Teamsters Union representatives notified Pennsylvania Turnpike management that the union reserves the right to call a strike at any time without notice. Drivers will need cash or E-ZPass will be honored in case of strike.
The notice came after negotiations between Pennsylvania Turnpike officials and the union reached an impasse Monday. Some 2,000 union employees, including toll collectors and maintenance workers, have been working without a contract since Sept. 30. No new talks are scheduled. Turnpike CEO Joseph Brimmeier has placed all non-union employees on standby, ready to implement the Turnpike’s fare-collection contingency plan. Non-union employees have been trained to staff tollbooths. In the event of a strike, the commission will charge E-ZPass and cash customers temporary flat toll rates of $2 for passenger vehicles and $15 for commercial vehicles — regardless of distances traveled. No toll tickets will be issued at entry. For E-ZPass customers with fares less than $2 (passenger vehicles) and less than $15 (commercial vehicles), their accounts will be charged the actual fare. He added that commercial credit cards will not be accepted for toll payment. Toll collectors will accept only cash. Details of the emergency toll plan follow:
** The following plan will be implemented on the Main Line Turnpike (I76 /I70) and the Northeast Extension (I476) if the union calls a strike. * No tickets will be issued at entry * Commercial customers will pay a flat $15 toll at exit regardless of entry and exit points. * Passenger vehicle drivers will pay a flat $2 toll, regardless of entry and exit points. * Turnpike Commercial Credit Cards will not be accepted * COMCHECKS will not be accepted * Only CASH and E-ZPass will be accepted for toll payment * E-ZPass lanes will be open * Customers using E-ZPass will pay a max toll of $15 per trip, if actual toll would be less than $15, the E-ZPass account will only be charged the actual toll. * Fewer exit lanes will be open. The Turnpike Extensions in southwest Pennsylvania - Turnpike 43, 60, and 66 - will not be affected by the above plan. Toll on these highways will remain the same. No Class 9 - Over Dimensional Permits will be issued for any travel on the Turnpike system in event of a strike. Please monitor the Turnpike web site - www.paturnpike.com as well as local news reports for the latest information.
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