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Old 12-08-2010, 04:57 PM
 
68 posts, read 124,543 times
Reputation: 21

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Pennsylvania Turnpike wants feasibility study on all-electronic tolling | TOLLROADSnews
Pa. turnpike considering all electronic tolls | Philly | 10/06/2010 (http://www.philly.com/philly/business/technology/20101006_ap_paturnpikeconsideringallelectronictoll s.html - broken link)

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is studying the effects of completely abolishing cash transactions and collecting all tolls via E-ZPass and a video tolling system. Apparently, almost 2/3 of turnpike users already use E-ZPass, so this idea seems viable to implement over the next ten years. The concept is hardly new, however, as highway 407 in Ontario collects all of its tolls in a very similar way.

What are your thoughts on this proposal?
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Old 12-08-2010, 08:39 PM
 
Location: Montgomery County, PA
16,569 posts, read 15,287,522 times
Reputation: 14591
They better speed up EZ pass. I often have to come to a crawl. The other thing is that the lanes are backed up so I have to wait with everybody else to get to the toll booth.
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Old 12-08-2010, 08:53 PM
 
Location: Mid-Atlantic
32,946 posts, read 36,394,363 times
Reputation: 43799
Oh, man! Now I'm going to have to buy a pickup, possibly install a gun rack and drive the back roads. I hate, hate situations where cash is not accepted. What is wrong with cash? What is wrong with one of ten lanes offering a cash option? What is wrong with one person having a job?

Video tolling, well, there are already too many things being observed, recorded. Privacy is an illusion, but I would still like to be able to use my (nearly worthless) folding money. It's a habit to which I've grown accustomed.
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Old 12-08-2010, 11:10 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, USA
3,131 posts, read 9,379,228 times
Reputation: 1111
The news today said tolls are going up 10% on January 2. They intend to not print the fares on the tickets any longer claiming they'll save money on printing.
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Old 12-08-2010, 11:25 PM
 
Location: SouthEastern PeeAye
889 posts, read 2,576,263 times
Reputation: 407
Quote:
Originally Posted by PeterRabbit View Post
The news today said tolls are going up 10% on January 2. They intend to not print the fares on the tickets any longer claiming they'll save money on printing.
There's a toll increase every Jan 1st for the next several years. Like they used to say when I was younger, what's orange and sleeps five comfortably? A Turnpike commission truck! Did anyone really think that for a huge patronage organization like the PTC fares would go down? Those orange sleeper trucks cost money!
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Old 12-09-2010, 06:43 AM
 
Location: Montco PA
2,214 posts, read 5,096,792 times
Reputation: 1857
What a wonderful idea! Although I do acknowledge that it would be tough to be a toll worker if this happens, but I'd assume more $ would be spent on upkeep and upgrades to the turnpike, so more jobs would be created in construction. Aren't there about 1,200 employees at the PTC? How many are toll workers? If there's 500 toll workers making $60k/year, including benefits/payroll taxes/etc., that's a $30M savings. Plus, I like the idea of someone in PA finally standing up the unions. Of course, what will probably happen is that they won't get rid of any toll workers, they'll just pay them to stand inside the booths during their normal shift even though everyone is using EZPass.
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Old 12-09-2010, 07:58 AM
 
Location: Philly
10,227 posts, read 16,830,067 times
Reputation: 2973
Quote:
Originally Posted by HappyRider View Post
They better speed up EZ pass. I often have to come to a crawl. The other thing is that the lanes are backed up so I have to wait with everybody else to get to the toll booth.
the technology is certainly out there
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Old 12-09-2010, 08:34 AM
 
92 posts, read 230,132 times
Reputation: 129
If OHIO can start using EZ pass, why can't PA? Oh yeah, the Turnpike Commission is too backwards and corrupt, even though it's a great opportunity to fleece the citizens while installing the electronic polling. We moved from PA to WI and now have to travel all toll roads when coming back to visit. The best system is IL, by FAR with the open-road tolling.

My guess as to why they're not printing the toll fees on the tickets? So people don't take a look at what it costs to travel across the state and decide to take alternate routes. Considering the quality (term used loosely) of the turnpike, that's a heck of a lot of money for a wild, scary ride, IMO.
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Old 12-09-2010, 09:52 AM
 
Location: Lancaster County, PA
1,742 posts, read 4,344,668 times
Reputation: 838
Although I agree with most of what's being said about corruption, union employees and road conditions, I hate to see a human replaced by a machine. For this reason I never have or will use the Self-Service checkout line at any store.

Once these jobs are gone they will never come back.
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Old 12-09-2010, 10:01 AM
 
Location: Montco PA
2,214 posts, read 5,096,792 times
Reputation: 1857
Quote:
Originally Posted by lititzman2003 View Post
Although I agree with most of what's being said about corruption, union employees and road conditions, I hate to see a human replaced by a machine. For this reason I never have or will use the Self-Service checkout line at any store.

Once these jobs are gone they will never come back.
No offense, but you sound like a luddite. I work in the accounting field, and your comment is the equivalent of me not using a computer.
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