Emergency Responders to Pay Thruway Tolls

[50-65 205]

I guess I'd file this under the topic of WTF?

Although the article is poorly written, it appears that since the NYSTA is required to issued refunds, you now have to pay (?). I guess they can't refund what you don't pay instead of just not charging you in the first place.

If you have to stop and pay on the way to a call, try not shutting off the siren while you're waiting for your change.

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2012/June/19/emer_Thruway_tolls-19Jun12.html

[jfmuller 23]

More importantly you need to wait for that receipt so that you can get that refund. When hard times hit, everyone is looking to pass the buck. I wonder how good collections are on identifying fire apparatus blowing through the easy pass lane with no plates.

[x4093k 654]

Hmmm so when an ambulance is code 3(or whatever code it is for you) to a hospital with a pt in the back having a heart attack with cpr in progress, you have to stop, find the change, wait for the gate, and then go and hope people move out of the way quickly... Sounds a bit right, dont ya think?

The way money is made these days...

[PEMO3 523]

I guess gone are the days when dispatch would call the bridge and have them pull a lane. You would get told "Lane 9 Red Flashing Lane Light clear to go". Sounds like you need to play an audio track to Convoy next time you blast the tolls.

[38ff 250]

But when you respond to a call on the Thruway (medical, accident or fire related) they pay you to show up.

[IzzyEng4 427]

Yah right. Hope this guy doesn't have a medical on the highway and the ambulance is stuck at the toll because it's rush hour. MORON!

[dadbo46 50]

^{Outrageous ! What law ? Get the politicos on the horn immediately and get the "law" reversed......immediately !!!}

[grumpyff 1,159]

More importantly you need to wait for that receipt so that you can get that refund. When hard times hit, everyone is looking to pass the buck. I wonder how good collections are on identifying fire apparatus blowing through the easy pass lane with no plates.

Its been done before, and yes they found out who it was. State troopers where not happy, nor was our chief.

[38ff 250]

And here is the form. Another duty for those in the officers seat while responding. Making note of entry/exit times..

http://www.thruway.ny.gov/commercial/forms/ta-w68181.pdf

[JetPhoto 626]

Somebody's job justification is all it is "look at how much paperwork this person does, we can't let this person go"

Maybe some lame brain thinks it will stop terrorist from blowing thru the tolls.

Folks we must all, every fire and EMS service in the state of NY write to the powers to be to abolish this STUPID law. Regardless if you cover the T-Way or not. How would you like to be called to a MCI mutual aid and have to stop & pay? What if you have no money on you? Unit XXX to command, sorry we can't get on the highway because we don't have money for the tolls.

Another article:

http://www.dailyfree...0d063703001.txt

Another thought what's the charge for getting on and off at the same interchange? Emergency vehicles are allowed to make U-Turns last I checked or do they have to pay the full rate of the ticket? What if you got on at a toll plaza and got off at a crash gate? or vice versa?

Edited June 19, 2012 by JetPhoto

[jfmuller 23]

I wonder how they will handle the situation when FIre uses an access gate, or will they be required to no longer use them as they need to have accountability.

[ny10570 745]

MTA tried this in NYC. When reminded the real cost of PD, Fire, and EMS responses they decided it was worth the free tolls.

[peterose313 345]

Couldn't they just invest in the easy passes for the emergency services? This way they don't have to carry change on them when going through the tolls? If you're responding to an emergency, the cars would move out of your way giving you priority to go through the toll. No?

Don't get me wrong, I agree with all of you, this just sounds stupid and is a half step away from blowing up in their faces. I'm just saying, if the "lawmakers" stand their ground and emergency services HAVE to abide by this then could they not do what I asked above?

[cman473 56]

So how is this going to work? Plattekill Ambulance 647 gets on the thruway at MM 67 Crash gate, tends to the incident and then transports to either St.Lukes, Kingston or Poughkeepsie. They will have to exit the thruway through a toll plaza. Now being no ticket was issued, will they have to pay the entire toll for the entire NYS Thruway system? Sounds kind of ill thought out... Just saying...

Can Albany say DUH!?!

