RiverLink
RiverLink is the all-electronic tolling system jointly operated by Indiana and Kentucky on three Ohio River bridges connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana. It collects cashless tolls via E-ZPass transponders, prepaid accounts, and license-plate-based video tolling, serving daily commuters and interstate travelers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersLouisville, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What RiverLink does
RiverLink is the all-electronic tolling system jointly operated by the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) and the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) across three Ohio River crossings between Louisville, Kentucky and Southern Indiana: the Lincoln Bridge, the Kennedy Bridge, and the Lewis and Clark Bridge. The system was activated on December 30, 2016 under a bi-state legal framework comprising a Joint Board, Indiana Code 8-15.5, and Kentucky Revised Statutes 175B, replacing legacy staffed toll plazas with cashless collection via E-ZPass interoperable transponders, prepaid local transponder accounts, and image-based video tolling supported by automated license plate recognition for vehicles without transponders or accounts.
The revenue model is a regulated toll franchise rather than a commercial sales motion: gross toll revenue is split evenly between Indiana and Kentucky, with annual rate adjustments tied to a 2.5% or CPI-based escalator applied across both transponder and video toll tiers. Distribution and account servicing are handled through a retail walk-in center network (including a Louisville showroom), online account management, and call-center support; transponders are also distributed via participating retail partners. The system supports E-ZPass interoperability with 16 member states, which accounts for approximately 30% of revenue and broadens the effective service area beyond the immediate Louisville metro.
Operationally, RiverLink processed more than $80 million in its first year, with monthly toll revenue exceeding $12 million and daily crossings exceeding 100,000 (an 8.4 million quarterly crossing record set in Q2 2018). Year-one adoption metrics included more than 335,000 active transponders, 150,000 prepaid accounts, and 63% transponder usage by December 2017. The system transitioned to TransCore as its new Toll System Provider in January 2026 and launched formal collections enforcement through Perdue Brandon in May 2026, while expanding customer service staffing in mid-2025 to support growing account and call volumes.
RiverLink firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- RiverLink
- Legal name
- RiverLink
- Website
- https://riverlink.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- RiverLink is the all-electronic tolling system jointly operated by Indiana and Kentucky on three Ohio River bridges connecting Louisville and Southern Indiana. It collects cashless tolls via E-ZPass transponders, prepaid accounts, and license-plate-based video tolling, serving daily commuters and interstate travelers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
RiverLink industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Electronic Toll Collection
- SIC
- Transportation Services (4700)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) & Transponder/Tag Systems (RFID/DSRC) (TLAJABAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Back-Office Toll Transaction Processing, Billing & Customer Account Management (TLAJABAC), Interoperability & Clearinghouse Services (Multi-Agency Toll Settlement) (TLAJABAF), Toll Payment & Toll Account Management (ETC, Toll Tags, Toll Invoicing) (TLABAMAC)
Keywords
Where RiverLink is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Louisville
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices4 records
Markets served
RiverLink business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Toll Collection - Passenger Vehicles: Collection of tolls from passenger vehicle crossings. Rates range from $2.79 (with transponder/prepaid account) to $5.57 (standard rate without transponder) per crossing for 2026-2027. Drivers with transponders and prepaid accounts in good standing save 50% off the standard toll.
- Toll Collection - Commercial Vehicles: Toll collection based on vehicle height and number of axles. Rates for trucks with five or more axles range up to $16.62 per crossing (2026-2027). Commercial accounts do not qualify for frequent-user discount.
- Frequent-User Discount Program: Automatic 50% credit after 40 trips posted on any of the three tolled bridges in a calendar month. Only available for drivers in passenger vehicles with RiverLink personal accounts who maintain a positive balance. Applied per transponder, not per account.
- E-ZPass Interoperability Revenue: Revenue received from E-ZPass systems in other states for drivers crossing with E-ZPass transponders from other states. Approximately $6.8 million received in first quarter 2017.
