Question About Fire/EMS And Highways

[TAPSJ 30]

For the Fire Departments and EMS that have to get onto and off of major highways that have tolls, like I-87 or I-84. How do you pay the tolls??? Or do you??? If your going to a call are you going to stop to pay that dollar??? Are thier deals or a special toll lane???

Thomas

[fireguy43 35]

For the Fire Departments and EMS that have to get onto and off of major highways that have tolls, like I-87 or I-84. How do you pay the tolls??? Or do you??? If your going to a call are you going to stop to pay that dollar??? Are thier deals or a special toll lane???

Thomas

Tommy boy, do you stay up all night thinking up these questions? I ride I-84 all the time and I haven't paid a toll yet, unless you mean on the bridge. Maybe one of the boys from Beacon can answer that one, although they wouldn't have to pay a toll to GET to the call, only to GET HOME again (tolls only collected eastbound). As to the Thruway, there are usually gates along the highway where emergency vehicles can get on the road if the incident is between exits. How 'bout it Orange and Ulster guys, can you give Tom some respite for his latest dilemma?

[TAPSJ 30]

Well I heard a car fire go out in Orange County and it kinda hit me. Also the road can be anywhere, I just said those because that was kinda where the call was. So yes I will not sleep untill I get an answer, lol.

Thomas

[fireguy43 35]

Well I heard a car fire go out in Orange County and it kinda hit me. Also the road can be anywhere, I just said those because that was kinda where the call was. So yes I will not sleep untill I get an answer, lol.

Thomas

Well, then I hope no one answers. You'll stay awake and then maybe you can make the engine the next time there's a 2 am call. Then I won't be sitting on the apron waiting for you

[TAPSJ 30]

You love waiting for me. So anyone???

Thomas

[fireguy43 35]

You love waiting for me. So anyone???

Thomas

Yeah, but once in a while, you have to actually show up to keep me interested........

[NWFDMedic 58]

Most municipal agencies have "non-revenue" EZ-Pass tags for their apparatus if they have a primary response to a toll road. There was a time that these tags were provided free of charge, but I don't know what the current procedure is.

For the commercial agencies, we pay just like anyone else does. From time to time we have had issues with the people at EZ-Pass for calls on the Thruway because sometimes we will enter and exit at the same interchange or if we utilize a crash gate, we may get a violation for exit without entry. They are generally resolved with a phone call.

Back in the day, for an emergency response going to a Poughkeepsie hospital from Ulster, we would call the bridge authority and ask them to open a lane. They will still do this, but it's not the preferred procedure. For the 2 seconds it takes to slow down and let the EZ-Pass register, it's not worth the aggravation to make the phone call, not to mention the fact that it's far from safe to go speeding through a toll barrier.

[Guest EFFP411]

Yeah, but once in a while, you have to actually show up to keep me interested........

Hey Tom, certain FD's have crash gates for access to the thruway, Bloomington FD for example in Ulster county, has one at... 86.5 at the end of a little side road down the road from the MLSS station in Rosendale, other's like New Paltz fire/ New Paltz rescue will just roll up to the tolls code 3, stop, and wait for the collector to open the gate and let them pass. I do not believe they get charged for the passage. Another example is with MLSS, if they will be going code 3 from the ulster county side of the river to vassar or saints, we notify our dispatch to call the bridge authority and have them clear a lane for us to pass... now ehen though all our ambulance have an EZ-PAss, they open the gate and shut the pass reader down until we pass through. As for POV's, i will ask one of the new paltz rescue guys or BFD tomorrow since im working up that way in 5 hours..... LOL

[helicopper 1,050]

Isn't there an exemption in the VTL or Thruway rules and regulations about waiving tolls for emergency vehicles responding onto the toll road?

[KC2OBW 1]

I'm with New Paltz rescue and I know we have EZ-Pass in all of the rigs, and as for POV's from what I was told members are to respond to the station and ride the ambulance to the call. The only personal allowed to respond to the scene in there pov are the officers.

