WDUQNews

The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has made a U-turn and voided a decision to stop printing the tolls on the tickets in January when higher fees take effect. The commission had said by not printing the new tolls, it would save about $100,000.
Commission CEO Joe Brimmeier said staff had ordered new toll tickets for 2011 without the fares as part of the agency's ongoing efforts to save costs.

"Our staff made the decision not to print fares on tickets to cut costs, in particular as more people sign up for E-ZPass and fewer people take tickets." However, we heard loud and clear from our customers that we got ahead of ourselves on the decision, so the commissioners directed us to order a new batch of toll tickets with fares shown."

However, that will take until March or April. In the meantime, the tickets without the new fares (a 10 percent increase for cash-paying motorists and a 3 percent increase for E-ZPass users) will be issued to cash-paying customers at entry beginning Jan. 2, 2011, the effective date of the toll increase. You'll still have to pay the higher tolls, they just won't be reflected on the tickets.

Brimmeier says they will have printed schedules available at interchanges that customers can obtain by asking the toll collector at exit. Turnpike travelers can also see the new fare schedule by visiting www.paturnpike.com and selecting the "Toll-Info" menu item on the left or by calling the toll-free, hands-free TRIP line, 1-866-976-8747 (TRIP).