Rep. Wendi Thomas (R-Bucks) delivered petitions from her online campaign to demand the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission give motorists who use the PA E-ZPass system the same discounts as those who use the NJ E-ZPass transponders.
Thomas gathered more than 1,100 names of residents who shared her outrage. She also presented a letter, co-signed by her colleague Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R-Bucks) and Bucks County Commissioner Robert G. Loughery.
“We have people from almost 60 different ZIP codes in Pennsylvania alone,” they wrote. “The vast majority of petition signers live in Bucks County. It should be noted that we had people who were concerned enough to sign from as far away as the Poconos and Pittsburgh. We also had 10 New Jersey residents join our cause.”
The letter can be accessed at repthomas.com/Display/SiteFiles/321/OtherDocuments/ThomasPetitionlettertocommission7-26-19.pdf.
Thomas, DiGirolamo and Loughery asked for a response from the commission by Aug. 1.
Currently, only commuters using the New Jersey-based NJ E-ZPass transponder system will receive an additional commuter discount of 40 percent when making a minimum of 16 tolled trips across the Scudder Falls Bridge or other DRJTBC toll bridges within a calendar month.
“That’s just unfair,” Thomas said. “I hope they bring it up at today’s commission meeting.”
Thomas created the petition July 12 and will continue collecting names through Aug. 1. The petition is available at repthomas.com/Form/ScudderBridgeEZPassPetition.
It is unclear when the commission will address the issues Thomas raised.
“I would expect them to act as soon as possible,” Thomas said.
