ORANGE PARK, Fla. — Drivers who have not gotten Florida Department of Transportation toll disputes solved could face issues renewing their license.
Lori Rettinger and her husband Charles got an invoice from FDOT in January for a toll violation from June. Lori said it wasn't her husband’s car that drove past the toll without paying, but it was a car with a similar license plate. She told First Coast News just one misread letter could prevent him from getting his license renewed.
"I noticed that everything was the same except for one letter... and that was the letter that was blocked out,” she said.
Rettinger tells us it was a beam of sunlight that blocked the letter Q from the sight of the traffic camera, confusing this mini-cooper's tag number with the Ford Focus her daughter drives.
"I looked at the car and I knew that wasn't a car we owned,” said Rettinger.
One of the tolls came from the Miami-Dade Expressway. The other came from a SunPass toll road in Fort Lauderdale.
She reached out to Sunpass in early February to correct the issue.
"It's only a two dollar, twenty cents charge, but it's the principal of the matter.” She said. “It's not mine."
Rettinger said she made many calls before she was given a claim number. FDOT told her they'd get back to her in two business days.
"The claim is still open,” she said. “Nobody's worked on it yet."
She said she is worried her husband won't be able to renew his license because of it. "My husband's birthday is April 9 and his driver's license is due to be renewed, and this is all attached to his name."
First Coast News spoke with FDOT who told First Coast News they are backed up several months.
Usually, bills go out 21 days after the violation, but these violations are from June and they weren't billed until seven months later.
"We're opening all these SunPass roads in Jacksonville,” said Rettinger. “What is that going to do to the backlog they already have?"
Rettinger said she thinks the system needs work. “They’re billing somebody that doesn't even own this vehicle."
First Coast News is still working to get answers from FDOT about their solutions to get caught up. They were sent questions about how they typically handle these problems and asked about any advice they could give to drivers, but First Coast News did not get a response.
A spokesperson from FDOT said they will be looking to expedite the process for Rettinger, since the license renewal is approaching.