RiverLink

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.

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

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

• Electronic toll collection
• Toll transponder system
• Bridge tolling services
• License plate recognition
• E-ZPass interoperability

Headquarters

HQ city

Louisville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core 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

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• TransCore LPcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 August 2022Roadside 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)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 September 2021Current 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 GroupcoreTechnology or IntegrationInteroperability 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 BrandoncoreOthersCollections 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 GroupcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerProject's tolling advisor. Contract extended through June 2027. Also serves as public relations services provider.
• U.S. BankcoreOthersProject's custodian responsible for safekeeping and distribution of toll revenues.
• LBMC (formerly Strothman and Company)coreOthersRevenue control manager for the bridges project. Contract extended through June 2026.
• FieldTrip LLCminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarketing services provider for RiverLink. Contract extended through June 2027.
• Kentucky Derby FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor sponsorship of Kentucky Derby Festival events to build brand awareness among local and visiting drivers.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct 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

• Xx.com/riverlinktolls
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@riverlinktolls4154
• Facebookfacebook.com/RiverLinkTolls

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RiverLink