YEAH, THE REACTION IS MIXED. OF COURSE, THOSE WHO HAVE E-Z PASS FEEL THAT THEY SHOULD BE GETTING THIS DISCOUNT AS A PERK BECAUSE THE MONEY COMES IMMEDIATELY OUT OF THEIR ACCOUNTS ONCE THEY COME THROUGH THE TOLLBOOTH HERE. BUT THOSE WHO DON’T HAVE A TRANSPONDER THINK THEY SHOULD GET THE SAME DEAL, WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT THIS BILL AIMS TO DO. BUT ONE LAWMAKER SAYS THERE IS A REASON FOR THE LARGE PRICE GAP THAT SOME DRIVERS ARE PAYING JUST SEEMS LIKE IT KEEPS GOING UP AND UP AND UP. BUT THE PRICE YOU PAY FOR YOUR TRIP IS DEPENDENT NOT JUST ON HOW FAR YOU TRAVEL, BUT HOW YOU PAY. IT’S A PRETTY FREQUENT TURNPIKE USER. I THINK IT SHOULD BE ONE FLAT RATE THAT IS WHAT HOUSE BILL 516 AIMS TO DO. KEEP THE PRICE THE SAME FOR THOSE WHO USE EASY PASS AND TOLL BY PLATE. HERE IS WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE NOW FOR LOCAL TRAVEL. FOR EXAMPLE, PITTSBURGH TO IRWIN. YOU PAY $1.80 WITH AN EASY PASS, BUT $4.40 WITHOUT MORE THAN DOUBLE, WHICH IS HARD IF YOU’RE HEADED ACROSS THE STATE TO PHILADELPHIA. MAKING THE TRIP 3470 WITH EASY PASS AND $70.80 WITHOUT. I HOPE THEY DO BRING IT DOWN FOR DRIVERS WITHOUT A TRANSPONDER. THEY AGREE WITH ONE PRICE ACROSS THE BOARD. THOSE WHO USE EASY PASS SAY IT SHOULD BE A PERK. WE GET A NET ADVANTAGE, BUT WE’RE FOLLOWING THE LAW AND, YOU KNOW, WE PAY OUR BILL. THEY TAKE IT RIGHT OUT OF OUR ACCOUNT. SO TO ME, IT’S BETTER FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR THE STATE. SENATOR JAY COSTA SAYS THAT IS EXACTLY THE ISSUE. THEY NEED TO DISCUSS TOLL BY PLATE. DOESN’T OFTEN PAY THE OVERALL COLLECTION RATE FOR THE TURNPIKE IS 93% OF THAT. 93%, 15% COMES FROM THE TOLL BY PLACE OF THAT 15% OF THAT 93%. ONLY 50% OF THAT IS COLLECTED, WHICH IS ABOUT WE LOSE ABOUT $120. MILLION OF UNCOLLECTED MONEY FROM THE PEOPLE WHO DON’T PAY WHEN THEY UTILIZE THE TOLL BY PLATE. SENATOR COSTA SAYS IT’S WORTH A DISCUSSION WHICH MOST DRIVERS ARE ON BOARD FOR TO. ONE THING WE HEARD OVER AND OVER FROM DRIVERS IS WHAT ABOUT THE MONEY SAVED FROM ELIMINATING THE TOLL COLLECTORS? WELL, SENATOR COSTA SAYS THAT MONEY IS BEING USED TO REBUILD THE ROADS. NOW, THIS BILL WAS SENT TO TRANSPORT NATION COMMITTEE. IT IS BEING CONSIDERED ALONG WITH ANOTHER BILL THAT COULD GIVE DRIVERS HERE ALONG THE TURNPIKE A 50% TAX BREAK. REPORTING LIVE ALONG THE PENNSYLVAN