Bullitt County car lot receiving invoices from RiverLink for vehicles previously sold

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A Bullitt County business owner is receiving RiverLink bills for vehicles she doesn't own.

Felicia Sabic, owner of S&S Towing and Auto Sales, has received 21 different vehicle invoices for crossing the Ohio River toll bridges. Sabic said the bills that amount to nearly $2,000 started in Feb. 2024 from vehicles she sold at the used car lot.

Kentucky and Indiana dedicated $3.3 million in January to boost back office help months after Electronic Transaction Consultants (ETC) took over operations of the Ohio River toll bridge system. WDRB reported in February that ETC had fallen behind in its performance targets since taking over the toll system last September. RiverLink includes the I-65 Kennedy and Lincoln bridges and the Lewis and Clark Bridge.

Sabic and her husband are receiving RiverLink bills from drivers going across the toll bridges.

"It's going against these people and they have no idea that these bills are even out," Sabic said. "RiverLink doesn't have a system that is connecting well with Kentucky's new KAVIS system."

BULLITT CO. RIVERLINK ISSUES — Felicia Sabic looks at RiverLink bills in Shepherdsville, Ky. on June 5, 2024.

Kentucky's Automated Vehicle Information System, also known as KAVIS, was rolled out in the start of 2024.

The former system, Avis, had been used by the state's motor vehicle administration for nearly 50 years. KYTC had been trying to switch to the new KAVIS system since 2001. Kentucky shutdown all registrations on Jan. 1, 2024, so it could make the transition. It caused a lot of roadblocks by disrupting decals, plates, disabled parking permits, registrations or transfers until mid-January.

"That changed a lot of rules in Kentucky, prior to January 1st, the plates stayed with the vehicle when you would go to sell," Sabic said. "Now the plate stays with the person. I think there is some discrepancy between RiverLink and the DMV's new system."

Sabic searched for answers herself.

"When I called RiverLink and explained this, she said 'well we talked to the DMV,' but when I talked to the local and state, the plates do not come back to us, but the owner of the vehicle," Sabic said.

For drivers, the unknown invoices could become an issue when they try to renew their vehicle registration.

"This person that may or may not be able to renew their tags because of how expensive everything is will now have to pay all these charges at once before they get to renew their tags," Sabic said.

RiverLink denied Sabic's claims about the invoice issue.

"We're continuing to gather more information, but it appears that the dispute was denied because the necessary documentation was not provided," RiverLink released in a statement.

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