Massachusetts Turnpike Authority - MTA Fast Lane, Mass Pike issues violations to extort additional funds out of toll paying riders. Auburn Massachusetts

I was very surprised to find a toll violation in the mail, a $50 one for a stolen tag. The only tag I use is my E-Z Pass NY tag. With further investigation customer service at E-Z Pass tells me that my account is active and my tag has never been reported stolen. In addition on the day the violation occured E-Z Pass says the MTA deducted .25 cents out of my account for the toll. I call Fast Lane and a representative tells me that she sees the violation occured and three seconds later my tag was scanned and .25 cents was paid. So I gave her my tag number and she says "that is not the tag I have here that caused the violation". So from a little deduction it is safe to say the guy in front of me had a stolen tag and the booth was late taking a photo so my license plate got tagged. It is quite obvious what is going on so I ask, pretty much, for them to make it go away. I am told that they can't do that, I have to fill out the appeal form and send it in. The tricky thing about the appeal form is you have to sign it to get your appeal considered, and by signing it you agree to have the MTA take a $5.00 violation processing fee and the missed toll from your account. So either way you are stuck in a loop. I tell the customer service rep this and they say "well you can request a hearing". Well a heaing should fix this....although to get the hearing the same thing applies. They get $5 plus the missed toll (which I already paid). Plus I have to drive to Auburn. That's $15 in gas and $2.70 in tolls.......yes MORE tolls. So for a whopping $23.20, I got to drive three miles on the pike on August 2 2009, got some pretty violation paperwork in the mail with a picture of my license plate, got a ride back and forth to Auburn and a great time with 12 people on the MTA board. So really I feel that I have no choice here, I called the Attorney General and they told me they "don't deal with that agency". I feel I am another helpless consumer getting screwed by the MTA. I am willing to post this wherever I have to...and send it to whoever I have to so that someone will make this public knowledge. You ride the Pike and you have the potential (even if it is clearly not your fault and you paid your toll) to get screwed out of at least an additional $5 and there is no way around it.

Amy
Ludlow, Massachusetts
U.S.A.