Wagner says the turnpike’s toll-free travel giveaways comes at a time when it is in danger of collapsing under debt due to increased borrowing necessitated by Act 44 of 2007. That legislation, which requires the turnpike to provide PennDOT with $450 million a year, has raised the turnpike’s debt by 200 percent, to $7.8 billion.
“It is unacceptable for turnpike executives to ask the motoring public to foot the bill for this increased borrowing in the form of annual toll increases while they shield themselves from the financial pain by giving themselves free travel,” Wagner said.
Wagner said that the toll-free travel was awarded in several ways, including photo identification cards for employees, non-photo cards for contractors and others, and special E-ZPass transponders for employees and others. Wagner’s auditors found that the 7,000 people who could ride the turnpike for free represented a 60 percent increase from 1997. For more on Auditor’s General’s report click here