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State: Turnpike Freeloaders Not Paying For Cashless Tolling

FORT LAUDERDALE (CBS4) -- Florida's cashless toll system may alleviate traffic backups and keep roads running smooth but there are plenty of backups when it comes to the state getting paid for the bills it sends out.

Authorities say 40-percent of the 1.2 million bills sent to drivers under Florida's Turnpike new license plate tolling program have not paid.

The turnpike went to a cashless toll system six months ago, eliminating toll booths along the 47-mile stretch in Miami-Dade County. Under the toll-by-plate system, a photo is taken of the vehicle's license plate as it passes through a tolling location. The vehicle's registered owner receives a monthly bill for the tolls, plus a $2.50 administrative fee.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports collections have been even slower than the state projected. Turnpike officials had predicted about 30 percent of those who receive bills would not pay, amounting to about $3.7 million annually.

Still, officials say about 88 percent of turnpike drivers pay automatically with SunPass.

(TM and © Copyright 2011 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2011 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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