Free rides for pols in Indiana roil TR concessionaire

The Indiana Toll Road Concession Company (ITRCC) has got a slew of bad press for offering politicians free i-Zoom transponders. i-Zoom is the local brandname for the transponders which are part of the interoperable E-ZPass system which now encompasses Illinois as well as that bunch of northeast and mid-Atlantic coast states.

The affair began April 18 when Matt Pierce, director of media and government relations for ITRCC wrote to northern Indiana legislators enclosing a complimentary i-Zoom transponder. The text of his letter:

"We at the ITRCC (the Indiana Toll Road) are experiencing an exciting time in our development.

"As many of you know, the Concession Lease Agreement between ITRCC and the state of Indiana requires that we have established electronic toll collection (ETC) by June 2008. We are pleased to announce that ETC has been fully implemented along the length of the toll road as of April 1, 2008, making it more efficient and less expensive for a majority of drivers.

"As public officials who are often required to utilize the toll road in performing your official duties, we wanted to continue the privilege that has historically been extended to you and offer you each a non-revenue i-Zoom transponder, to be used free of charge on two-axle vehicles. With i-Zoom, you may travel through dedicated i-Zoom lanes virtually uninterrupted and up to 75 percent faster than traffic in cash lanes.

"With this product, you can experience the completion of a goal that ITRCC has been working toward for nearly two years and is proud to say we can offer drivers a new alternative to cash tolling. In the two weeks since i-Zoom has been active, electronic-tolling usage is up to about 50 percent at peak hours (9 a.m. and 5 p.m.).

"Your transponder MUST be activated by calling the number on the device before being used on any road. Each packaged also contains mounting instructions, Frequently Asked Questions, activation information and information regarding how i-Zoom functions.

"When calling to activate, please have ready the make, model, and license plate number of your vehicle, along with your home address. All of you may use i-Zoom lanes and electronic tolling at no fee throughout the Indiana Toll Road, but keep in mind you will still be charged normal fees when traveling through other states that have the E-ZPass system (Illinois, Pennsylvania, etc). For a complete listing of states in the E-ZPass network, visit www.e-zpass.net. For more information on the Indiana Toll Road, including construction updates and ongoing projects, visit www.getizoom.com.

"Please enjoy the use of your new i-Zoom as you travel the Indiana Toll Road!

Best regards,

Matt Pierce" END OF LETTER

"Perk" for politicians

Mary Beth Schneider in the Indianapolis Star broke the story June 7 under the headline "Legislators offered free ride: Most decline toll road firm's device for using 'I-Zoom' lanes at no cost". She quoted politicians who said they'd thrown the free transponders in the trash, denouncing it as pandering on the part of the concession company.

The dominant theme of the recipients of the transponders was that it was wrong for them to be riding free when their constituents had to pay.

The Star quoted Rep. Scott Pelath, D-Michigan City: "I'm not going to drive along paying no tolls while other people are driving along paying more. There's no way it could pass the mirror test...

And AP quoted him: "I can't describe it as anything other than a perk. Mine is in the possession of solid waste authorities."

Rep. Tom Dermody, R-LaPorte was quoted: "I can't imagine anyone wanting to use that (free transponder.) With gas prices at $4 and the lack of jobs and all of a sudden you've got legislators driving for free?"

And Rep. Jackie Walorski, R-Lakeville: "I don't even know what they were thinking. I was so taken aback. I sent it back and said, 'Thanks, but no thanks.' "

Others claimed they had accepted the transponder but asked the Toll Road to charge them normal tolls.

Matt Pierce says the company interprets a provision in the concession contract as requiring them to provide free rides to vehicles doing business on behalf of the state and that includes legislators when they are traveling on official business.

Pierce says the company is keen to have legislators travel the road and observe the improvements being made and hopefully to "become champions."

COMMENT: This was really stupid. It demonstrates a tin ear for popular democratic attitudes in America and stokes justified anger. It is an indefensible pander to politicians, and has backfired to the detriment of the ITRCC's public standing.

To be sure the concession contract (see pertinent section nearby) could be argued to require the ITRCC to give free rides. But rather than flaunting the favor, the company should make state officials ask for the perk, one by one. Put the onus on them to seek the favor.

Let them beg for it, and reluctantly concede that you have to do it because the state says so.

The concession was wrong too. It should have specified simply that emergency vehicles on their way to an emergency may not be slowed in their travel by toll collection. That's it.

All the rest of the free trips are indefensible perks that give state officials an exalted status to which they are not entitled.

The Daniels administration deserves a special rebuke. A Republican government should never write a contract providing for free rides for state vehicles. It's the kind of racket you expect of big-government loving Democrats, not Republicans.

TOLLROADSnews 2008-06-12