Here's how to get your bank overdraft fees reimbursed from SunPass

Florida's SunPass toll system is reimbursing customers hit with bank overdraft fees after a botched $287 million upgrade left an enormous backlog of 170 million transactions.

The Florida Department of Transportation announced earlier this week it was fining the contractor responsible for the upgrade, Conduent, nearly $800,000 in damages and asked for an investigation into the vendor's "failures and mismanagement" of the transition. The upgrade was supposed to last about a week, but ended in the toll system being down for a month. During that time, customers still racked up toll charges but couldn't track them. In July, SunPass began charging customers for backlogged transactions, which led to some people incurring overdraft fees and fines.

"We will not let Conduent off the hook and the bill for reimbursements will be sent directly to Conduent," FDOT Secretary Mike Dew said in a statement. "SunPass customer service representatives are trained and ready to receive calls from customers who may have been impacted."

Starting Aug. 16, customers can submit requests for overdraft fee reimbursements online at the SunPass website. Here are the basic instructions:

1. Log into your online SunPass account.

2. From the left-side menu, select "Online Support."

3. On the "Reason for Contact" dropdown list, click "Overdraft Fee Reimbursement." On the "Sub-Category" menu, click "Request."

4. Upload your bank statement in the field provided reflecting at last two automatic SunPass replenishment withdrawals and the resulting overdraft fees incurred between June 11 and Aug. 17. Remove any personal information, other than your first and last name.

5. In the comment box, explain your situation and whether you prefer your
reimbursement mailed to you in the form of a check or applied to your SunPass account as a toll credit.

SunPass customers can also file claims via fax at 1-888-265-1725 or by sending a letter via mail to General Customer Correspondence & Enrollment, Florida Department of Transportation/SunPass, P.O. Box 447, Ocoee, FL 34761. You can also do it in person at a SunPass Walk-in Centers across Florida.

Requests submitted online or at a walk-in center should be processed within four to five business days. FDOT says it will continue to waive late fees and penalties for SunPass customers. For remaining questions and concerns, call the SunPass Customer Service Center at 888-865-5352.

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