Tolls going up again next year
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) on Tuesday approved a 5 percent toll increase for EZPass and cash customers; the increase will take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Jan. 4, 2015. With the increase, the most common toll for a Class-1 (passenger) vehicle next year will climb from $1.04 to $1.09 for E-ZPass customers and from $1.60 to $1.70 for cash customers. The most common toll for a Class-5 vehicle— a prevalent tractortrailer class — will increase from $8.62 to $9.05 for EZPass customers and from $12.15 to $12.80 for cash customers.
While the increase affects cash and E-ZPass rates similarly, E-ZPass customers will continue to save at least 35 percent on PA Turnpike tolls in 2015.
“Yearly Turnpike toll increases are necessary for the commission to satisfy the fifinancial plan outlined under a transportation-funding law enacted seven years ago,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “Under Act 44 of 2007, the PTC must make annual transportation-funding payments to PennDOT while at the same time allocating funding to maintain and improve our own 550-plus mile system — parts of which turn 75 years old next year.”
The 2015 toll increase will be the seventh annual rate increase needed under Act 44 of 2007. It is the fifirst time since 2011 that E-ZPass rates have gone up by the same percent as cash rates. E-ZPass tolls have increased by seven percent since lower rates for E-ZPass were fifirst introduced in 2011.
“It is important our customers understand that we continue to work hard to hold down costs as we ask motorists to pay more at the tollbooth,” Compton said. “In fact, we have kept discretionary operating-cost increases under four percent a year, and we have reduced our toll-collector complement with the rising popularity of E-ZPass.”
Compton explained that factors such as set employee-pension costs and flfluctuating winter-maintenance expenses restrict deeper operating-budget cuts, but that the PTC is committed to holding expenses to the minimum. He said the commission has almost 300 fewer collectors on staff since the implementation of E-ZPass; today, E-ZPass is used by 73 percent of all PA Turnpike customers.
“Over the last few years, the Commission has taken several steps to increase effificiency and accountability and to provide a better transportation value,” Compton said. “We will continue to improve business practices and work to keep toll increases to a minimum.”
Since the PTC started making annual payments to PennDOT, it has thus far provided $4.3 billion for roads, bridges and transit assistance statewide. Last year’s transportation-funding law, Act 89, lessened the PTC’s funding requirement to PennDOT. The PTC’s annual payments remain at $450 million for eight more years, through June of 2022. But, starting in fifiscal year 2023, those payments will drop to $50 million per year until the Act-44 agreement ends in 2057.