News

Reminder: New Toll Rates Effective July 1

Toll rates are updated every year

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 17, 2020) – New toll rates for three bridges connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana begin July 1, 2020. Rates will range from $2.15 to $12.93, depending on the size of the vehicle and whether the driver has a prepaid account.

Drivers with prepaid accounts in good standing and transponders pay the lowest toll rates and save more than $2 per crossing. The easiest way to maintain a positive account balance is by choosing auto-replenishment and linking the account to a valid payment method.

Toll revenue is used to meet the financial obligations of the Ohio River Bridges Project and to pay for operations and maintenance of the bridges and roadways in the project area.

Tolling is in place on the I-65 Abraham Lincoln Bridge, I-65 Kennedy Bridge and SR 265/KY 841 Lewis and Clark Bridge connecting Prospect, Ky. and Utica, Ind.

Toll rates increase annually by 2.5 percent, unless the rate of inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) is higher. There was not an increase in 2017 because tolling had been in place for less than a year. Tolling, a bi-state effort between Indiana and Kentucky, started Dec. 30, 2016.

Find more information on RiverLink tolling, including answers to frequently-asked questions, at www.RiverLink.com.

 

Resolution Allows for Separation of Toll Services

Back office and customer service to be separate from roadside services

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 16, 2020) – The Joint Board for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project met today and approved four resolutions, including one that allows for future contracts for toll services provider (TSP) services to be separated so that customer service center and back office services are under a different contract than roadside services.

Customer service center and back office services include image review, invoicing and customer service representatives at the call center and local customer service centers.  Roadside services include installing, operating and maintaining the roadside equipment that is used to capture crossings on tolled bridges and determine vehicle classification (number of axles and vehicle height).

The separation of the services is a practice being used by more tolling systems. It offers increased competition, opens the process to more potential providers and results in greater checks and balances between the two. The separation allows each provider to focus on the services it does best and is expected to provide more flexibility for the tolling system.

The resolution authorized the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) to move forward with procurements for customer service center and back office services (TSP2 Services). TSP2 Services should be ready for implementation no later than Dec. 31, 2023, the expiration date for the contract with the current TSP, Kapsch TrafficCom.

Additional Resolutions

Three additional resolutions were passed by the Joint Board. One allows the IFA to engage a legal advisor to work on the procurement of TSP2 Services. Dentons Bingham Greenebaum will serve as legal advisor to the Joint Board for the purposes of working on the procurement of TSP2 Services.

Another resolution confirmed and ratified the selection of Strothman and Company as Revenue Control Manager (RCM). The RCM reconciles financial information, prepares financial reports and participates in any applicable audits. KPMG previously served as RCM. That contract will expire at the end of September. Strothman and Company will begin serving July 1.

The other resolution approved and adopted amended bylaws of the Joint Board regarding what constitutes a quorum. Previously, no fewer than three members constituted a quorum for any business at a meeting of the Joint Board. The amended bylaw reads that no fewer than four members shall be necessary to constitute a quorum.

Joint Board

 The Joint Board includes transportation and finance leaders from Indiana and Kentucky. It’s made up of the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) commissioner, the Indiana public finance director, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet secretary and the Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority (KPTIA) chairman, or their designees.

The Joint Board was created to have long-term oversight and management responsibility for the Ohio Rivers Bridges Project. Bi-state tolling representatives handle the day-to-day administration of the tolling system.

Note: Resolutions and supporting documents from the meeting are posted at RiverLink.com: https://riverlink.com/about/joint-board/.

RiverLink Fee Forgiveness

Open, Waive and Save!

Qualifying drivers who owe tolls save money when they open a prepaid account.  Late fees are waived and tolls are lowered when drivers open a prepaid account and request a transponder. The offer is available once per license plate. Customer service representatives can assist, but the conversion offer is also available online.

Drivers can open an account and begin saving money in a few easy steps:

  1. Go to RiverLink.com and click the Pay Invoice button
  2. Enter invoice number and license plate number
  3. Click “I want to save money”
  4. Savings are calculated based on reduced toll rates and waived fees
  5. Click Proceed with Account Conversion
  6. Follow the instructions to finish setting up a RiverLink prepaid account

RiverLink local transponders are free (one per registered vehicle) and RiverLink E-ZPass transponders are $15 each.  Requested transponders are mailed to drivers, free of charge. The savings begin as soon as an account is set up as drivers wait for their transponders to arrive. Transponders are typically received in about ten days. Find more information on transponders here.

It’s important for account holders to remember they must maintain a positive account balance to always pay the lowest toll rates.  If an account reaches a negative balance, higher toll rates are charged and an invoice is mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle.

The easiest way to always have an account in good standing is by choosing auto-replenishment and linking the account to a valid payment method. Find more information on auto-replenishment here.

