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Illinois Tollway inspector general reports rise in hotline contacts, recommends policy and tracking fixes
Summary
The Tollway inspector general told the board that hotline and online reports rose and outlined recommendations on arrest reporting, rehiring retirees, employee cooperation, and vehicle-tracking gaps; several steps have been taken in response, the report says.
The Illinois Tollway inspector general told the board that the agency saw an increase in hotline and online reports in the past six months and recommended changes to the Tollway’s arrest-reporting process, its use of retired temporary employees and vehicle-tracking equipment.
In a semiannual overview, T.J., the Tollway’s inspector general, said his office received 99 hotline calls and 58 online submissions over the six-month reporting period and took action in 234 matters. He said 76 referrals went to department chiefs and 150 referrals went to toll operations customer service.
The inspector general said the office completed several reviews with formal recommendations. In one management advisory (R204001) the OIG found that the Tollway’s arrest-reporting policy — which requires employees to report arrests and indictments within three days and to report case outcomes in a timely fashion — was not being consistently tracked or followed. The OIG recommended improved tracking and clearer reporting forms. Administration agreed to add fields and require backup documentation in its electronic form but declined to create a separate form for reporting case outcomes, saying the existing process is sufficient.
Another review (R23002) examined the Tollway’s use of so-called "75-day" temporary employees — a payroll designation tied to the Illinois Pension Code that permits some retirees to return in short-term roles. The OIG recommended formal written procedures for selecting and using these retirees and suggested the Tollway consider personal services contracts, per the State’s comprehensive employment plan, as an alternative. Administration said it would develop written processes, create separate position descriptions for exempt and non-exempt roles, notify the ethics officer about prospective retiree hires, and perform an annual review of 75-day employees.
The OIG also reported concerns about staff cooperation and timeliness in responding to OIG records requests (RF24096). The report said an administrative office failed to identify which staff maintained requested records and delayed providing documents, and that the administration had forwarded OIG requests to employees without notifying the OIG. The inspector general recommended the Tollway reiterate its obligation to cooperate under the Toll Highway Act. The Tollway responded that employees are expected to communicate and respond timely and that procedures have been redesigned to ensure cooperation.
The OIG said it obtained court records in two cases (RF24103 and RF24161) involving Tollway employees indicted for off-duty criminal conduct; after referral to the Tollway the agency initiated disciplinary processes and terminated both employees for failing to respond. The OIG also reported two patron complaints about vehicle operation (RF25023); in one case, additional vehicle-location data indicated the employee had driven recklessly prior to swiping in for work and the employee received a written warning. Another review (RF25076) found several vehicles with missing or outdated ABL (automatic vehicle location) data; the Tollway said new equipment was placed on three of the vehicles identified and additional equipment is on order, and that staff training and periodic reviews were initiated.
The inspector general noted progress on earlier recommendations: vendor guidance posted on the Tollway website after State Procurement Office approval (R23003); contract management staff training emphasizing that out-of-scope work requires supplemental contract approval (IG23010); and new standard operating procedures for call takers that advise customers not to disclose confidential information and require immediate supervisor notification if such an event occurs (IG24001).
"I believe this report shows that our work is a good example of promoting integrity and accountability," T.J. said near the end of the briefing. "In many cases, they do take those recommendations or take actions to improve, which is very positive." The inspector general said the report was distributed to the board and published on the Tollway website.
Board members were invited to ask questions; no formal board action to accept the OIG report was recorded in the public portion of the transcript.
Votes recorded during the meeting covered routine consent and committee items (see separate votes summary).