[newsbuff 286]

From a friend that spoke to thruway today,

"I just spoke to the Thruway and this is what they told me. In practicality, when a fire department or ambulance service is responding to an emergency, SOP is to notify the Thruway as you know. When the Thruway is notified, they will waive the toll as you have stated. This letter that was given by the Thruway, as has been misinterpreted throughout the media and fire departments, is saying if in the rare case that there is an issue (like if EZ Pass has a malfunction), there is now a procedure where fire departments and ambulance services can follow to get reimbursed. THERE IS NO CHARGE and much appreciated if you spread that"

[JM15 386]

From a friend that spoke to thruway today,

"I just spoke to the Thruway and this is what they told me. In practicality, when a fire department or ambulance service is responding to an emergency, SOP is to notify the Thruway as you know. When the Thruway is notified, they will waive the toll as you have stated. This letter that was given by the Thruway, as has been misinterpreted throughout the media and fire departments, is saying if in the rare case that there is an issue (like if EZ Pass has a malfunction), there is now a procedure where fire departments and ambulance services can follow to get reimbursed. THERE IS NO CHARGE and much appreciated if you spread that"

Well that sounds more reasonable.

[50-65 205]

From a friend that spoke to thruway today,

"I just spoke to the Thruway and this is what they told me. In practicality, when a fire department or ambulance service is responding to an emergency, SOP is to notify the Thruway as you know. When the Thruway is notified, they will waive the toll as you have stated. This letter that was given by the Thruway, as has been misinterpreted throughout the media and fire departments, is saying if in the rare case that there is an issue (like if EZ Pass has a malfunction), there is now a procedure where fire departments and ambulance services can follow to get reimbursed. THERE IS NO CHARGE and much appreciated if you spread that"

But that would assume that you have E-Z Pass.. We cover the Thruway, entering and returning through Interchange 17. We have never had E-Z Pass in any of our apparatus, including chief's cars. I guess we have to get them now. They should just issue all departments the orange non-revenue tags. Those record your entry/exit but do not charge.

[SOUSGT 357]

MTA tried this in NYC. When reminded the real cost of PD, Fire, and EMS responses they decided it was worth the free tolls.

NYS Thruway regulations provide for the free passage to any call on the thruway and returning from the call. However, If your vehicle does not have a plate how are they going to come after you. And if they try, Hello Channel 7.

An old trick to remember:

If you lean on the siren while approaching the toll plaza and keep it going until you get to the toll taker, the 2QB takes a long time to wind down. Do that a few times and see how fast you will be waved through in the future.

[grumpyff 1,159]

NYS Thruway regulations provide for the free passage to any call on the thruway and returning from the call. However, If your vehicle does not have a plate how are they going to come after you. And if they try, Hello Channel 7.

An old trick to remember:

If you lean on the siren while approaching the toll plaza and keep it going until you get to the toll taker, the 2QB takes a long time to wind down. Do that a few times and see how fast you will be waved through in the future.

They will find you, or your dept. Its not that hard. In the Early 90's my old dept had 2 guys who thought it would be funny to go lights and sirens with an engine and chiefs car thru the tolls on the Tappan Zee while returning from the mechanic's shop. Like I said, the State Trooper who wass assigned to it was none too happy. Neither was the chief when he got that phone call.

NY10570 can probably remember how fast the chief got to our fire house after a prank at Bedford's parade one year was observed by the local police. The truck hadn't even begun to back into our house when he pulled up after getting a phone call late at night about our hijinks

[Sailr322 88]

What do you think would happen if we just started to take the lanes that are closed, all they do is put a cone there. Have an engine go first, I don't think the cone is going to win. Everyone else follows and we don't have to pay a toll that they are going to pay back to us. I mean the economy is bad enough with budget cuts in Albany and they want to make a law that requires us to pay them for going to an emergency only to be paid back in the long run? Something seems backwards to me, but hey I am not a politician in Albany, just a first responder.

[BigBuff 27]

Maybe next it'll be the patient has to pay the fee. Unbelievable what's happening these days..

[newsbuff 286]

What do you think would happen if we just started to take the lanes that are closed, all they do is put a cone there. Have an engine go first, I don't think the cone is going to win. Everyone else follows and we don't have to pay a toll that they are going to pay back to us. I mean the economy is bad enough with budget cuts in Albany and they want to make a law that requires us to pay them for going to an emergency only to be paid back in the long run? Something seems backwards to me, but hey I am not a politician in Albany, just a first responder.

And what happens when you take that cone out, then possibly the PD car behind it(parked with no lights on, because it's in a closed lane), or end up in oncoming traffic, or rear-end one of the barrier-mover machines. There is so much happening at a toll plaza, including near-blinding lights, that it makes it very difficult to see what's on the other side, let alone the traffic pattern set up.

This is what happens when you have an idea that breaks a law, and you can ultimately pay the price for it.

