Taking On the Transponder Charge Plan

Re “Tollway Users May Pay $1 a Month for Transponders,” June 2:

The proposed $1 per month fee should be seen for what it is: a thinly veiled increase in tolls to regular users.

Talk about greed. Not only does the Transportation Corridor Agencies save in toll collection costs since our tolls are collected and billed automatically, but they also hold a deposit of $30 per transponder from many of us and have the “float” from our prepaid accounts to invest as well.

Instead of increasing our tolls and fees, perhaps they should consider lowering tolls for those of us using automatic payment.

If the recent increase in tolls to $2.25 wasn’t enough to balance the agencies’ budget and pay an adequate return to its investors, perhaps the agencies’ management should begin questioning the exorbitant salaries being paid to management and staff.

How difficult can it be to manage a tollway [that] is fully constructed and maintained by Caltrans with state funding?

ROY E. GLAUTHIER

Costa Mesa

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Well, our wonderful tollway agencies have just found a solution to keep me off Orange County’s toll roads by charging me rental and a monthly minimum for my transponder.

They send out applications for free transponders (the bait) and now plan to charge us for them (the switch).

I am outraged by their tactics and their attitude that I, a taxpaying citizen, owe them something.

First they come in and rip up our wilderness, create traffic nightmares with their construction, contribute to regularly killing off our wildlife and raise the tolls because not enough people are using the tollways like they said we would. Now they are scheming up new ways to take my money.

They have a monopoly and are sticking it to us.

The mind-set of the bean counters at the Transportation Corridor Agencies just astounds me. Colleen Clark, chief financial officer for the agencies, stated in the article that if transponders “don’t cost our customers anything, then there is no incentive for them to be used.”

Another TCA representative, Lisa Telles, stated that users get good value because [the system] provides greater convenience. These attitudes are outrageous and against all good logic.

The TCA makes more money by having my credit card on file and my money in their account collecting interest for themselves while at the same time saving money by not having to process the cash I would use for tolls if I used the toll road without a transponder.

Who is it more convenient for? Who are they trying to fool?

The TCA will find my transponder crammed in their mailbox. I will not use their toll roads unless I am truly desperate, and not just for my convenience.

The TCA story just gets worse and worse every day.

JOHN OETKEN

Tustin

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A monthly rental or surcharge for the toll road transponder is enough incentive for me to cancel my account and turn in my transponder.

I would rather slow down and pay for each use than be abused just to offset their debts. I think Chief Financial Officer Colleen Clark has her logic backward. Knowing I have the transponder handy, I am more inclined to use the toll road.

I don’t understand this attitude of “use our roads frequently or we don’t want your business.”

MARY SCHWARTZ

Santa Ana

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The TCA has changed its image, and I am saddened. Up to now, in all of its public messages, it has shown a friendly face. But now it has turned its back on many of its clients by adding a surcharge in the form of a monthly fee for transponder users.

Many of these users are senior citizens on fixed incomes who drive their vehicles outside of the usual commuter hours, but who still enjoy the hassle-free tollways whenever possible.

Their total monthly charge may vary anywhere from $2 to $10 or so. The $1 transponder surcharge, soon to be enforced, is in itself a modest figure, but in terms of it being a 10% to 50% overlay, it becomes quite significant.

I can best express my disappointment with this action by returning my transponder and canceling my account.

MURRAY STORM

Trabuco Canyon

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I don’t believe what I read regarding the new $1 monthly transponder fee.

What was the TCA board thinking when this was approved?

In order to amortize and retire the bonds, the agency should do whatever is necessary to increase traffic on the San Joaquin Hills road rather than decrease it.

By imposing this new transponder fee, transponder traffic will be substantially reduced to primarily daily commuters and not the occasional user.

M. JOHN LIPPMAN

Newport Beach