Few days remain for motorists to pay toll violations and avoid risking suspension (copy)

Motorists with multiple outstanding toll violations will have only until Aug. 4 to pay a lesser sum and avoid suspension of their vehicle registration.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission wants motorists with six or more outstanding toll violations or with unpaid tolls and fees totaling $500 or more to know they have until Aug. 4 to take advantage of its partial amnesty program.
According to the commission, toll violations newer than 60 days can be settled by paying in full the outstanding toll amount, and all other fees will be forgiven.
The turnpike commission also stated for toll violations older than 60 days and have been referred to collections may be settled by paying the full outstanding toll amount and a portion of the outstanding fees.
On Aug. 4, Act 165 of 2016 goes into effect and will allow Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) to suspend the vehicle registration of any Pennsylvania motorist who has outstanding toll violations.
“Our customers pay tolls so we can keep our roadway safe and in good repair and meet our obligation to PennDOT to help fund mass transit services statewide,” said PA Turnpike Chief Executive Officer Mark Compton in a news release. “Now, those who are habitually taking a free ride — both private and commercial drivers — will have to stop doing that, or risk a suspension.”
The turnpike commission said, as of June 23, the 10,611 at risk of suspension mailed a total of 280,855 violation notices and invoices — totaling more than 26 letters per scofflaw.
The total value of outstanding PA Turnpike toll violations as of that date: $17.1 million.
“It’s simply not fair to those who do pay their fair share,” Compton said.
Breaking those down in the number and value for local counties has Greene County as the 28th highest with 660 violations valued at $28,787; Fayette County, the fourth highest with 17,392 toll violations valued at $741,978; Washington County, the 10th highest with 8,366 violations valued at $347,079; and Westmoreland County, the sixth highest with 15,352 violations valued at $879,896.
The county with the most violations was Montgomery County in the southeastern part of the state with 60,687 violations valued at $3,857,866 and the counties with no violations included Cameron, Forest and Potter counties.
Five interchanges in Montgomery County were in the top 10 turnpike interchanges with the highest percentages of violations.
Other counties that made up the top 10 highest percentage of violations included Bucks County with the highest at 11 percent of the violations; and with two interchanges on the list, Chester County, Lehigh County and Lawrence County ranked as the 10th highest with 2.8 percent of the violations.
The amnesty program went into effect on July 5, and Rosanne Placey, the manager of media and public relations with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission, stated that as of Friday, July 28, the number of resolved violation notices was 16,233, totaling $867,090.80 statewide.
Placey said resolved figures for each county were not available.
“I am not sure we knew what to expect,” Placey said with the response to the amnesty program, adding that they typically plan to put appropriate level of phone staffing in place with statewide programs or initiatives. “And to this point, we have not been overwhelmed. The calls have been manageable.”
The turnpike commission recommends motorists settle outstanding violations including all tolls and fees to ensure their registration remains in good standing.
In certain situations, a payment plan may be available.
Once a motorist’s registration is suspended, they will owe all outstanding tolls and fees to the PA Turnpike and an additional $91 fee to PennDOT for registration reinstatement.
For more information on the amnesty program or for a motorist to check on their unpaid tolls, visit the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission’s website at www.paturnpike.com or call 1-877-PENNPASS.