SANDAG Chairwoman Vargas, board takes steps to resolve tolling system

By SDCN Editor

San Diego, CA–Following this month’s San Diego Association of Governments (SANDAG) Board of Directors meeting, SANDAG Chairwoman Nora Vargas, Vice Chair Sean Elo-Rivera, and Second Vice Chair Lesa Heebner have announced the next steps to ensure all toll road customers are protected.

Chairwoman Vargas asked that the Independent Performance Auditor assess the toll operations system as part of the SANDAG board leadership’s commitment to accountability and transparency.

“Ensuring the public’s trust is paramount. The board and I are taking these matters extremely seriously and an investigation plan is already underway with our new Independent Performance Auditor,” said SANDAG and San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Nora Vargas. “As we roll out these next steps, I will ensure that SANDAG staff updates the Board and the public every step of the way.”

In addition, based on the information that was presented to the board last week, SANDAG leadership announced the following immediate actions:

Deputy CEO Ray Major will take over management of Toll Operations from the chief financial officer and oversee the transition to the new back-office system. Major has more than two decades of private industry experience building and implementing software systems and will provide the critical operational expertise needed to lead this work going forward.

The SANDAG Customer Service Center is increasing staff and resources to address customers who have questions or concerns. 

The SANDAG Board will be presented with an action plan at its January 12 meeting that details the impacts of the current system and the next steps to address deficiencies and implementation of the new back-office system.

“Rebuilding public trust and resolving the tolling operations system will be the top priority for our interim CEO,” Chairwoman Vargas continued. “We understand that we have a fiduciary responsibility to the community to get this right and we have a plan to do so. I want to be clear that we will take every step necessary to protect the public and ensure the integrity of this system.”

Customers with account questions can contact the SANDAG Customer Service Center at (888) 889-1515, Monday to Friday from 8 a.m.–6 p.m. Email customerservice@sandag.org, or visit in person Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1129 La Media Road in San Diego, CA 92154.