- Transponder Sales: RiverLink E-ZPass transponders sold for $15 each (one-time cost). Local transponders are provided free of charge. Additional revenue from retail starter kits with $3 activation fee and $1.50 reload fees.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Passenger vehicles with transponder and prepaid account - lowest rate |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Passenger vehicles without transponder but with prepaid account |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Passenger vehicles with no prepaid account (pay-by-plate/invoice) |
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Trucks with five or more axles - highest rate tier |
| One time/ perpetual license | Monthly | RiverLink E-ZPass Transponder |
| Freemium | Monthly | RiverLink Local Transponder |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | RiverLink Starter Kit (Retail) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Personal Account Minimum Balance |
| Subscription | Monthly | Commercial Account Minimum Balance |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels8 records
RiverLink product offering
Product offeringCore offering
RiverLink operates the all-electronic toll collection system for three Ohio River bridges connecting Louisville, KY and Southern Indiana—the Abraham Lincoln Bridge, Kennedy Bridge, and Lewis and Clark Bridge. The system uses transponders and license plate recognition cameras to collect tolls without toll booths or stopping, serving both individual drivers through prepaid personal accounts and businesses through commercial fleet accounts with E-ZPass interoperability across 16 states.
Product overview
RiverLink is an all-electronic tolling system for the Louisville-Southern Indiana Ohio River Bridges Project, operated as a bi-state effort between Indiana and Kentucky. The system offers toll collection on three bridges: the I-65 Abraham Lincoln Bridge, the I-65 Kennedy Bridge, and the SR 265 Lewis and Clark Bridge. The core product portfolio centers on prepaid accounts (personal and commercial) paired with transponder options (free local RiverLink transponder for bridge-only use or $15 E-ZPass transponder for 16-state interoperability). Supporting modules include online account management, automated phone system, pay-by-plate online payment, auto-replenishment, frequent-user discount program, and collections services for enforcement. All-electronic tolling means no toll booths, no coin machines, no lines, and no stopping.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- RiverLink local transponder: Free sticker-style transponder that adheres to inside of windshield, non-transferable, works only on local tolled bridges
- RiverLink E-ZPass transponder
Products and services
- RiverLink Personal Account
- RiverLink Commercial Account
- RiverLink Local Transponder
- RiverLink E-ZPass Transponder
- Pay By Plate
- RiverLink All-Electronic Toll Collection System
Quantifiable outcome
- Save more than $2.50 each crossing with Fee Forgiveness program
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use RiverLink
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
RiverLink technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration4 records
AI capability2 records
Feature5 records
RiverLink partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- TransCore LPcoreRoadside services provider responsible for installation, operation and maintenance of roadside equipment used to capture vehicle crossings and determine vehicle classification. Awarded seven-year contract in August 2022.
- Electronic Transaction Consultants (ETC)coreCurrent toll service provider (TSP) overseeing back office services including image review, invoicing, and customer service centers. ETC is a Quarterhill company. Contract started September 2023, with transition planned through July 2028.
- E-ZPass GroupcoreInteroperability network allowing RiverLink to accept E-ZPass transponders from 16 states. E-ZPass transponders make up about 30% of RiverLink toll revenue. KPTIA holds membership in the E-ZPass Group.
- Perdue BrandoncoreCollections agency identified by Joint Board in 2022 to collect outstanding tolls and fees. Performance-based agreement with no upfront cost. Paid based on percentage of unpaid tolls collected.
- Parsons Transportation GroupcoreProject's tolling advisor. Contract extended through June 2027. Also serves as public relations services provider.
- U.S. BankcoreProject's custodian responsible for safekeeping and distribution of toll revenues.
- LBMC (formerly Strothman and Company)coreRevenue control manager for the bridges project. Contract extended through June 2026.
- FieldTrip LLCminorMarketing services provider for RiverLink. Contract extended through June 2027.
- Kentucky Derby FestivalminorMajor sponsorship of Kentucky Derby Festival events to build brand awareness among local and visiting drivers.
Scale indicators9 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
RiverLink competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- TxTag (Texas Department of Transportation): Texas-operated electronic toll collection system serving multiple toll authorities across the state. Comparable AET operator with transponder issuance, prepaid accounts, and license plate tolling.
