You don’t have to use toll roads if you object.

Because $4 in quarters is a bit much. Worked well when tolls were 50 cents. EZ pass .. simple, offers discounts... Problem solved.

It’s almost like forcing people to buy ez passes. They should just have a bill collector at the booths then if they can’t find workers to work.

Just get an EZ Pass

I dont like it either but its time to jump into the 2020's and beyond. And get the EZ pass.

Those buckets were always jamming, probably on account of folks chucking miscellany with their change. Don't miss em, and am very happy not having to slow down and paying 30% as much for the privilege.

Workers are expensive. If you want workers there 24/7, the tolls probably need to double.

I loved the bucket back in the day because there was always change on the ground around then. If you didn’t mind getting honked at you could just open the door and scrounge the toll. That’s when it was 35 cents mind you.

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An EZ pass costs $10 for your car. That is a 1 time payment. As someone that uses toll roads daily I saved that cost in a single month from traveling. And I don't need to try and find cash and coins lying around (don't carry cash at all).

They can find workers. And you can take alternate routes.ez pass is not really that much work. Do you have a working budget? If not i recommend it.

But oddly, as the toll road work force has decreased, the cost of tolls continues to rise.....hmmm.....

Because the cost to repair those roads is also rising.

I travel those states twice a month and rarely ever do highway driving. It’s just a pain knowing I have the money to pay at the time but then have to call the state, pay by phone. Just unnecessary really imo. At least have an automated bill machine if you can’t find workers

Because why should my taxes pay for a position that isn’t necessary?

A bill collector machine not a person

I don't think anybody is making any money on the one-time transponder charge of $10 or whatever. Plus in some situations you get a discount on the toll so it will likely pay for itself. Just get an EZ pass if you ever go through tolls.

No I’m talking about money being made of the transducers. I’m talking about money being made by not having enough toll booth workers (cash booths) in parts of NH where said person forgets about paying their toll and gets hit with late fees due to the cash booth not having a worker.

I plan out my route beforehand to avoid all tolls I can. I refuse to get an EZpass.

For once I agree with you

In Maine the toll work force is fine. I have family in the tolls, they only raised the york toll price to try and recoup the millions lost during covid.

My understanding is NH got rid of their overnight shifts because they didn't bring in enough money to make it worth paying someone to be there

I still have a roll of NH coin tokens in my console😂. “Gimme a roll and take out….”

Why don't you just get an EZ-Pass? You get to drive right thru and there is often a discount.

Fucking cry baby. Holy shit. Somebody should be there. Period. Forcing people to use automated is bullshit. It’s not necessary. Deal with it.

Our taxes are supposed to pay for our roads, they sure aren’t ever fixed. Stop using the “but my taxes” excuse. It’s absolute bullshit at this point because they’re just pocketing our taxes and you KNOW it.

Most states don't have manned tolls whatsoever. They send you a bill. Get a transponder or take a back road.

What's unnecessary is forcing someone to stand in a shity toll booth 24 hours a day to do a job that can be done by a $10 piece of plastic.

They do have a bill collector machine. It's called EZ Pass.

Quitcherbitchin and get the EZ-Pass.

Someone has to gather those coins. And do with them whatever is done with them. Also, watch video, have a statie there, etc.

Yeah, they can use Rt 1 or Rt 1A. And waste some gas.

The only thing I miss about coin buckets is doing hook shots out the passenger window (and getting enough money in before the car behind you honked angrily.)

It's a pain only when the credit card expires or gets cancelled cuz someone hacked it.

You dont get hit with a late fee for not paying tolls on time. Either get the EZ-Pass or pay the frickin thing on time.

The EZ-pass website is archaic. You have to put it what time you went through and date and which toll booth. Can’t believe I just can’t put in my plate number and get the amount. Maine is backwards when it comes to some things and the website is one of them.

It’s 2022. Get an ez pass

This is the most Maine post I’ve ever seen. Complaining about something that makes life easier.

Tech bad. Maine should perpetually live in 1992. Booo technology.

It's 2022, people don't even need an ez pass now. They just tag your plate and send you the bill later. Which is perfect for folks who rarely drive through toll roads like me.

Why can’t we just go back to rotary phones?

Have we all forgotten those tolls were supposed to be removed when the pike was paid for? Now it’s just a money grabbing scheme and we all play right into their hands. We were sold a bill of goods that allowed a private corporation and the state of Maine to get into bed together that robs its citizens of their money.

The Turnpike is a public ally funded private enterprise in bed with the state government.

Good meme. Remove the tolls and the road and plowing quality will go to shit. Be garbage like 295

Someone has to go through the photos of the plates and input them to the system. That's not going to instantly happen and be available online

295 is just fine once your outside of Portland.

It's not great the entire length. Then 95 north of the pike also isn't great compared to the pike itself. Pike is always in perfect shape. I don't travel the pike much these days now that I live up north but it's fine. It's completely optional too, don't want to pay? Take something else

What coin buckets? I only know EZPass.

We rarely travel on the highway, and we still got one. Saves us money. Good for frequent and infrequent travelers.

And bring back switchboard operators! We are paying for phone bills, there has to be enough to pay their salaries!

“but still” isnt a point. also, “ seems like a money grab” it is. there are taxes and fees to living.

Easy pass...

You understand the coins would need to get sorted and verified and then brought to a bank while the deposit is prepared. There isn't a magic pipe from the machine to the bank.

The ez pass speeds up traffic, it's more accurate, it's safer and more convenient. Sincerely I have no idea what your hold up is or no sympathy to your arguments. It's not some big government ploy to steal your information. It's just a tool to travel faster and easier.

I can't say about maine but I can say about the south and parts of NH in the distant past. You'd buy highway tokens. These tokens would go into a machine that would open the gate once the token was deposited into a hopper.

Why? What benefit does this give you. It's an easy solution and it saves you money. It's not some government cabal that steals your information.

" because the state didn’t have the workers"

Its actually because the workers are taking a shit. (using the bathroom, grabbing their food out of the fridge) Now - if you REALLY want to double the manpower at all these toll sites so that the booth NEVER has to go unattended... I'm sure the MTA would be happy to hike tolls charges by whatever massive amount it would take? This is the situation in Maine at least.

I'm sorry you have to take an extra step. I just asked about why they put the signs up instead of calling people lazy and understaffed. Turns out to be kinda sensical and it sucks you go through the booths sometimes when they're indisposed.

Maybe drop off a litter tray and solve your problems?

You're one of those "back in my day" people, aren't you?

Times change, society changes, technology changes, necessity changes. For the vast majority of people, this is the simpler solution. Choices are easy - get with it and get an EZ-Pass or dig your heels in and bitch and moan.

Just get the EZ Pass.

>in parts of NH where said person forgets about paying their toll and gets hit with late fees

....... So isn't that the fault of the person with the fees? That's not NH's fault.

So get an EZ Pass.

So, you stole money. Very honorable of you. /s

Let's not forget party lines!

Name calling is uncalled for

I ..... didn't?

I have no credit cards, no checking account, I do everything in cash and hate dealing in digital currency.

All the tolls in the country are going to ez pass so better get one or paid the fine