(Pennsylvania) Turnpike warns of Wednesday toll-taker walkout

[Tab]

The head of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission today warned travelers that toll takers and other workers could strike on Wednesday, which is the day before Thanksgiving and traditionally the busiest day of the year on the pike.

"We do not want to cause alarm, but all indications are that the union may be considering some type of a labor action on Wednesday," Chief Executive Officer Joe Brimmeier said in a press release. "We expect 650,000 cars and trucks will use the turnpike on the day before Thanksgiving, and we wanted to give travelers advance notice of the chance of a work disruption."

Brimmeier said the road will remain open, but he cautioned that travelers may want to leave earlier and allow extra trip time.
...
If there is a work stoppage, all traffic would be able to travel on the turnpike for free on Wednesday.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04327/415854.stm

[candy]

1. Yikes---they always choose the holidays. n't

[7th_Sephiroth]

2. in a related note

Diebold offered to sell machines to replace the toll workers job, as a result of the costs of the machine, the toll will now be $800

[NamVetsWeeLass]

7. what? it's like $650.00 now isn't it? ooooh jokes....

You know in PA we have all four seasons:
Almost Winter, Winter, Still Winter and "Construction"

What's Orange and Sleeps Six?
PennDOT truck.

[xpunkisneatx]

3. Shit...

This better not last until friday...I'm using the turnpike to go to King of Prussia Mall for my Xmas shopping. Although, free tolls sounds nice :)

[Bill McBlueState]

4. that's a nice tactic

Are toll takers typically unionized?

[NamVetsWeeLass]

5. The thing that gets me is that the PA turnpike is a

complete Bitch to drive anyway. Speed limit is low, they overcharge you for a road that should be the best in the state, instead it is one of the worst.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. The worst long distance road I've ever been on

in a developed country. When they have to post speed limits to make up for the dangerous cracks and potholes, you know they're taking the piss when they charge for it.

[Ravenseye]

13. It's Also One of the Most Heavily Travelled Roads

So much truck traffic goes via the turnpike. Going to Philadelphia, D.C., New York, points north, points south. From those areas back west to Ohio, Chicago, etc. 80 is also heavily travelled.

The problem is that for much of the stretch it's also through the mountains with multiple tunnels etc, which increase the cost of upkeep. Lay on top of that the ground frost and rupturing of roads with thousands upon thousands of 18 wheelers tearing it up.

It's a situation where practically the entire stretch needs to be redone every year or two, so the road itself just degrades.

I am all for increasing tolls. At least that way the tolls pay for the roads instead of taxes on people who might not be using them. Making the 18 wheelers pay more makes alot of sense to me, as they're one of the largest reasons the road is so bad.

As far as the toll takers, my wife's uncle was a toll taker for like 30 years and now is retired on a pension. They have a fairly strong union that protects their workers, but in my opinion doesn't exploit them. I just don't understand how anyone can sit in a toll booth for 30 years and not go insane.

[LifeDuringWartime]

6. very interesting

imagine not having to slow down while going through a toll :o

id make to avoid the e-zpass lane that day ;)

[yellowcanine]

10. PA turnpike tolls are collected at the exits - don't think they have

e-zpass.

[Sinistrous]

16. The PA Turnpike most certainly has EZ Pass.

[yellowcanine]

9. I wasn't planning to use the PA turnpike but I might take a trip just

to take advantage of the free tolls on Wednesday. Heh.

[SoCalDem]

11. Huh??

Brimmeier said the road will remain open, but he cautioned that travelers may want to leave earlier and allow extra trip time.
...
If there is a work stoppage, all traffic would be able to travel on the turnpike for free on Wednesday.

If people do not have to even slow down to pay tolls, I would think that traffic would IMPROVE :)

[TommyO]

12. Thanks for posting this Tab!

I'm heading out to Akron for the long holiday weekend, and will be using the Turnpike (I would have taken 80, but have to pick up a friend in Pittsburgh on the way).

While the prospect of a toll-less trip out is appealing, the confusion and delays generated by a strike could make for a very long trip out there.

[DS1]

14. Flying through tolls without having to stop and pay is a DISRUPTION?

What the fuck kind of crack are these idiots on?

[byronm]

15. PA Turnpike is a sham

well, Penndot for that matter is. Worst highway system in the federation.

[On Par]

17. Will We See Rick Santorum....

...collecting tolls that will go directly towards his superior race children's cyber education? Probably not. But Arlen will be at each and every toll booth begging forgiveness from Pro-life drivers.

OP

[drdtroit]

18. Why would there be delays if you don't have ...

to pay the freakin' toll???

Maybe planning check-points as replacements?

[No Mandate Here.]

19. All tolls will be $ 2.00, no matter

how far you go.

[steely]

20. This is part of an ongoing dispute....

Apparently the toll takers were operating w/o a contract for a year(?).
Talks broke down a few weeks ago, and the union leadership would not deny a walkout was ruled out. Management back then stated that they would man the booths, and all tolls would be a flat 2 bucks (or less) - to speed things up (ha ha), and all EZ pass customers would be charged the same discounted rate.

As an EZ pass customer, we receieved 1 or 2 email updates, but nothing recently. I kinda figured they'd hold the holidays hostage if nothing worked out. This free Wednesday thing is news to me.

I am not sure, but think this may be related to the institution of the EZ pass system in some way (in PA)- and that fact that (and I could be very wrong) no job/position was lost when EZ pass started. Remember bank tellers before ATMs?

Morning rush for me on the pike E of KoP / VF is best before 6 AM, and in the PM before 4.