The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced Friday that it would terminate its contract with IBM over continued challenges it has had with an upgraded toll operations system.
TxDOT said that since the system’s roll-out, TxTag customers and toll road users have experienced many unnecessary challenges managing their accounts. Because TxDOT has not seen satisfactory results from IBM and is disappointed in the difficulties the system has created for users, TxDOT said, the remaining contract with IBM would be terminated.
“We take the responsibility of providing a quality and trusted customer experience very seriously, and regret the impact and inconvenience these past many months of lackluster IBM service have had on our toll road users,” Texas DOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. “We will continue to keep customers apprised on our progress to improve our customers’ interactions with TxTag. Our customers deserve better and we are committed to ensuring that they receive that going forward.”
Texas DOT officials said that it had secured an emergency contract for an interim technology provider with SAP and the Department of Information Resources Managed Security Services to stabilize and improve the toll operation’s back-end system and to manage customer data and toll transactions. The move will ensure the system provides customers with accurate, timely and consistent account management, billing and payment capabilities, consistent with the highest levels of usability and security.
Texas DOT also said that it has begun the process of securing a new service provider who can assume responsibilities from the interim team to continue improvements and operations.
“This is not a step we take lightly,” Williams said. “But it is the step we had to take now. We simply could not move forward in the current state.”
Texas DOT said customers did not need to take any action, but it encouraged customers to continue managing their accounts at www.TxTag.org, or by contacting the TxTag call center. The agency said no late fees were being assessed, as has been the case since the system transition began in late 2020.