Harper Renews Call to Crack Down on Turnpike Toll Violators
HARRISBURG – In the wake of the recently released audit of the Pennsylvania Turnpike’s severe financial problems, Rep. Kate Harper (R-Montgomery) is renewing her call for action on legislation to crack down on toll violators.
According to the auditor general’s report released Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is on potentially unstable financial ground due in part to the rising number of people who are skipping out on paying their tolls. In fact, the audit indicates the number of toll violations has increased by 15 percent each year since 2011 (except for 2013). More than 726,000 toll violation notices were sent in 2015, and nearly $43.2 million remained uncollected by the end of that year.
“Under current law, there are virtually no consequences for people who purposely try to avoid paying tolls, and as long as people can get away with cheating the system, the problem will only get worse,” Harper said. “Suspending a driver’s vehicle registration for the habitual failure to pay tolls will have a real impact and, I believe, will significantly decrease the number of violations.”
Harper’s
House Bill 1782, introduced in January, would allow the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to suspend the registration of a vehicle owner who habitually skips out on paying tolls. Specifically, the bill would allow PennDOT to suspend the registration of an owner or registrant who has failed to pay or is in default of six or more payments, or has incurred unpaid tolls or administrative fees of $500. The tolling entity would have to notify the owner or registrant in writing that it intends to seek suspension of that vehicle’s registration, and the period of suspension would continue until the tolling entity notifies PennDOT that the violations are paid, dismissed, reversed on appeal or canceled, or that the owner has entered into an installment agreement with the tolling entity.
“We are not looking to go after the driver who makes an honest mistake,” Harper said. “The legislation is geared to those drivers who knowingly go through an EZPass lane without the intent to pay. This has become a major problem for the Turnpike, and with the eventual transition to all-electronic tolling, the problem could become even bigger.”
The bill has been referred to the House Transportation Committee for review.
Representative Kate Harper
61st District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Rep. Harper’s Blue Bell Office
610.277.3230
KateHarper.net /
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