State Lost Nearly $1M In Toll-Free Rides To MassDOT Employees Over 6 Years
BOSTON (CBS) -- A report by the state's Inspector General says Massachusetts has lost nearly a million dollars in revenue over the past six years in free rides given to MassDOT employees.
The report said the employees--even those who have retired, and outside contractors--have been driving toll-free for years.
Inspector General Glenn Cunha's report says that, years ago, when the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority was a separate entity, it gave out hundreds of free transponders and passes.
"A report found that close to million dollars had been lost with regard to this benefit that employees were receiving," said Cunha.
In 2013, it was reported that over 1,000 former Mass. Pike workers and retirees got free EZ Pass tolls.
Although the practice has been discontinued, there has been little oversight in keeping track of who still has them, who is using them, and for what.
"There still are non-revenue transponders out there," said Cunha. "We recommend that 100 percent of those transponders be recovered by MassDOT."
Cunha says the report is all about fairness.
"We all pay to go through the Mass. Pike or go over the Tobin Bridge," said Cunha. "Why should a select group of MassDOT employees not have to do what the rest of us have to do?"
MassDOT said it has already deactivated about 675 transponders. The organization also said some of those past perks were tied in to old collective bargaining agreements.
WBZ NewsRadio 1030's Karen Twomey reports
