Editorial: Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission needs a light to be shined on it

[FakeNoose]

(link) https://www.post-gazette.com/opinion/editorials/2022/03/03/Shine-a-light-on-Turnpike-Commission/stories/202202260033

THE EDITORIAL BOARD
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
March 3, 2022

It’s time for the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to stop operating in the dark.

In June 2020, the commission voted to lay off nearly 500 toll collectors with no public debate, angering the state legislature. Last year, also without public discussion, commissioners approved more than $430 million in credit and spending agreements in a meeting that lasted less than 15 minutes and increased tolls for the 14th year straight. Pennsylvania’s Turnpike Commission operates in virtual secrecy while leading the nation in costs for drivers.

State Rep. Anthony M. DeLuca has announced plans to introduce much-needed legislation requiring it to submit annual reports to the General Assembly, detailing money collected, as well as the amount of uncollected tolls. The plan follows news of a staggering $104 million in uncollected funds from June 2020 to May 2021.

DeLuca’s bill would take an overdue step toward better oversight; legislators should pass it quickly, ideally with bipartisan support.

In response, the Turnpike Commission argues, weakly, that the lost revenue represents only 7% of the revenue it should have collected — $1.2 billion — which falls well within industry standards. The commission also notes it already is seeking remedies and ways to crack down on drivers who refuse to pay tolls, mostly Toll-By-Plate drivers who ignore the bills they receive in the mail.

- more at link -

PA drivers get taken to the cleaners, while many out-of-state drivers pay nothing on our toll roads.

[multigraincracker]

1. Michigan only has 5 miles of toll road.

The Mackinaw Bridge connecting the Upper and Lower peninsulas.

[Wicked Blue]

2. The PA Turnpike is terrible

My husband hates driving on it. Especially in poor weather.

So where does all the money go?

[PittBlue]

3. We lived in PA until last year...

Travelled the turnpike all of the time. They got rid of all of their toll takers…”to save money”.
They have lost millions of dollars in tolls. The PA Turnpike Commission has always been shady. This is disgraceful.

[FakeNoose]

4. The plan was to "invoice" us for Turnpike tolls

... and then everyone would voluntarily pay the invoices. Well the final twist was that we couldn't renew our PA vehicle registration until the tolls were paid. That only works on people who actually live in Pennsylvania. Out of staters don't have any incentive to pay their tolls, ever! What a giant clusterf---.

[PittBlue]

6. We said from the beginning it was the worst idea ever!

Of course the people from PA are the ones being punished. Ridiculous...

[discntnt_irny_srcsm]

8. I took the pike for while a few years ago.

I live near Philly and worked in Somerset at the time. After about a year I started driving South to Baltimore and taking I70 then back up to the pike I think around Breezewood. Between the tolls and the price of gas I saved about $20 each way. Gas at Sheetz in Frederick was much cheaper at the time.

Since things are now so automated and you can pay the toll with credit how about having out of state vehicles use plastic to authorize the toll for whole ride and have a charge executed at the exit plaza for actual toll? Read the plates on entry. If you have ezpass or a PA plate you pay on exit. Otherwise you use credit to enter.

BTW weren't the tolls supposed to be gone after they paid off the bond money they raised in '30s?

[cbabe]

5. Wonder if Sec. Buttigieg could step in as condition of new fed money?

[twodogsbarking]

7. Not everyone can avoid it but those who can do.