The PA Turnpike's Toll-Camera Technology Is Failing Them, To The Tune Of $104 Million

PENNSYLVANIA — The Pennsylvania Turnpike lost some $104 million to unpaid tolls over a one year period, as millions of motorists without E-ZPass never paid tolls through the state's license plate camera system, according to officials and media sources.

The Turnpike was among many state agencies, particularly transit-oriented arms like SEPTA, which had already suffered huge losses due to fewer individuals on the road during the height of the pandemic.

Officials say they are addressing the situation, which they term "leakage," according to the Associated Press, which first broke the story this week.

It's serving as a reckoning for the camera technology that has replaced individual toll takers and has failed to accurately capture information.

"Pennsylvania was clearly not ready for all-electronic tolling, and now we’ve lost both jobs and revenue," State Rep. Mike Zabel said. "Every single lost PA Turnpike attendant position should be reinstated - to save us money!"

About 11 million individuals all told did not pay in the year ending May 31, the report states. Among those who don't use E-ZPass, there was roughly a 50 percent chance they pass through the camera system and never pay.

There appear to be various reasons, an internal memo from the Turnpike obtained by AP indicates. In 1.8 million riders, the camera could not identify the license plate. Issues with bill delivery impacted more than 2.5 million more riders. And some 6.7 million individuals just never paid, the report finds.

Patch has reached out to the Turnpike for comment on the issue. A spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Motor Truck Association told the AP that it was a preventable situation.

“If you think about it, they control the driver," Rebecca Oyler told the outlet. "Theoretically they could stop the driver from exiting before paying. That’s within their ability to do.”