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Turnpike finally has ‘teeth’ to punish scofflaw motorists

3 min read
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Driving through a toll plaza on the Pennsylvania Turnpike should be a simple process.

Slow down. Stop. Pay the toll. Go.

People who have EZPass transponders in their cars have it even easier when they roll through the plaza and the toll is automatically deducted from their accounts.

But for years now, some motorists have been skirting the system by blowing through the toll booths without paying, even as cameras snap digital photographs of their license plates and send them a bill in the mail.

Not everyone pays.

In fact, there are 10,611 motorists who owe at least $500 in unpaid tolls or late fees. Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission sent these people more than 280,000 violation notices and invoices, which equals 26 letters per delinquent motorist.

Until now, though, the Turnpike had no real ability to compel these people to pay except to mail a couple of notices and refer the situation to a debt collector.

“Previously, the Turnpike would write that off,” Turnpike spokesman Carl DeFebo said. “There was no teeth in the law, no strong incentive.”

That all changed last year when the state Legislature passed Act 165 of 2016 that now permits the state to suspend the vehicle registration for anyone who owes more than $500 in unpaid tolls and fees or six separate violations.

Why it took so long for legislators to give the state Department of Transportation the ability to revoke vehicle registrations for these scofflaws is anyone’s guess. Even the $500 figure that represents chronic offenders seems generous, considering a one-way trip across the state from the Ohio border to the Delaware River in Philadelphia costs one-tenth that amount.

But it’s a step in the right direction.

“It’s simply not fair to those who do pay their fair share,” Turnpike Chief Executive Officer Mark Compton said.

It isn’t, and it hasn’t been for a while.

Meanwhile, the Turnpike is offering a generous partial amnesty program for these deadbeats. From now until Aug. 4, anyone with outstanding tolls or fees – which haven’t been sent to a debt collection agency – can pay them without penalty. Even those who have been referred to a debt collector, the Turnpike will waive half of the fees.

Each motorist who still owes a toll and fees will be sent a letter informing them of the new program and how they can avoid having their registration suspended.

It appears to be a great solution to punish those who are habitual offenders, while offering a way out for those who want to make things right. If just one motorist takes advantage of the offer, it will be worth it.

Let’s face it, the Turnpike probably was never going to see a dime from these scofflaws anyway, so this will at least generate some revenue.

Most importantly, though, it gives the Turnpike and PennDOT some teeth trying to compel motorists to toss their change in the toll bucket.

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