ICC tidbit: 20 percent will beat tolls without E-ZPass?
Those of you who have been following the never-ending saga of the Intercounty Connector probably know already that it will open as a toll road without toll booths. Money will be collected either through E-ZPass or by photographing motorists' license plates and sending them a bill.
But here's an interesting tidbit from the consultant's study used by the Maryland Transportation Authority to guide its decision on where to set toll levels: one in five of those who use the ICC without E-ZPass are expected to be deadbeats.
That's right. Wilbur Smith Associates has adjusted its revenue projections downward to account for "leakage" because of toll evasion or otherwise uncollectable tolls, It puts the level of leakage for video toll collections at 20 percent, compared with 2 percent of E-ZPass users. That may explain why the ICC bills are expected to include a $3 fee to defray the cost of collecting the toll. Besides encouraging the use of E-ZPass, it may be needed to plug some of that leakage.
Comments
Toll evasion, fare evasion and tax evasion all happen. Reasonable solutions include large penalties and suspended registrations. How does a $500 fine sound if you don't pay your $6.50 toll plus $3.00 admin charge within 30 days. Works for me... but then again I have ezpass.
Posted by: Cullen | November 3, 2009 11:04 AM
Well, maybe if they set toll rates lower (e.g., 10c/mi during the day, 5c/mi at night, and higher, maybe 20c/mi at rush hour), then there wouldn't be so much leakage. And maybe a 30 cent administrative fee instead of a 3 dollar fee would help prevent deadbeatism as well.
But wait! Am I making too much sense for the MdTA to handle?
Posted by: mpetrie98 | November 5, 2009 2:04 PM