Truck drivers traveling through the Pennsylvania Turnpike can expect to pay 5% more at the tolls, starting early 2024.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission approved this 5% increase earlier this week. This is the 16th consecutive year tolls rates have increased, this rate is set to be active at 12:01 a.m. January 7, 2024.
Class-5 tractor-trailers (as considered by the commission) tolls will increase from $14.40 to $15.20 for E-ZPass and Toll By Plate will increase from $29.40 to $30.90.
For passenger vehicles, E-ZPass will increase from $1.80 to $1.90 and $4.40 to $4.70 for Toll By Plate.
“As in previous years, the PTC is obligated to raise rates annually as part of its legislative mandate to provide PennDOT supplemental funding for transit systems around the state as outlined by Act 44 of 2007,” said the turnpike’s CEO Mark Compton. “While these payments were once $450 million a year, they have been reduced to $50 million annually. However, our organization had to borrow to make those payments, which total nearly $8 billion.”
The PA Turnpike’s Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) rates (i.e E-ZPass) rank 24th out of 47 U.S. tolling agencies. In fact, the PTC’s 13.8 cent-per-mile ETC rate is 20% lower than the national average of 17.8 cents-per-mile, according to the latest available data.
“As an organization, I am proud of the fact that we work hard to manage the debt placed upon us by making prudent borrowing decisions and restricting operating-budget growth,” Compton said. “While we are now essentially free from this onerous Act-44 commitment, we must continue to honor the debt-service obligations for 30 years. But a measure of relief is under way, and motorists can expect the level of increases to ease in a few years.”
“This partnership will benefit customers who don’t have a bank account or who prefer to use cash over other payment methods,” Compton said. “It allows anyone who wishes to travel the PA Turnpike the ability to pay tolls with cash at a nearby retailer they are probably already visiting.”
