The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced on Nov. 8 that the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) will assume responsibility for managing billing and customer service operations for toll roads in the Houston and Austin regions.
Key Points to Know
On Nov. 6, TxDOT approved a new agreement with HCTRA to handle toll collections in Houston and Austin, marking the end of the TxTag service previously managed by TxDOT in these areas.
Established in 2006, TxTag was a statewide toll service operated by TxDOT, which also extended its services to support drivers on toll roads in Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
Existing TxTag users will still be able to use their tags on all toll roads, but TxTag accounts will automatically switch to EZ Tag accounts by Dec. 2, per TxDOT. EZ Tags, managed by HCTRA, will become the new standard for toll collections, and anyone without an active TxTag account will need to register for an EZ Tag through HCTRA.
Details on Toll Road Transition
The following toll roads will be moved to HCTRA’s collection system:
Austin
– SH 130
– SH 45 N
– SH 45 SE
– MoPac/Loop 1
Houston
– Grand Parkway
– Hwy. 249
Most TxTag service centers in Austin will stay open during and after the transition, though TxDOT announced the toll collections center at 2420 Ridgepoint Drive in Austin will close by mid-2025. Customers will also have the option to pay tolls at partnering retail locations, such as Walmart and H-E-B.
TxDOT Statement
“HCTRA has successfully managed toll services as its primary function for 40 years, and we expect them to deliver reliable, high-quality service for our Central Texas and Houston toll road customers,” stated TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams. “This shift will bring substantial cost savings and efficiency for Texas, likely reducing fees and helping to keep tolls low.”
Additional Information
During the transition, some customers may experience brief outages when accessing their accounts. A system maintenance “blackout period” is planned for Nov. 15-18 to facilitate the transfer of most TxTag users to the EZ Tag system, during which customers will not have access to their TxTag accounts.
