Mass Turnpike attracts firestorm of criticism over undermanned toll lanes at Easter

Massachusetts Turnpike Authority are still attracting a firestorm of criticism over backups at their toll plazas over the Easter holiday. By local media accounts backups at some toll points were "five to seven miles" long (8km to 11km) and travel times through the plazas were as much as 45 minutes. Worst affected were Allston plaza complexes 18, 19, 20 near Cambridge, and the Weston/Newton plazas 14, 15, 55 complex at MA128/I-95.

The worst toll plaza congestion was eastbound from 2pm to 11pm Sunday. Backups from the cash toll lanes reached back into the three travel lanes so motorists with transponders were unable to get to the smooth flowing electronic toll lanes.

Headlines read:

"Massachusetts Turnpike madness"

"Pike spreads blame for its Easter jams"

"Light toll staff makes motorists pay with traffic"

"Turnpike toll fiasco another black eye for governor"

"Easter Turnpike foul-up reeks of rotten eggs"

"Aloisi Vows To 'Get Facts' On Traffic Debacle"

"Many think gridlock was a setup"

"Pike budget pinch is felt at tollbooths, where drivers fume"

"The real story behind last Sunday's Turnpike debacle"

"Patrick Administration Probes Traffic Jam"

Especially aggravating to drivers was the number of cash toll lanes closed off because there weren't the toll collectors on duty to staff them. (Regional oddity: they calll them "toll takers" in Boston)

Exec-Dir LeBovidge accepts responsibility

Executive-director Alan LeBovidge accepts responsibility for the Easter backups saying the Turnpike's financial situation is so dire they can't afford overtime pay.

The board of directors last month cancelled an interim toll increase scheduled for March 29 in the hopes of getting a gas tax bailout from the legislature.

They acted at the behest of Governor Deval Patrick and his secretary of transportation Jim Aloisi who also chairs the Turnpike Authority board.

see "Mass Pike wimps out again on toll increase" (2009-03-23)

http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/4072

LeBovidge says he decided around that time that the Turnpike can no longer afford to pay overtime.

167 toll collectors were scheduled to work Easter Sunday and 17 either called in "sick" or didn't show for work, leaving the Turnpike 17 collectors short. Those scheduled to work that day received an average $33/hour, but if alternative collectors had been called in on the holiday they would have cost $55/hour each. Under their labor contract they'd be entitled to 5/3x normal pay in overtime.

Robert Kullinane of Teamsters Local 127 which covers the toll collectors has said that 10% is a "normal" no-show rate, and says that Turnpike management is deliberately understaffing cash booths to promote transponders.

LeBovidge responds that the staffing decision was a result of a "desperate" financial situation and the urgent need to "conserve cash."

The Turnpike's financial situation is laid out here:

http://www.masspike.com/pdf/financial/MHS_pfc.pdf

"We're in a financial mess" - ED

He is quoted: "My obligation is to the Turnpike... to keep it afloat. Someday, people will get the message we’re in a financial mess. Everyone wants premium services but they don’t want to pay for it.”

LeBovidge also took heat initially for a decision to turn off decorative blue lights on the Big Dig's I-93 Zakim Bridge which the Turnpike maintains and operates, but is not allowed by legislators to collect tolls on.

The lights-out is saving $60k/year.

Since the Pike cut the power to the decorative lights the Boston press has been full of people offering to pay for the light show including the bridge designer - vindicating the exec-director.

COMMENT: The Turnpike Authority board made a serious mistake canceling the March 29 toll increase leaving the politicians to continue to grandstand about "reforms" and "reorganization" which are just a distraction from the Turnpike's financial crisis. That financial crisis will exist regardless of the name of the agency that houses the Turnpike.

The crisis is the result of the Turnpike taking on more than $2 billion in debt for construction of the Big Dig, a facility on most of which it collects no revenue.

Also contributing to the Turnpike's dire financial straits is the payment of inflated wages to police and toll collectors on the Turnpike payroll, especially the police. In 2007 176 police troopers on the Turnpike payroll took home an average of $156k for a payroll of $27m. With benefits and equipment they cost the Turnpike close to $40m/year - over one fifth of toll revenues.

Two reports on the pike cops ripoffs:

http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/3961

http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/40

Toll collectors' base pay on the Mass Pike at $33/hr is in the range of two to three times market rates - as reflected in the pay for parking garage attendants and toll collectors on non-union tollroads.

None of the politicians talk of "reform" and "streamlining" the Mass Pike address the inflated pay rates that are at the root of its high costs.

If holidays require toll collectors at $55/hour then holiday cash tolls would logically carry a special toll premium. Motorists would have gladly paid that to escape the Easter backups. But they weren't given the option because of the politicians. Their show of resisting toll increases would never allow any holiday toll premium.

READER EMAIL: "You mean the Mass Pike tollbooths laid an egg for Easter? Heavens..."

TOLLROADSnews 2009-04-15 ADDITIONS 2009-04-16 9:30