‘Unacceptable' | Kentucky, Indiana to spend $3M to cut hourlong RiverLink customer wait times

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind. (WDRB) -- The public agency overseeing RiverLink will pay a contractor to address “unacceptable customer service metrics” with the Ohio River toll network as average call wait times now sit at two hours.

The Kentucky-Indiana Joint Board voted to spend $3 million at a meeting Thursday to help RiverLink operator Electronic Transaction Consultants (ETC) improve wait times by nearly doubling the number of representatives – with most of them focused on phone calls.

Wait times have ballooned after ETC recently replaced a subcontractor in charge of handling phone calls and other customer issues with the toll network that includes the downtown Lincoln and Kennedy I-65 bridges and the upriver Lewis and Clark crossing.

With that change, the average time on hold went from two minutes last month to two hours, said Mindy Peterson, a RiverLink spokeswoman.

"We're going to get more bodies in there, we're going to get more representatives right away, and we're going to cut that hold time and get it back to where we want it to be," she said.

The sudden increase in call wait times occurred as ETC subcontractor WSP was replaced with another firm, Global Agility Solutions, according to the states. Quarterhill Inc., which owns ETC, declined to comment Thursday afternoon.

Peterson told WDRB News in an interview that the states' action leaves open the possibility of ETC eventually reimbursing the costs of the immediate funding, which will be taken from toll revenue paid by drivers.

"We did expect a seamless transition. That did not happen," she said. "When that did not happen, the states are stepping in. So we are continuing conversations on who is going to cover this investment."

Board member Dan Huge, Indiana's public finance director, called the decision "prudent," while Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray hailed it as an "appropriate action."

The money is meant to hire 46 customer service representatives, bringing the total number of positions to 86.

The move marks the second time in two years that the states have decided to use toll revenue to help boost lagging customer service.

The board, which includes top finance and transportation officials from both states, approved giving $2.3 million to ETC in early 2024 to hire new workers and another $1 million for pay hikes for local employees.

ETC took over RiverLink's day-to-day toll collection and billing work in 2023. Working with subcontractors, the "back office" work includes processing toll transactions, making sure the correct vehicles are charged and handling customer service.

WDRB reported in early 2024 that ETC and its team were struggling to meet a number of performance goals, including customer service targets. Months later, officials said things were moving "in the right direction" as call wait times had fallen.

Tolls began on the three RiverLink bridges in late 2016. The debt on the bridges won’t be paid off until the 2050s, according to financing plans put in place before construction started.

As of last year, Kentucky still had about $790 million in debt remaining, while Indiana owed more than $500 million.