[Skindependent 15]

For going out on the Tappan Zee, there is a little side area that "Authorized Vehicles Only" can use to bypass the toll entirely.

[eckyphats 0]

god I hope this isn't a serious question

[50-65 205]

We go to the Thruway often. We go through the toll plaza. We don't use crash gates. We don't have EZ-Pass and we don't pay tolls.

[Bnechis 3,961]

Interesting responses. Our experiance with the NYS Thruway Auth. on I-95 has been a little different.

1) I've been trying to get EZ-pass for some dept vehicles and between the TA's rules and our finance dept rules I have not been able too. (partly because the TA automated the system and I have not been able to talk with a human, they want a credit card, which we do not have).

2) our rigs go thru the NR toll barrier without paying, but when our DC went thru, the tag reader would record his plate and the dept would get a bill for the toll plus $30 fine for running the toll. This was for calls that the NYS TA requested us to respond to on there road.

We removed the plates from that DC's car and now we do not get a bill. Our rigs have never had plates. The TA's computer can't figure out who the registered owner of R-4 is so we dont get a bill.

[emp305 32]

Isn't there an exemption in the VTL or Thruway rules and regulations about waiving tolls for emergency vehicles responding onto the toll road?

I don't know if there is any kind of special exemption. Most of our units have Ez-passes mounted on the roof, but if there is a unit transporting in emergency mode we will call ahead to the tolls and have them clear a lane. It has been done only a handful of times but it has been done. As for the FD I don't think they have any ezpasses if fact I don't think they even slow down for the a toll. lol But it is a rare occurence that they need to go through a toll at all.

[OoO 24]

http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/09/...ss-use/?apage=3

Apparently, NYC emergency vehicles were given free E-ZPasses, but recently the MTA has reversed this decision and now bills these accounts.

[ffnpfd896 0]

I'm with New Paltz rescue and I know we have EZ-Pass in all of the rigs, and as for POV's from what I was told members are to respond to the station and ride the ambulance to the call. The only personal allowed to respond to the scene in there pov are the officers.

From the fire side of things at New Paltz... They do not have any EZPass devices and have been unsuccessful in obtaining them due to the same reasons that Bnechis has explained. Upon entry to T-Way, the apparatus will select a manned lane, slow down, turn off siren and then proceed with normal code-3 response. When exiting the T-Way, the apparatus will select a manned lane, stop at toll booth and sign a ticket that was generated when entering.

[KC2OBW 1]

You know what just popped in my head, Some dept's have those IR emitters that change the traffic lights at an intersection red, couldn't the do the same with the tolls when lights and sirens are activated the IR emitter would send a signal to the booth and it would let it raise the arm?

[Danger 160]

IIRC a couple years ago City of Beacon had an issue getting back to the city after responding to an MVA on the span. It involved the BA, NYSP, 33-55 and 33-2 having a meeting of the minds at the toll plaza.

[Bnechis 3,961]

You know what just popped in my head, Some dept's have those IR emitters that change the traffic lights at an intersection red, couldn't the do the same with the tolls when lights and sirens are activated the IR emitter would send a signal to the booth and it would let it raise the arm?

I have a better idea, you want us to protect your road, have the courtesy to give us an ez-pass or make other arraingment to get us thru. Otherwise handle it yourselves.

[E1E2TL3 0]

I have a better idea, you want us to protect your road, have the courtesy to give us an ez-pass or make other arraingment to get us thru. Otherwise handle it yourselves.

Your getting tough in your old age

[Bnechis 3,961]

Your getting tough in your old age

Nope: I've always felt this way. The NYS TA has a legal responsability to provide EMS, Fire and police protection on its road. They contract with NYSP and then expect the rest of us to cover them. Over the years they have often put road blocks in our way and expect us to leap over them. When we have threatened to stop providing the service they quickly change their ways.

[Guest alsfirefighter]

I've never seen Barry grumpy.

but it is a good point. Sometimes what is right is right.

[x129K 1,393]

I see in the POJO recently Arlingotn were all vested up, even the DC. Looked good....now maybe if the TPPD get on board....

And for your PURE viewing pleasure..............