Pennsylvania Turnpike partners with attorney general to crack down on "egregious" unpaid toll cases
The Pennsylvania Turnpike said it's partnering with the attorney general to crack down on dozens of "egregious" unpaid toll cases.
Drivers who ignore standard collection efforts may now be referred to the attorney general's law division for further enforcement actions, including having civil collection actions filed against them, the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced on Monday.
In the past year, the turnpike commission said it has referred more than 100 cases to the Office of Attorney General for civil action. Authorities are seeking accountability for drivers who owe a total of $12,000 in unpaid tolls and fees.
Toll collection enforcement usually has three phases. Toll by plate invoices are sent to the registered owner's address. If unpaid, the driver is handed over to an agency. When a driver has four or more outstanding invoices or owes $250 or more, PennDOT suspends their vehicle registration.
Driving with a suspended registration can lead to fines, license suspension or car impounding. The Pennsylvania Turnpike says it uses license plate recognition technology to identify drivers with suspended registrations on the roadway.
The attorney general said it's not just about collecting unpaid tolls. It's also about being fair to drivers who do pay.
"More than half a million people use the Pennsylvania Turnpike daily to get to work, visit their families, or go on vacation. When people driving on our turnpike try to evade paying their tolls, it shifts the cost burden onto other law-abiding motorists," Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday said in a press release. "When you receive a Toll By Plate invoice in the mail from the Pennsylvania Turnpike, it is important you pay that invoice on time to avoid legal action being taken."
While there are outstanding tolls, the Pennsylvania Turnpike says up to 94% are paid within 60 days.