- Peach Pass (State Road and Tollway Authority / Georgia): Georgia's electronic tolling system on metro Atlanta express lanes. Comparable as a state-authority AET operator issuing transponders, processing pay-by-plate invoices, and managing customer accounts.
- SunPass (Florida's Turnpike Enterprise): Florida's statewide all-electronic tolling system operated by a state toll authority. Directly comparable as a public tolling entity issuing transponders, billing via license plate, and processing millions of monthly transactions.
- Illinois Tollway (I-PASS): Operates Illinois' all-electronic I-PASS tolling system, an E-ZPass-compatible network. Comparable as a state-level AET operator with transponder issuance, account management, and license plate tolling on highway infrastructure.
- NC Quick Pass (North Carolina Turnpike Authority): North Carolina's all-electronic tolling system on turnpike facilities. Comparable as a state-level AET operator with transponder and pay-by-plate billing, plus a bi-state/cross-region customer base.
- E-ZPass Group: Interoperability consortium of 16+ state toll agencies whose transponders RiverLink accepts and settles with. E-ZPass transponders already contribute ~30% of RiverLink revenue, making the E-ZPass Group the most directly comparable peer.
- FasTrak (Caltrans / Bay Area toll authorities): California's interoperable electronic toll collection system used across state-owned bridges, express lanes, and toll roads. Comparable in scale, AET model, and transponder-based interoperability mechanics.
Emerging players
- BestPass: Toll management service for commercial fleets interoperable with the E-ZPass network, including RiverLink. Comparable as an adjacent player capturing fleet toll volume on RiverLink's bridges.
Broad incumbents
- Kapsch TrafficCom: Global tolling technology provider delivering roadside and back-office systems to toll operators including U.S. agencies. Comparable as a broad incumbent supplying the technology platform on which systems like RiverLink run.
- TransCore: Major roadside tolling systems integrator and operator, including RiverLink's incoming TSP. Comparable as a broad incumbent that builds and operates the back-office and roadside infrastructure underlying systems like RiverLink.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
RiverLink social profiles
Digital presenceRiverLink compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
RiverLink financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
RiverLink leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
RiverLink funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
RiverLink M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about RiverLink
What does RiverLink do?
RiverLink operates the all-electronic toll collection system for three Ohio River bridges connecting Louisville, KY and Southern Indiana—the Abraham Lincoln Bridge, Kennedy Bridge, and Lewis and Clark Bridge. The system uses transponders and license plate recognition cameras to collect tolls without toll booths or stopping, serving both individual drivers through prepaid personal accounts and businesses through commercial fleet accounts with E-ZPass interoperability across 16 states.
Is RiverLink a public or private company?
RiverLink is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was RiverLink founded?
RiverLink was founded in 2015. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is RiverLink based?
RiverLink is headquartered in Louisville, United States, in the North America region.
How does RiverLink make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Toll Collection - Passenger Vehicles are the primary driver. The others are toll Collection - Commercial Vehicles, frequent-User Discount Program, E-ZPass Interoperability Revenue and transponder Sales.
Who are RiverLink's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are TxTag (Texas Department of Transportation), Peach Pass (State Road and Tollway Authority / Georgia), SunPass (Florida's Turnpike Enterprise), Illinois Tollway (I-PASS), NC Quick Pass (North Carolina Turnpike Authority), E-ZPass Group and FasTrak (Caltrans / Bay Area toll authorities). BestPass is listed as an emerging player. Broad incumbents are Kapsch TrafficCom and TransCore.
Does RiverLink have an API?
No public API is recorded for RiverLink.
What industry is RiverLink in?
RiverLink's product category is Electronic Toll Collection. Its primary akta.pro industry code is TLAJABAA, Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) & Transponder/Tag Systems (RFID/DSRC), with a secondary code of TLAJABAC, Back-Office Toll Transaction Processing, Billing & Customer Account Management. Its SIC code is 4700.