The Rhode Island Department of Transportation (RIDOT) and the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority (RITBA) today offered joint assurances about how privacy protection policies will be implemented in connection with electronic tolling for large commercial trucks. Both RIDOT and RITBA affirmed their intent to ensure that all data will be vigilantly protected and to work with groups that also seek to ensure privacy protection.
RIDOT Director Peter Alviti said, "We want to explain the meticulous preparation that has gone into ensuring that any and all data collected from our electronic tolling system is subject to the utmost protection. First and foremost, no data will be handled by RIDOT. RIDOT is neither the repository nor the processor of any information that comes from the electronic gantries directly to RITBA which is why there was no specific privacy policy articulated as part of our business rules and regulations."
RITBA has been collecting tolling data from its bridges and processing billing for years. On October 10, 2012 RITBA's board adopted its privacy protection policy. This policy covers open road tolling or All Electronic Tolling (AET).
RIDOT has contracted with RITBA through a memorandum of understanding to have RITBA process all data from the electronic tolling gantries. RIDOT will never see or handle the data. Since the data goes directly to RITBA, it falls under RITBA's privacy protection policy. The same protection that is afforded the data collected from RITBA's bridge tolling will be given to the data from RIDOT's tolling.
RITBA Executive Director Buddy Croft said, "The privacy protection of every piece of data collected by our systems is job number one for us. We have never had an issue with this. We are scrupulous and vigilant. We anticipate applying the same strict and rigid standards of protection to the large commercial truck tolls that we use for our bridges."
RIDOT indicated that it plans to coordinate with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) to address any concerns. RIDOT will promulgate a rule and regulation concerning privacy protection.