New Orleans, LA – The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) continues to process customer refund checks following the May 4th vote to end the tolls. Current trends indicate it is now processing more U.S. mail, e-mail and fax requests as opposed to in-person requests.
“As we’ve gone along, our staff has adjusted very well to the needs of our customers,” said Rhett Desselle, DOTD Assistant Secretary for Operations. “With the increase in external requests, we have been able to process refunds through the weekend, while steadily decreasing our in-house wait time during the normal business hours.”
DOTD officials estimate it now receives approximately 65 percent of the refund requests via mail, e-mail and fax, with the remaining 35 percent processed as walk-ins. With the increase in volume, customers who do not submit their requests in person can now expect to receive their refund in the mail within 7-10 business days, as opposed to the previous timeframe of 5-10 business days. For walk-in customers at the Customer Service Center (CSC), the current processing time is 10-30 minutes if they wish to wait for their refund check.
Nearly 3,000 checks have been disbursed in the month of May, totaling over $105,000.
To receive a refund, customers may come to the CSC located at 2001 Mardi Gras Boulevard in New Orleans. The CSC is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is no longer open until 7 p.m. on Thursdays. Customers may also send requests via U.S. Mail or electronic mail to customerservice@geauxpass.com. Forms can be picked up at the CSC or downloaded from the DOTD website at, http://www.dotd.la.gov/operations/cccd/requestrefund.aspx.
As a reminder, customers need to have the following to receive a refund.
· Completed and signed “W-9” form as required by the state and the IRS for auditing and verification purposes
· Completed and signed “Request for Refund” form
· Copy of account holder’s valid driver’s license
· Written letter requesting closure of the account
· Return toll tag(s) or unused portion of toll ticket book(s)
DOTD will continue to process refunds as well as develop long-term operational plans.
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www.dotd.la.gov