North Highland's Transportation experts led a roundtable discussion alongside Michael Catolico, Chief of Business Systems at Illinois Tollway. The session was designed to share practical AI applications that are already transforming revenue assurance. The roundtable brought together toll agency executives to exchange real-world experiences and explore how data-driven approaches are improving payment compliance, operational efficiency, and financial performance across their organizations.
5 key takeaways from the session:
1. AI serves as a revenue assurance accelerator
Roundtable participants revealed how AI has evolved beyond simple prediction to deliver prescriptive actions that drive results. By analyzing customer segments and payment behaviors, agencies can develop customized outreach strategies and payment plans that increase collection rates while reducing operational costs.
2. Data quality forms the foundation for AI success
Multiple agencies emphasized that strong data governance, completeness, and quality are essential prerequisites for effective AI implementation. In one case, AI analysis uncovered 3-5% revenue loss due to data inconsistencies, demonstrating how data auditing and enrichment deliver immediate value.
3. Customer segmentation drives targeted strategies
Agencies are using AI to segment customers based on propensity to pay, capacity to pay, and behavioral intent. This allows for differentiated approaches between casual first-time users and high-cost collection segments like repeat offenders, improving overall collection performance.
4. Human and AI collaboration enhances outcomes
Rather than replacing human judgment, AI is positioned as a co-pilot that accelerates insights and guides business teams. Successful implementations feature feedback loops between data scientists and operations teams to ensure AI-driven recommendations are actionable and relevant.
5. Ethical considerations remain central
As agencies implement AI-driven collection strategies, they're carefully navigating policy and ethical considerations. Custom approaches tied to ability to pay must align with public governance rules, transparency standards, and fairness principles.
From Insights to Impact
The IBTTA roundtable confirmed that AI isn't just a future possibility. It's already transforming how toll agencies approach revenue assurance today. Participants shared their journey from reactive to proactive collection strategies, demonstrating how this shift delivers both improved financial outcomes and more efficient operations.
With participating agencies representing diverse geographies, tolling models, and system structures, the examples discussed demonstrate strong adaptability. These approaches can be tailored to fit various operational environments while addressing common challenges in revenue collection.
For transportation leaders working to improve financial performance, reduce revenue leakage, and deliver better customer experiences, the path from vision to value is becoming clearer. These solutions are already proving their value in real-world applications, and the opportunity to apply them in new contexts is ready to be explored.
Ready to transform your toll operations with AI and data-driven revenue assurance? You can achieve improved collection efficiency, reduced costs, and enhanced financial performance through approaches tailored to your specific challenges. Discover how North Highland helps transportation agencies turn revenue vision into measurable value.
