Bugs found in WA’s new automated toll system. That gives you more time to plan for change
The state Department of Transportation has pushed back the date of its planned Good To Go system shutdown to July 2, giving commuters another two weeks to get their accounts up to date before they go dark.
WSDOT said in a release the schedule change was to allow a system vendor to “address final system issues.”
The two-week closure of MyGoodToGo.com and the Good To Go call center, originally scheduled for June 18, will allow WSDOT to transition to a new computer system with many promised new features.
During the shutdown, users of the popular automated toll-paying system will find they won’t be able to get into their online accounts, or even call for help, for two weeks. But the Good To Go sticker still will get them across the Narrows Bridge or any of the toll roads in the state. They just won’t be able to see their bill — or pay it — for a while.
WSDOT is advising drivers to make sure their accounts have enough credit to get them through at least two weeks’ worth of tolls. The Good To Go stickers will not stop working, even if a driver’s account is empty, but drivers could be surprised by a large bill later.
Drivers will not be penalized if they overdraw their accounts during the shutdown, and there will be a two-week grace period afterwards to allow for late payments.
Testers find problems
The switchover has been delayed because testers working for the system vendor “identified critical issues related to customer billing and accounting that must be addressed,” according to a WSDOT release.
In other words, they found some bugs.
“The testing process worked as intended, as we are identifying and working through these issues with our vendor,” said Edward Barry, WSDOT Toll Division director. “Our goal has always been to ensure that our transition is as smooth as possible for our customers, so we are being conservative in these final steps before shutdown.”
Better to find the faults now, Barry said, than when the new system goes live.
“We’re taking the time to do this right, and the benefit to customers is that they have longer to prepare,” said Barry. “While we work through these issues, the current customer experience is not affected.”
New system is upgrade
The new system will include improvements drivers have been asking for, WSDOT said, including a new “pay as you go” method that will allow drivers to charge their credit card instead of making payments up front. Customers also will be able to do simple things like change a password or switch their method of payment on the website, instead of having to wait to talk to someone at the call center. They also will be able to get text messages when, for instance, their pre-paid account is running low.
“The present system has been in place for 10 years, and we’ve not kept up with technology,” Jennifer Charlebois, the WSDOT toll division’s director of systems and engineering, told The Gateway in May. “We’re going to be adding a lot of updated features customers have been asking for.”
Good To Go is an automated toll paying system that works by reading a sticker affixed to a vehicle’s windshield. Good to Go drivers can bypass the toll booths and use a faster lane with overhead readers. They also save money — the Good to Go toll on the Narrows Bridge is $5 for passenger cars, while drivers using the cash or credit booths pay $6.
The switchover to the new system, designed by ETAN Tolling Technology of Plano, Texas, will involve the migration of nearly 2 million customer accounts, complete with personal information and passwords.
Although WSDOT hopes the transition will go smoothly, Charlebois also advises commuters to make a note of their account number and password and keep it on paper “in a secure location.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2021 at 5:00 AM.