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Ohio Turnpike offers buyouts to toll collectors
TweetPublished: Mon, November 16, 2009 @ 6:19 p.m.
BEREA, Ohio (AP) — The Ohio Turnpike is offering toll collectors buyouts of up to $35,000 because the E-ZPass electronic payment system means fewer booth attendants are needed.
Executive Director George Distel outlined the buyout offer to turnpike commission members today.
The turnpike hopes up to 40 of 287 full-time employees will accept the offer. Part-time collectors also will get offers.
The turnpike joined the E-ZPass system Oct. 1. E-ZPass automatically charges enrolled motorists through an onboard electronic transponder.
Comments
but they work so hard
How come we're always giving public sector jobs "buyouts". In the private sector you're just plain "fired" or "laid off".
1% of Ohio turnpike drivers pay the toll with a credit card ... who uses a Mastercard !!!
Do you accept Sears?
well if you were to drive from youngstown to toledo via the turnpike it'll cost you around $8 or $9. i didn't even know you could use a credit card though.
credit card use for Ohio tolls started Oct.1.
good point!
http://www.nycroads.com/roads/nj-turn...
Does this explain the Oct.1st Ohio Turnpike fee increases of 50%?!?!?!
You still don't need person to use a credit card. I know stores that have a self check out lines with credit card machines, it takes maybe one employee per four or five check out lines.
The turnpike should be free once it was paid off - the politicians lied to us like they always do!
LostPatrol: Turnpike attendants are probably bargaining unit. In that case, the people with the lowest seniority / lowest pay would be cut first. By offering a buyout, they're hoping higher-paid employees will choose to leave, recovering more $ per person that retires.
Turnpike fee increased significantly to "encourage" use of EZpass, since they didn't raise rates for EZPass users.
Yes, the turnpike should have been free when it was paid off (and the rates should not have gone up). Politicians can't resist easy money.
Do people actually think before they spew things?
POOLJUNKIE1977 is comparing the turnpike to Home Depot and claims that 1 toll collector can handle 4-5 easy pass lanes. I'm pretty certain there aren't trucks whizzing through Home Depot. That would bring Frogger to real life!
The "turnpike should be free" posters are also a hoot. The original tolls were meant to pay off the bonds issued to build the road. Some people want to act as though it cost nothing to maintain, plow, and upgrade. Regardless of whether it is a toll road or not, it still requires money to do the aforementioned things. Keep it a toll road and still the best maintained and snow clear road in the state.
RFederer - a promise is a promise. They promised no more toll fares after they were paid for, then the politicians got involved. The road maintenance should be covered under the normal county maintenance process, which they would each theoretically get a little extra resources for.
Granted, the way the turnpike operates is much more efficient than local counties so at least some of the money is obviously being put to good use.
http://www.wndu.com/politics/headline...
dump it on a foreign company...buyout the public employees...take it back...hire contract employees...