address this issue, your internal staff often must:
- Identify the correct driver associated with the vehicle at the time of the violation
- Match the toll notice to the right lease or finance account
- Notify the customer promptly to avoid late penalties
- Track any disputes or follow-up payments
- Handle residual charges if the vehicle has already been returned
This process is not only time-consuming, it can also add friction to the end-of-term balance and reduce overall customer satisfaction.
Without a streamlined strategy in place, these inefficiencies can strain your team, introduce costly delays, and cause revenue to slip through the cracks. As tolling grows increasingly automated and ownership records remain the default point of contact, these problems will only become more frequent.
Take a Customer-Centric and Scalable Approach
Most leasing customers have already met creditworthiness standards, which makes them ideal candidates for a more proactive tolling solution. Radius helps finance companies shift from reactive management to a customer-first process that promotes transparency, efficiency, and revenue recovery.
Our approach will leverage lower cost labor to research the toll charge, identify the account holder, and engage the customer through approved channels of communication to include voice, SMS, email and if necessary regular mail which is dependent on timing.
This structure offers several key advantages:
- Avoids unnecessary delinquency fees from delayed payment
- Streamlines your internal processing and customer communication
- Allows customers to handle toll costs through one trusted, predictable source
- Improves transparency and clarity around vehicle charges
- Reinforces your reputation as a convenient and customer-focused provider
By integrating this solution into your existing payment and communication systems, you create a scalable model that benefits both your business and your customers.
What Happens When Disputes Arise?
Disputes around tolls or parking violations are inevitable, especially as more drivers open their own toll accounts. A strong solution must allow for flexibility, fairness, and a clear resolution path.
When a customer believes a toll charge is incorrect, either they or a Radius representative can work directly with the toll authority to resolve the issue. Should you decide to pay the toll charges before they become delinquent and payment was made in error, then we’ll seek reimbursement from either your customer or the toll authority.
This process maintains trust with your customers while protecting your revenue. It also demonstrates your willingness to advocate on their behalf, which is an important differentiator in a competitive industry.
Parking Violations Require Dedicated Support
Toll violations are largely automated, but parking violations often follow a more traditional process. Notices that are sent directly to the finance company, require immediate attention. That’s where Radius comes in.
Our dedicated parking violation team acts quickly and communicates clearly. As soon as your organization receives a violation notice, we reach out to the customer using an omnichannel approach.
We inform the customer that the violation was misdirected to the finance company and will notify the issuing authority of the responsible party’s name and address.
To support this model, we recommend updating lease or purchase agreements to include:
- Clear customer responsibility for tolls and parking violations
- Authorization for multichannel communications
- Approval for administrative charges to be added to parking violations
This approach creates a smoother experience for the customer while giving you control over how charges are handled and recovered.
Prepare for the Future of Tolling with Road Usage Charges (RUC)
Road Usage Charges—also referred to as Mileage-Based User Fees (MBUF) or Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) taxes—are emerging as a new way to fund transportation infrastructure. Rather than taxing fuel consumption, RUC programs charge drivers based on miles driven. This model is gaining traction as electric and fuel-efficient vehicles reduce the reliability of gas tax revenues.
Several states are already piloting RUC programs that rely on in-vehicle data to track mileage and apply usage-based fees.
Modern vehicles often already capture and transmit:
- Total mileage
- Vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Average speed and driving behavior
- Ownership details linked to vehicle activity
As these programs scale and interoperability between states increases, finance and leasing companies must be ready with tech-enabled solutions. Radius supports real-time data integration, accurate customer billing, and seamless communication strategies that prepare your business for the future of tolling.
Simplify Toll and Parking Violation Management and Mitigate Revenue Loss Today
Toll and parking violations should not be draining your team or affecting your bottom line. At Radius Global Solutions, we help auto finance and leasing companies simplify toll and parking violation management, recover costs, and deliver a better experience to their customers.
Let us show you how to turn a complex process into a competitive advantage. Contact us today to learn more.
