Mass Pike to have toll service RFP out by summer - TransCore "welcome" to rebid

Massachusetts Turnpike will have an RFP out for a new ten year toll services contract this summer. Spokesman John Carlisle says reports suggesting TransCore were fired were a bit misleading.

"They are most welcome to bid for the new contract" he said.

"We did think the prices they quoted for a couple of modifications were a bit high, but the pricing did meet the terms of the contract. We saw problems in the contract they were working under."

Why didn't they negotiate the terms of he modifications, we asked.

"We didn't think it was a very good contract. We need a more flexible system. We thought it was time to open the work up and have some competition and see what the alternatives are," Carlisle said.

TransCore's current contract which runs from 2005 to 2015 was non-competitively negotiated as a follow-on to the original 1998 contract. The Turnpike exercised their right under the contract to terminate it for convenience with a year's notice.

Turnpike chairman John Cogliano wrote in a letter to TransCore: "We believe it is in the best interests of the Authority and the traveling public to terminate this contract and seek competitive proposals to electronic toll collection services."

The current contract was reported as being $81m for ten years of operations, but Carlisle says they estimate with add-ons and inflation that it is now closer to $100m.

Software makes system inflexible

The Turnpike has been unhappy with the inflexibility of the software, Carlisle says, which makes modifications very expensive. They have two immediate modifications they want:

- the camera systems upgraded so they can distinguish specialty license plate numbers from regular number plates

- the ability to handle violations flexibly

TransCore quoted around $1.2m for each modification.

The Turnpike was recently forced to apologize to a number of motorists who had been wrongly dunned with violation notices because of the Fast Lane system's inability to distinguish license plate numbers of specialty plates from regular plate numbers. Or you could say: the Fast Lane system is unable to undo the confusion created by a Massachusetts Motor Registry which runs the exact same numbers under a whole heap of special plates.

The existing system is also too inflexible in that it generates a violation notice for each single violation, the Turnpike says. A single trip along the Turnpike and thro ugh the tunnels with a transponder on the blink can generate a whole batch of separately mailed violation notices.

Most toll systems can be managed so single or small numbers of violations can be forgiven, multiple violations within a period batched and so forth.

Peculiarities of Fast Lane system operations include:

- an extra 'video toll' charge levied against account holders on non-reads even when their account is in good standing, an expense usually swallowed by toll authorities since it results from their own equipment malfunctioning

- a lack of violation enforcement against motorists from out of state

The Massachusetts Turnpike has been the scene of unparalleled political conflict and contention. There have been a succession of shortlived chairmen - a position which also encompasses the role of chief executive - forced out or leaving in scandals.

The last few years have featured a more drawn out Mitt versus Matt struggle in which former Governor Mitt Romney spent most of his term feuding with Turnpike Chairman Matt Amorello, and only forced him out of office months before the end of his term.

The present Turnpike chairman John Cogliano is a Romney appointee who will be replaced in June by Gov Patrick's nominee.

The contention has centered around the constant troubles of the Big Dig project and toll issues. In his last weeks in office Mitt Romney attempted to help his chosen Republican successor in the elections by proposing the end of tolls - detolling the Turnpike. However she lost and tolls will almost certainly be increased under the new Democrat administration.

TransCore is the largest electronic toll systems company operating in the US and lists toll operations in operations in 22 states. Other companies which might be expected to take TransCore's place in Massachusetts include ACS, Electronic Transactions Consultants, Raytheon, TDC/CS, TRMI, Cofiroute, Kapsch (and any others who would like to be listed.) Contenders will probably be seeking crash courses in the brutal Boston style of politics - Mass Pike Turmoil 101 to be conducted by prof Joe Giglio of Northeast U.

We asked TransCore about the Mass Pike contract. They said they can't comment under the terms of their contract. (Not the kind of contract we've ever been desperate enough to sign!)

The Turnpike lietter to TransCore is reproduced at the bottom of this page.

Driver says Mass Pike is much better than the state's untolled roads

"As a driver in this state since 1976, and a professional driver since 1982, I can personally attest to the superior quality of the Massachusetts Turnpike. I’ve been driving in blizzards where I-290 hasn’t even been touched yet, but when I’ve gotten to the turnpike not only was it down to the pavement but the line of plows was already pushing back the slush. This, of course, happened while you were warm and safe in your bed, so by the time you’ve hit the highway, so to speak, you were unable to see any difference.

"I’ve also wondered why the people of the commonwealth (state of Massachusetts) would like to shoulder the additional tax burden of this highway when at present every out-of-state vehicle that uses the toll road helps to pay for it.

"I agree that oversight is necessary to stop waste and abuse, but just take a drive at 2 a.m. during the next blizzard and you’ll see for yourself the difference between a toll road and a road maintained with tax funds.

RICHARD D. PETERSON of Dudley MA
Letter in Worcester Telegram Gazette 2007-04-17

TOLLROADSnews 2007-04-17 An expansion on a BRIEFS item posted 2007-04-15 Letter added bloew 2007-04-19