The Port of Entry Advisory Committee voted to evaluate its toll-collection service provider and pursue an audit of the toll and permit systems used at the World Trade Bridge, committee members said at a regular meeting. The motion, which passed with no recorded opposition, calls for staff to review the existing contract, scope potential upgrades and consider issuing a request for qualifications (RFQ) for alternative vendors.
Why it matters: Committee members and trade stakeholders described recurring operational and technical limits in the current platform that they say disrupt commercial traffic and add cost. The vendor contract — described at the meeting as costing about $1,000,000 a year — is up for review later this year, and committee members said an audit is needed before the October renewal window.
Committee staff told members TransCore is the current vendor and that the contract includes a three-year term with two optional extensions. "We pay 1,000,000 a year," a port staff member said during the discussion. Staff and trade representatives said the city is charged additional fees when it requests upgrades or application edits; those change requests, stakeholders and staff said, have slowed implementation and added expense.
Trade representatives and committee members described operational impacts: drivers and carriers have been required to present photos of loads and paper bills of lading to obtain oversized permits; the permit window has narrowed over time, increasing the risk that a permit will expire if a system outage or border issue causes delay. One industry speaker argued the permit process could be modernized and more automated, citing Texas online over-dimensional permits as an example.
Discussion at the meeting identified several specific technical and process problems to be included in the audit and vendor review: lack of easy subaccounts for drivers to view balances, unreliable auto-replenish behavior, inability for companies to maintain a company card on file (resulting in drivers using personal cards), and slow vendor responsiveness to change requests. Staff said they have met repeatedly with the vendor and internal IT this year and are preparing amended application language that would add a checkbox for company authorization of card charges and clearer account settings to reduce what staff and speakers referred to as "u-turns" — drivers turning back or being detained when accounts lack funds.
Committee members stressed that TransCore or a successor must be able to handle Laredo's volume. "We are the premier, we are the leaders," an industry member said, urging vigorous review of comparable systems used at other high-volume ports. Several members cautioned that replacement systems could cost more than the current baseline payment but said the long-term efficiencies could justify higher upfront or license fees.
The committee directed staff to pursue procurement protocol steps, to work with the city IT department and the purchasing office on scheduling an audit and RFQ process, and to return with findings in time to inform the October contract renewal window. Staff said they have been working on requirements and meetings with IT since June and hope to secure required vendors to perform an audit.
The motion: a committee member moved to evaluate a potential change of the service provider for the toll bridge and other antiquated systems, to be followed by a review and potential RFQ; another committee member seconded. The motion passed with the committee recording "aye" votes and no opposition.
The committee also discussed potential interim steps, including raising minimum account balances, automated alerts for low balances, and developing penalties for repeat account infractions, but staff said technical updates must be implemented before penalties are broadly applied.
Next steps: Staff will provide an audit scope and procurement schedule, coordinate with IT and purchasing, and report back to the committee before the October renewal period. Committee members requested comparative cost estimates for alternative vendors as part of that report.