For the 13th year in a row, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) voted to increase toll rates for drivers.
On July 21, the PTC approved a 6% toll increase for all system-wide E-ZPass rates. This new toll rate will take effect at 12:01 am on January 3, 2021.
The PTC says the most common toll for a Class 5 tractor trailer will increase from $ 12.20 to $ 13 for E-ZPass and from $ 17.30 to $ 26.60 for PA Turnpike TOLL BY PLATE customers after the changes approved on July 21 .
The 6% toll increase will also go into effect for the PA Turnpike toll rates that had been established prior to 2020 at the following locations:
- Beaver Valley Expressway (I-376);
- Delaware River Bridge (NJ border);
- Gateway Toll Plaza (Ohio border);
- Greensburg Bypass (PA Turnpike 66);
- Keyser Ave. and Clarkes Summit Tolls (Northeast Extension); and
- Southern Highway (PA Turnpike 576).
The PTC also launched new Toll by Plate rates for facilities that were converted to Fully Electric Toll (ETC) in June 2020.
“As part of its recent system-wide change in toll operations, the Commission also approved today new TOLL BY PLATE rates on toll facilities converted to AET in June. The new rates, which are also effective January 3, 2021, include an average 45% increase over the 2020 cash rate for TOLL BY PLATE motorists to reflect the costs of collections by this toll method. The new rate will not apply to the aforementioned TOLL BY PLATE facilities converted before 2020, ”explained the PTC.
“The new TOLL BY PLATE rate reflects the higher costs the Commission incurs to process the toll and collect payment, a pricing approach used by toll agencies across the country to cover the costs of managing AET systems, “explained PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “This balanced approach allows us to maintain a lower rate for those who choose a payment method that is less expensive to administer, while those who choose a more expensive payment option absorb those costs.”
On June 2, the PTC announced the layoff of 500 workers due to Coronavirus and due to the conversion to the AET system that permanently ended with the cash toll on the toll road.
This will mark the thirteenth consecutive year that the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission has chosen to increase tolls. The toll increases have been necessary to fund infrastructure improvements and meet a legal funding obligation for PennDOT. Compton says that over the past decade, the PTC has paid almost $ 7 billion in tolls to PennDOT.
In 2018, the Association of Independent Owner-Operator Drivers (OOIDA) filed a lawsuit against the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission over “excessive” toll increases that they say hampered interstate commerce. That lawsuit was dismissed on April 4, 2019 in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. OOIDA is working on an appeal.