RiverLink Walk-Up Centers Temporarily Close

RIVERLINK WALK-UP CENTERS TEMPORARILY CLOSE

Several customer service options remain available

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (March 17, 2020) – As part of the national effort to help stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in our communities, RiverLink Walk-Up Centers are temporarily closed.

The centers join the in-person government services in Kentucky directed to cease operations at 5 p.m. on March 17, 2020. RiverLink is the bi-state tolling system for Kentucky and Indiana.

The walk-up centers, located at 400 E. Main St. in downtown Louisville and 103 Quartermaster Ct. in Jeffersonville, will remain closed until further notice.

Several payment options remain available to customers. Tolls owed can be paid online at RiverLink.com, by phone at 855-RIV-LINK and by mail.

To further assist drivers who rely on the walk-up centers, additional fees will not be added to invoices being generated until the centers have resumed operations. Drivers will continue to receive first invoices (with no fees attached). Later toll notices (second, third and fourth invoices) will resume and be mailed to customers after the centers reopen for business.

Additional Payment Options

  • Drivers can always open a prepaid account and have fees waived and tolls rolled back to transponder rates when they open a prepaid account (one-time offer per license plate).
  • Drivers without prepaid accounts can choose to Pay by Plate. Just click on Pay Tolls at RiverLink.com and follow next steps.
  • Prepaid account holders can sign up for auto-replenishment to quickly and easily maintain a positive balance.

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Find more information on RiverLink tolling, including answers to frequently-asked questions, at www.RiverLink.com.

Overnight Lane Closures Scheduled Next Two Weeks

OVERNIGHT LANE CLOSURES SCHEDULED NEXT TWO WEEKS

Routine maintenance is planned for tolling equipment 

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Jan. 10, 2020) – Overnight lane closures are scheduled the next two weeks near the Kennedy, Lincoln and Lewis and Clark bridges. The closures near the toll gantries and RiverLink rate signage will allow for routine maintenance of tolling equipment and digital signs.

The work is scheduled to begin overnight Monday, Jan. 13 and end Friday, Jan. 24. The closures are expected weeknights between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. All ramps will be open. Drivers should be alert, watch for signage and slow down in the work area.

Work is scheduled for the following dates and locations, but the actual starting date and duration may be adjusted if inclement weather or other unforeseen activities occur.

  • Monday, Jan. 13 and Tuesday, Jan. 14: I-65 South near the Kennedy Bridge (three lanes and shoulder)
  • Wednesday, Jan. 15 and Thursday, Jan. 16: KY 841 near Lewis and Clark Bridge (one lane and one shoulder)
  • Friday, Jan. 17: I-65 North near the Lincoln Bridge (four lanes and shoulder)
  • Monday, Jan. 20: I-65 North near the Lincoln Bridge (two lanes and shoulder)
  • Tuesday, Jan. 21: Exit 0 (Court Avenue exit) in Indiana (one lane)
  • Wednesday, Jan. 22 and Thursday, Jan. 23: Lane and shoulder closures near toll rate signage on I-65, I-64, I-71 and KY 841

Visit us at the Kentucky State Fair, August 15 – 25!

Customer service representatives will be available at our booth in the South Wing 1 – 5 p.m. daily.

You’ll be able to open an account and take home a transponder. Make sure to have your license plate information handy.

Representatives will also be able to assist you with updating your account, paying a toll invoice or answering your questions. We hope to see you there!

The Kentucky Customer Service Center will have adjusted hours for the run of the fair.

  • Monday – Friday: 7 am – 12 pm
  • Saturday: Closed 8/17 and 8/24

Normal hours resume 8/26.

The Indiana Customer Service Center is open as usual.

Reminder: New Toll Rates Effective July 1

Toll rates are updated every year

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (June 12, 2019) – New toll rates for three bridges connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana begin next month. The 2.5 percent increase is effective July 1, 2019.

The new rate for a passenger vehicle with a prepaid account and transponder is $2.10 per crossing. The current toll rate is $2.05 per crossing.

Drivers with prepaid accounts in good standing and transponders always pay the lowest toll rates. Drivers save more than $2 per crossing. The easiest way to maintain a positive account balance is by choosing auto-replenishment and linking the account to a valid payment method.

RiverLink is the all-electronic tolling system for the Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project, with no stopping, no slowing and no lines. New toll rates will range from $2.10 to $12.61, depending on the size of the vehicle and whether the driver has a prepaid account.

Tolling is in place on the I-65 Abraham Lincoln Bridge, I-65 Kennedy Bridge and SR 265/KY 841 Lewis and Clark Bridge connecting Prospect, Ky. and Utica, Ind.

