Call center to bring 60 new local jobs
The Joint Board and Tolling Body for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project met today and approved 11 resolutions related to the operations of the RiverLink tolling system. This includes plans to move its customer call center to Louisville, adding 60 local jobs. Additionally, the Tolling Body approved an updated toll policy agreement for the tolling system.
The new call center, located on Linn Station Road near Hurstbourne Parkway, is scheduled to open in the summer of 2023.
“Seven years ago, RiverLink helped build the Abraham Lincoln and Lewis and Clark bridges, and significantly extended the life of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Bridge,” said Indiana Department of Transportation Commissioner Mike Smith. “Our partnership with Kentucky has helped improve connections between the two states and spurred economic growth on both sides of the river. We are committed to ensuring this connection and partnership remain strong as we move forward.”
The center will replace the existing call center in Muncie, Ind. That center will continue to support RiverLink’s customer service calls until the opening of the new center this summer.
“We are excited Louisville will be the call center’s new home,” Kentucky Transportation Cabinet Secretary Jim Gray said. “RiverLink customers will receive top-notch customer service from representatives who live and work in the areas they serve.”
No in-person services will be provided at the new call center. Those services will continue to be provided at RiverLink’s walk-up centers in downtown Louisville and Jeffersonville.
The opening of the new call center is part of RiverLink’s transition to a new back-office service provider, Electronic Transaction Consultants (ETC). In addition to customer service support, ETC will also handle image review and invoicing.
ETC is one of two new vendors that will support RiverLink’s operations starting in the summer of 2023. TransCore was selected earlier this year to provide roadside services. These include installing, operating and maintaining the equipment that captures vehicle crossings on tolled bridges.
Additionally, the Joint Board and Tolling Body for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project approved the following resolutions.
KPTIA Transponder Agreement
The Joint Board approved a resolution authorizing the Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority (KPTIA) to enter into a new agreement for transponders, procured by the E-ZPass Interagency Group. KPTIA, as a representative of the Joint Board, is a member of the E-ZPass Interagency Group, which operates the E-ZPass System.
Change Order for Custody and Revenue Control Agreement
The second resolution approved makes necessary adjustments to the flow of funds and bank accounts to align with the new vendors.
Change Order for Back-Office Requirements and Schedule
The Board approved a revision to the requirements and schedule originally laid out in the contract with ETC. The change order updates ETC’s requirements to be more in line with the transition needs. The approval also shifts the go-live date, now aligned with the fiscal year, which begins July 1.
TransCore Change Order 1
This change order amends the contract with TransCore to allow for the combination of roadside system tests, reducing redundancy. The amendment also moves the go-live date from September 1, 2023, to December 1, 2023.
Ratification of Agreement Extensions
The Joint Board approved contract extensions with Strothman and Company (Revenue Control Manager), C2 Strategic Communications (Marketing and Public Relations) and HNTB (Toll Services Advisor).
Joint Board Bylaw Revision
The Board approved a resolution amending the bylaws to clarify the process for contract extensions. Under the revised bylaws, contracts may be extended by either formal Joint Board approval or written consent of IFA, INDOT, KYTC and KPTIA.
Ratification of Gantries
The Joint Board approved a resolution ratifying contracts between the Indiana Department of Transportation and Mid-Park to provide new gantries and between INDOT and Hoosier for the coordination and installation of the new gantries.
The ratification of these contracts follows the Board’s August approval for the procurement of gantries.
Updated Toll Policy Agreement
The Tolling Body approved updated Toll Policy Agreements. The new agreements are necessary given the transition from Kapsch TrafficCom, the current Toll System Provider, to a new back-office provider, ETC, and the addition of new roadside and collections vendors, Transcore and Perdue Brandon.
New business rules are included in the Toll Policy Agreements. Under the new business rules, some invoices for unregistered vehicles will be temporarily held beginning April 1, 2023 to allow for the transition between Kapsch and ETC. The pending invoices will begin to be issued once ETC back-office operations begin this summer. Registered pre-paid tag transactions will continue to post to registered customer accounts during this period.
Video transactions will be held.
Other changes to the business rules to be effective with the new ETC back office, include no longer holding transactions that are less than $5, a monthly billing cycle and allowing a limited number of video tolls (V-tolls) to count towards the Frequent User Discount program.