Letter commenting on Mass Pike thievery

LETTER: Your article (http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/3615) about thievery among Masspike toll takers omits that the Masspike classification equipment actually could not pick up the particular dodge that the toll takers were doing.  At the tunnels (and not the rest of the pike) taxis and other commercial vehicles pay a higher rate than other 2-axle vehicles.  Treadles and profilers cannot tell the difference between a taxi and a car; it’s up to the toll taker to key it manually.  The cabbies were complaining that they would hand over a commercial toll, and the display would ring up a noncommercial toll.

The City of Boston has required for the last several years that Boston licensed taxis use ETC, but the rule has not been enforced until recently.  Having taxis use ETC lanes will greatly reduce the opportunity for the particular theft that happened.

Best,

Sam Ho

COMMENT: Thanks, good point which we overlooked.

TOLLROADSnews 2008-07-18