Toll rates increase annually by 2.5 percent, unless the rate of inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) is higher. Tolls increase every July 1. There was not an increase in 2017 because tolling had been in place for less than a year. Tolling, a bi-state effort between Indiana and Kentucky, started Dec. 30, 2016.

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Find more information on RiverLink tolling, including answers to frequently-asked questions, at www.RiverLink.com.

2018 Annual Progress Report

The Annual Progress Report summarizes 2018 activities and accomplishments of RiverLink, the bi-state tolling system for the Ohio River Bridges Project.

The Report includes an assessment of transponder usage by members of Environmental Justice (EJ) communities to help shape future assessments and recommendations.

Read the full 2018 Annual Progress Report here.

More Growth and Improvements in Second Year of Tolling

MORE GROWTH AND IMPROVEMENTS IN SECOND YEAR OF TOLLING

Crossings and prepaid accounts increase, and new services offered

 

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Feb. 6, 2019) – The second year of RiverLink tolling saw more drivers with prepaid accounts and transponders, more crossings on the new and improved bridges, faster connections to customer service and new services for customers. RiverLink is the all-electronic tolling system for the Louisville – Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project.

There were 32.3 million crossings on the three tolled bridges connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana in 2018, an increase of more than 8 percent from 2017 (the first full year of tolling). A significant number of people opened RiverLink accounts and acquired transponders in the second year of tolling. At the end of 2018, more than 193,000 accounts had been opened, an increase of 29 percent for the year. The number of transponders requested was up 27 percent for the year, with nearly 425,000 transponders requested to date.

“It takes time for people to adjust to new travel routes and a new tolling system,” said Megan McLain, innovative finance manager for the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “The increase in crossings and account growth tells us that more people are using the system in the most efficient and cost-effective way possible in this second year of tolling. With prepaid accounts and transponders, they’re paying the lowest toll rates every time they cross a tolled bridge.”

Improvements to the tolling system, including new services, were also a focus in the second year of tolling.

“We want the system to work well for all drivers who are using our tolled bridges,” said Jerry Hoover, the Indiana Department of Transportation director of tolling operations for the Ohio River Bridges. “Reducing the amount of time to connect with customer service was a priority and we delivered. We also added new services like online account conversion and Pay by Plate, offering drivers a new, convenient way to pay tolls owed.”

Improved Services

Online account conversion launched in early 2018, allowing qualifying drivers to open prepaid accounts and save on tolls and fees owed. The online feature allows drivers to open an account in a few easy steps and see immediate savings. The one-time conversion offer is only available before an account reaches collection status (fourth toll notice). When drivers open an account, tolls are lowered to transponder rates and late fees are waived.

More than 12,500 qualifying drivers who owed back tolls and fees opened RiverLink accounts in 2018. Savings totaled nearly $1.5 million dollars with tolls reduced and late fees waived. Customers who took advantage of account conversion saved an average of $120.

Pay by Plate launched in September, giving drivers without prepaid accounts and transponders a new option to pay tolls. Drivers can use their license plate number and other identifying information to pay tolls owed online before receiving an invoice. If the trip has not posted, drivers can enter their preferred contact information and will be notified of transactions that post in the next 30 days.

Pay by Plate has been a popular addition, with more than 2,000 accounts paid and more than 10,000 people signing up for Pay by Plate notifications from September to December 2018.

Faster Customer Service

It was easier to connect with RiverLink customer service representatives, with customers spending less time waiting for assistance. In the fourth quarter of 2018, the average speed to answer a call was 35 seconds, a decrease of nearly 10 minutes from the fourth quarter of 2017.

RiverLink customer service received an average of more than 42,000 calls each month in 2018.

Improvements were also made to the RiverLink website, making it faster and easier for customers to find the information they need. Information was streamlined and Quick Links and Traveler Tips were added to the site. Additions and improvements make it easier for customers to get needed information and manage their accounts online.

Crossings on Tolled Bridges

More vehicles crossed tolled bridges in 2018, with an increase every quarter when compared to 2017. Total crossings on tolled bridges topped 8 million in the second quarter of 2018 and stayed above 8 million the last two quarters of the year. Fourth quarter weekday crossings in 2018 were up nearly 13 percent from the same time last year.

Transponders and Accounts

Significant growth was seen in the number of drivers with prepaid accounts and transponders, but the percentage of drivers crossing tolled bridges with transponders remained stable for the year. Drivers save more than $2 per crossing with a prepaid account and transponder. It’s the easiest and most cost-effective way to cross a tolled bridge.

Frequent-User Discount

The number of drivers who qualified for the frequent-user discount was consistent in 2018. The frequent-user discount is only for drivers in passenger vehicles with RiverLink personal accounts with a positive balance. The discount is per transponder, not per account.

