Jim Trogdon, the 2-star general who serves as number-2 guy at the state Department of Transportation, says he'll move quickly to improve customer service at the N.C. Turnpike Authority.

(2/7/13 update: Tata apologizes for 'completely avoidable' billing errors, and promises fix.)

Trogdon responded to Tuesday's Road Worrier column about 800 drivers who were double-billed, because they used both N.C. Quick Pass and E-ZPass transponders, for their trips on the Triangle Expressway. A turnpike official blamed the drivers, saying they should have known not to use two transponders.

"We’ll get that fixed," Trogdon, DOT's chief operating officer, said Tuesday in a 7:40 a.m. phone message.

"I think there’s some pretty basic things we should have done here. And we’ll make sure we get ‘em done. Because the customer expectation voiced I think by the customer service center is way too high -- and it’s not a burden our customers should be shouldering without plenty of assistance.

"So I’ll speak with the secretary this morning and see if we can’t do something fairly quick to address the shortcoming in our performance."

Hundreds of N.C. Quick Pass transponder users will receive letters notifying them that they may have been double-billed for tolls on the Triangle Expressway, because they also had E-ZPass transponders in their cars.

(See 2/5/13 Road Worrier with reader comments: NCDOT can blame its customers or learn from them. Also see 1/30/13 story with reader comments: N.C. Turnpike Authority double-bills hundreds of TriEx drivers.)

The N.C. Turnpike Authority drafted the letters (see copy attached, below), to be distributed with customer statements, after acknowledging that 800 drivers had paid tolls twice for the same trips in January – through their N.C. Quick Pass debit accounts, and through their accounts with toll road agencies in 14 northern and midwestern states that use E-ZPass transponders. ... [MORE]

Have you had problems with toll charges from the N.C. Turnpike Authority for your trips on the Triangle Expressway? If so, I'd like to hear from you.

(1/30/13 update: N.C. Turnpike Authority double-bills hundreds of TriEx drivers.)

Drivers now pay tolls three different ways: by mail, or through debit accounts attached to N.C. Quick Pass or E-ZPass transponders. Some TriEx drivers have reported confusion about which way their tolls are collected.

Please email me about your billing problems, including duplicate charges for the same trip. Don't forget to include your name and daytime phone number.

View Triangle Expressway in a larger map

More than 23 million drivers use E-ZPass transponders to drive on toll roads in 14 northeastern states, and quite a few of them live in the Triangle. Starting Jan. 3, they'll be able to use their old E-ZPass accounts in other states to pay for trips on North Carolina's new toll road, the Triangle Expressway. (See 12/27/12 story and 1/2/13 story with reader comments).

Likewise, the 9,000 folks who have N.C. Quick Pass $20 hardcase transponders (sorry, not the $5 sticker versions) will be able to use them for trips on E-ZPass toll roads in 14 states from Virginia to Maine and Illinois.

I'm reporting on this today. Please tell me about your E-ZPass and your plans: email me at bruce.siceloff@newsobserver.com or call me at 919-829-4527.