Pennsylvania Senate committee advances V-toll notification bill

One bill moving through the Pennsylvania statehouse is intended to address concern about problems with E-ZPass transponders on the Pennsylvania Turnpike.

Sponsored by Rep. Ryan Warner, R-Fayette, HB2139 would require the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission to notify E-ZPass customers if they are charged with a “V-toll.”

V-tolls, or flat video tolls, are issued to customers when their E-ZPass transponder is not detected when the vehicle enters or exits the turnpike or travels through a toll plaza. The fee is $10.

The commission says that detection errors occur when either the transponder is not mounted properly or, despite proper placement, the transponder malfunctions due to age.

According to a memo attached to the bill, a year ago more than 200,000 Pennsylvanians with personal and commercial accounts were charged with v-tolls.

“Unfortunately, because E-ZPass toll and fee charges are automatically withdrawn, and because V-tolls have frequently been mislabeled on monthly statements, it has taken customers months, or even years, to realize that they have been charged these fees,” Warner wrote.

 Customer notification

The Senate Transportation Committee has voted to advance the House-approved bill to require the commission to indicate on an account statement if a V-toll has been posted to the customer’s account. Information would include the date and the dollar amount of the V-toll.

The commission must also post a notice on its website indicating an account may be charged a flat V-toll if the commission is unable to match a license plate image.

Notification could be done by via email or regular mail. Additionally, an explanation would be required for what caused the fine and how to fix it.

“This simple safeguard would go a long way towards recovering and improving customer confidence in our turnpike tolling system,” Warner stated.

Third-party processing

The bill also would require the commission to conduct a feasibility study to review third-party processing and transaction accounts for toll collection. Currently, E-ZPass and Toll By Plate are used for payments.

A related bill, SB1053, would authorize the commission to accept Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, and Zelle as valid forms of payment for tolls. E-ZPass and Toll By Plate would remain as payment options.

Sen. Marty Flynn, D-Lackawanna, said the change would allow for “almost instantaneous payment” of tolls. Specifically, invoices could be sent to customer’s mobile phones to allow them to pay by one of the mobile payment apps.

“We need to start thinking about the ways people pay for things now, and will be paying for things in the future, and get with the times.”

Accountability

Another provision in the bill would require the commission to submit an annual report to the Pennsylvania General Assembly.

The report must detail the tolls that went collected and uncollected during the prior fiscal year, and reasons for uncollected toll revenues.

HB2139 now moves to the full Senate for further consideration. If approved there, it would go back to the House for approval of a minor change before it could head to the governor’s desk. LL

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