There are hundreds of complaints that have been lodged against the New Jersey Turnpike Authority, complaining about rude and nasty toll collectors.
The complaints are coming from drivers on both the Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway.
Despite the popularity of EZ Pass, 25 percent of motorists still use cash. They wait in line. And some drivers complain about the attitude of toll collectors.
Over an 18-month period, the Turnpike Authority received 550 complaints about toll takers.
One collector angered at having to make change for a $20 bill on a $1.75 toll, allegedly threw the change and told the driver to get on the road and die.
One toll taker said maybe some are nasty.
“I’m sure that probably might be, but there’s two sides to the story,” he said. “Half the world is nasty. I try my best to be nice to people.”
Toll collector Linda Henderson said the ones who are rude are some of the drivers.
“It’s the patrons that come through here. Very nasty,” Henderson said.
A spokesman for the authority said the number of complaints is very small given that 1.7 million cars use the highways each day.
“Unfortunately many complaints, nine out of ten, are made anonymously and as a result we are unable to pursue the allegations,” the spokesperson said.
The Turnpike Authority encourages anyone with a complaint to file it formally and pursue it, because the Authority would like to get rid of any bad apples it might have.
The 511 toll collectors on the two highways earn an average of $65,000 a year.
(Source: http://wcbstv.com/)
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11 Responses
$65,000 ! for being a cashier?
No wonder state budgets are in trouble. WHo knows what else is overpaid.
I just went on bth highways today and I had very nice ppl they even made jokes on the weather
Install surveillance cameras and microphones on the inside and outside of the booths and you will discover the trooth of who is being rude.
#3 I would be scared that that will make a big chilul hashem
I heard there is sometimes problems with customers trying to pay some of the toll with pennies!!!
“legal tender for all debts public and private”
Not recognizing legal tender of the US government becomes an open act of rebellion.
I realize that pennies may have outlived their usefulness and may soon have to be demonetized.
But that has to come from our duly appointed Secretary of Treasury, not anyone else.
The state should make all tolls EZ Pass only. It would certainly speed up traffic, and reduce the budget by getting rid of all toll collectors.
Who needs the tolls anyway? Did anyone compute how much it costs to maintain the tolls vs. the revenue they generate? No because the unions would kvetch. AAAAAWWWWWW!
Frankly, there are rude toll collectors, and on top of that many of them are ugly. They are only human and perhaps its not easy dealing with people who just drive by with their radios blasting, talking, eating..who knows what, so they get in a bad mood. But even if someone does get a rude toll collector, to go out of your way to complain instead of continuing on your journey, shows what the public is like, too. That’s just my opinion.
8, so you are such a pacifist that when someone calls you BLEEP etc you smile at them? That would explain things.
#9. Thank you, and a freilichen purim to you, too!
#10, Pacifist? Based on what? Pulling up to pay a toll and having someone call me a BLEEP? Then I smile? Who drives up to a toll and receives an unprovoked BLEEP? Have you? That would be some ornery toll collector whose first words to a motorist would be a BLEEP, etc. UNLESS, you have something going on aggravating the same toll collector everyday. Then, your scenario would make sense.