[x4093k 654]

What do you think would happen if we just started to take the lanes that are closed, all they do is put a cone there. Have an engine go first, I don't think the cone is going to win. Everyone else follows and we don't have to pay a toll that they are going to pay back to us. I mean the economy is bad enough with budget cuts in Albany and they want to make a law that requires us to pay them for going to an emergency only to be paid back in the long run? Something seems backwards to me, but hey I am not a politician in Albany, just a first responder.

If your that cheap, thats sad... but for all of us, no. You state "get paid back in the long run" so if its a law to pay now, pay, and youll get it back later. Whats the problem? Missing a buck fifty for a month? Yes it seems a little odd but it is what it is. It's not that big of a deal to ruin DOT material just to get out of a little fee.

Edited June 20, 2012 by x4093k

[INIT915 1,119]

This thread is fantastic.

First, everyone overreacts over what now appears to be a miscommunication.

Then, the proposed solutions basically include harassing the toll-takers, because let's be real, we all know they are the ones making the policies. (Let's not do something drastic like make legitimate contact with the powers that be and explain why this is a bad policy.)

Then if that doesn't work, we advocate just blowing through the toll plazas. No big deal there, so a DOT worker or two gets blasted. No harm, no foul. Or maybe just destroy some DOT equipment.

Just brilliant. Let's keep these good ideas coming!

[JetPhoto 626]

Not everyone carries extra money on them, some only carry enough to cover lunch. Some of these tolls, depending where you are are very high and if you have to bring a tanker or a ladder to the scene your talking $8 and up (depending where you are). The point is the state should not have passed this frivolous law. We all know how fast the state pays back money, sometimes you wait over a month or two or three.

As I previously stated, everyone needs to write letters to protest this ridiculousness. Contact all local and state officials.

They must make money off the interest from our money!

Edited June 20, 2012 by JetPhoto

[EXDC203 38]

Let me see if I have this right......stand on the Q in the collectors ear? Hes the guy at the bottom of the food chain just doing his/her job!! Take your fight up to Albany where it belongs!!

[helicopper 1,050]

What do you think would happen if we just started to take the lanes that are closed, all they do is put a cone there. Have an engine go first, I don't think the cone is going to win. Everyone else follows and we don't have to pay a toll that they are going to pay back to us. I mean the economy is bad enough with budget cuts in Albany and they want to make a law that requires us to pay them for going to an emergency only to be paid back in the long run? Something seems backwards to me, but hey I am not a politician in Albany, just a first responder.

Not a great idea. Especially if there is someone working or equipment in the lane and you blow through it running over the innocent traffic cone.

[SRS131EMTFF 471]

So what are we supposed to do when we are traveling code 3 down the thruway and while we are waiting in line to pay the toll our patient codes on us?

Are we supposed to continue waiting in line with everyone else who has to pay the toll?

I understand that the Thruway people are just doing their job, but I refuse to compromise patient care because some Albany pencil pusher wants me to pay the toll each time. If that means not waiting in line and paying to the toll in order to get my patient to life saving or definitive care then so be it.

Let the Thruway Authority come after me...just imagine the headlines "Thruway Authority persecutes emergency responder for putting patient first"...

Like I said, I understand the intention and that the toll collectors are just the public face of bad policy, but I am putting my patient above their policy. End of story.

[SOUSGT 357]

Guys, if the issue is a real concern you have a few options.

1) Equip your vehicles with an EZ pass and play catch up with the Thruway Authority (TA) at a later time. This could be a nightmare for you and the State if you enter and exit at the same toll plaza or enter from a gate and exit at a toll plaza.

2) Send an official Departmental letter to the Governor about your concerns with regard to delayed response due to having to wait in line in toll plazas for a ticket as you don’t have EZ pass on your trucks due to Departmental policy. Include the point that your drivers have concerns about the possibility of being arrested for toll evasion should they respond on an emergency and do not carry cash in their bunker gear. (This may be a stretch but toll evasion is a prosecutable offence.)

There should be a statewide policy and procedure for emergency vehicles responding to or using a toll road in order to save lives. Maybe as earlier suggested, the State should issue an orange EZ pass tag for all emergency vehicles. But that would be up to the powers that be to decide.

And a previous poster is correct, taking it out on a lowly toll collector is not the proper thing to do. It was a bit of sarcasm and I apologies for my suggestion.

[INIT915 1,119]

Let the Thruway Authority come after me...just imagine the headlines "Thruway Authority persecutes emergency responder for putting patient first"...

Well, imagine the headline, "Reckless Ambulance Driver Speeds Through Tolls, Hits and Kills DOT Worker/Toll Collector."