Revenue to Date

Revenue numbers are preliminary for the fourth quarter. In the third and fourth quarters of 2018, nearly $55.3 million was collected and split evenly between Indiana and Kentucky. An additional $4.3 million will be received from E-ZPass systems in other states (drivers who crossed the tolled Ohio River bridges with E-ZPass transponders from other states).

The billing cycle is still active, and additional money is being collected from vehicle owners who have received invoices. Since the start of tolling on Dec. 30, 2016, $186.4 million has been collected and split evenly between the two states.

Revenue collected to date is in line with expectations, and both states are meeting their financial obligations for the Bridges Project. Toll revenue is used to meet financial obligations of the project and for operations and maintenance of the project area.

Resolution Passed to Update RiverLink Business Rules

Resolution Passed to Update RiverLink Business Rules

Conversion offer will be extended in the coming year

The Joint Board and Tolling Body met today and approved resolutions ratifying selection of a new toll services advisor (TSA) and amending business rules for RiverLink, the all-electronic tolling system for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project.

The Joint Board approved a resolution authorizing the Indiana Finance Authority (IFA) to procure the services of HNTB Corporation to serve as a toll oversight advisor (TSA) after the previous contract expired at the end of 2018.  HNTB was selected after a request for proposals was issued this fall.

The Tolling Body, the group that sets tolling policies, passed a resolution making several changes to the business rules. Several of the changes are designed to update, refine and better define the framework for operations of the tolling system.

“We are approaching the end of our second year of tolling,” said Megan McLain, innovative finance manger with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “The resolutions passed today reflect some of the changing needs of our maturing tolling system. Many are housekeeping issues to ensure our business rules are up to date and reflect day-to-day operations of the tolling system. We also want business rules to reflect updates expected in 2019.”

Updated Customer Service Hours

The new year will bring updated hours for RiverLink customer service centers. Two customer service centers and the customer call center are currently open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday – Friday and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.

Customer service needs have decreased in the second year of tolling. By summer 2019, customer service hours are expected to change to 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday – Friday. Customer service is always available online, 24 hours a day/seven days a week.

 Inactivity Fee

Kentucky and Indiana have yet to institute inactivity fees for account holders, and updated business rules reflect that the fees are not in effect at this point. After 365 days of inactivity, the states can charge an inactivity fee of $5 a month until an account is depleted and the account is closed. The inactivity fee is designed to clear the books after an extended time of inactivity. Customers would first receive a notice of an approaching inactivity fee. As a new tolling system, the states have not found the need to implement the inactivity fee at this point.

Auto-Replenishment

If the payment method on file fails multiple times, the customers will be notified, and the payment source will be removed from the account.

 Refunds

Refunds are provided in the form of payment received. Only full refunds are applied to credit card payments. Any partial refunds are provided by check.

 Pay-by-Plate Business Rules

The updated business rule reflects that drivers who sign up for Pay by Plate notifications are notified of crossings on tolled bridges for a period of 30 days.

Dispute Process

For disputes taken over the phone by a customer service representative that require documentation, drivers must provide required documentation within 15 days. If the documentation is not provided, the dispute will be rejected.

Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Toll rates are adjusted yearly on July 1. Rates increase annually by 2.5 percent, unless the rate of inflation (as measured by the Consumer Price Index) is higher. Amended business rules clarify which index is being used to determine CPI.

Extended Conversion Offer in 2019

“We’re always evaluating the tolling system and working to make it the best it can be for our customers,” said Paul Boone, Indiana Department of Transportation interim director of tolling for the Ohio River bridges. “This past year, we added a Pay by Plate option for drivers without prepaid accounts and transponders. In the coming year, we’ll make it easier for drivers who owe back tolls to open an account and save money.”

A one-time conversion offer allows drivers who owe back tolls to have tolls lowered to transponder rates and late fees waived when they open a prepaid account. The offer is currently available to drivers who have not reached collection status (4th toll notice). By summer 2019, the one-time offer is expected to be available to all drivers who owe back tolls, including drivers who have received a collection notice.

Another updated business rule would allow the states to authorize an amnesty period at a future date. Late fees would be waived if tolls are paid in full. There are currently no plans to implement an amnesty period, but the new rule provides a future option to collect outstanding tolls.

Joint Board and Tolling Body

 The Joint Board and Tolling Body include transportation and finance leaders from Indiana and Kentucky. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) commissioner, the Indiana public finance director, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet secretary and the Kentucky Public Transportation Infrastructure Authority (KPTIA) chairman, or their designees, make up the Joint Board. The Tolling Body includes the four Joint Board members and an appointed member from each state.

The Tolling Body sets tolling policies. The Joint Board was created to have long-term oversight and management responsibility for the Ohio Rivers Bridges Project.

Bi-state tolling representatives handle the day-to-day administration of the tolling system.

Note: Resolutions and supporting documents from the meeting will be posted at https://riverlink.com/about/joint-board/.