Attn: Pennsylvania motorists- new fees in effect and more

Michael W. Smith · #1 05/05/14, 07:35 PM

Just happened to get a AAA newspaper today and saw where all Pennsylvania Motorists are going to have higher fees.

First phase went into effect April 1.
The replacement of a noncommercial driver's license or PA ID Card has increased from $13.50 to $27.50.
When renewing a PA ID card, the fee has increased from $13.50 to $27.50 as well. The price of a 4 year driver's license remained the same.
Those needing a new title - whether buying a new car or replacing a lost title - the fee has increased from $22.50 to $50.00.
Other fee increases are recording a lien on a title, now $23.00, and requesting a driver or vehicle record history. Those fees have increased from $5.00 to $8.00 with the cost of certified copies of those same records being increased from $10.00 to $30.00.

The second phase goes into effect July 1.
Purchasing a personalized plate, the onetime fee will increase from $20.00 to $76.00. The PA Zoological (tiger) plate and the Railroaders Heritage Plate both increase from $35.00 to $54.00.
Registration fees for motor homes, trailers with a weight of 10,000 lbs or higher, special mobile equipment, implements of husbandry, farm trucks, ambulance, taxi, and hearse plate will all be increased as well.
The cost of transferring a plate between vehicles is increasing by $3.00 and the price of a plate being issued when titling a vehicle is going up by $9.00.
When an existing plate needs to be replaced, the fee will increase from $5.00 to $14.00.
You can avoid the increase of the second phase fees by getting your work done by June 30.

These fees are expected to provide about $2.3 billion more a year to fix roads, bridges, and expand public transit.

Bellyman · #2 05/05/14, 07:38 PM

And whatcha wanna bet that not one thin dime of it will ever see a road repair, a bridge repair or a public transit project??

big rockpile · #3 05/05/14, 07:44 PM

They've had the worse roads in the United States for years. I don't see this changing a thing.

big rockpile

Dan B. · #4 05/05/14, 07:49 PM

I work PennDOT.........no comment.

PNP Katahdins · #5 05/06/14, 07:31 AM

Dan B., I used to work at WisDOT. My comment is that the PA legislature will now see fit to funnel $2.3 billion to non-road and trans projects.

Peg

Wolf mom · #6 05/06/14, 07:39 AM

In the new transportation bill is a section that mandates all vehicles to have transponder units installed so the Feds can keep track of every vehicle on it's daily drive to work or out for a family Sunday drive.

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/...ghway-robbery/

Becka03 · #7 05/06/14, 08:28 AM

Highest gas taxes- highest amount of potholes too-
GAHHHHHH

JoePa · #8 05/06/14, 10:03 AM

Some one has to bite the bullet - if you want good roads and bridges you got to pay for them - for too long these things have been neglected and now a lot of money is required to catch up -

simi-steading · #9 05/06/14, 10:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JoePa

Some one has to bite the bullet - if you want good roads and bridges you got to pay for them - for too long these things have been neglected and now a lot of money is required to catch up -

If our government quit wasting billions, and quit handing out our money to other countries and causes like it's worthless paper they are trying to get rid of, we could take care of our own..

We managed to build our infrastructures.. the lest we could do is take care of it, instead of ignoring it so we can spend the money elsewhere, that doesn't benefit the American Public..

Steve in PA · #10 05/06/14, 12:24 PM

On the bright side, PA Supreme Court says the police can now search our cars without a warrant. Oh wait...that's not a good thing either. Well, carry on then.

haley1 · #11 05/06/14, 12:32 PM

thought I heard PA sold some of their turpike or road sysytem to a private firm a few years ago? was that true or false?

Becka03 · #12 05/06/14, 12:34 PM

I might believe that JoePa- if we didn't have potholes the size of your namesake's grave all over Centre County

Michael W. Smith · #13 05/06/14, 12:56 PM

Yeah, you get to thinking PA is pretty bad with potholes on your daily commute or the humps in the roads, but try going up to New York! I go to Salamanca, NY every so often, and the adjustment from PA roads to NY roads is quite a difference.
You know when you've hit NY roads and then again when you are back into PA - it seems like a smooth road.

The government is always moving money around - paying one project from the taxes from another.

I'm sure they let the roads and bridges go in the last few years - tight money and thinking they would have more money in the future when things "got better". Only problem is, the more money they have, the more they spend - and things haven't "gotten better".

I've seen the waste. Replacing a worn out one lane bridge between two hardly used roads with a new state of the art $million bridge! The funny thing about that one - is that the roads are only 300' apart! Did they REALLY need to replace the bridge (one that is hardly used) when the most somebody would have to travel is 300' to travel from road to the road?

I just have to wonder how much of that money will actually be used for the purpose presented? And the mass transit system doesn't help me any living in the sticks. (I guess more money that will go to Pittsburgh and Philadelphia.)

Win07_351 · #14 05/06/14, 07:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael W. Smith

These fees are expected to provide about $2.3 billion more a year to fix roads, bridges, and expand public transit.

Keep dreaming.

Gravytrain · #15 05/06/14, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Michael W. Smith

Yeah, you get to thinking PA is pretty bad with potholes on your daily commute or the humps in the roads, but try going up to New York! I go to Salamanca, NY every so often, and the adjustment from PA roads to NY roads is quite a difference.
You know when you've hit NY roads and then again when you are back into PA - it seems like a smooth road.

Yeah, NY roads are horrendous. I live a mile from the NY line and drive all over WNY. When I was a kid I remember how nice the NYS roads were in comparison to ours in PA...now the roles have reversed.

dizzy · #16 05/07/14, 04:53 AM

I wonder how much of it is due to location? I've been in Philly, and the roads were fine, same w/Harrisburg and Lancaster. I'm wondering if it's because you're farther away from the big cities?

Dan B. · #17 05/07/14, 05:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by haley1

thought I heard PA sold some of their turpike or road sysytem to a private firm a few years ago? was that true or false?

False....it was looked into but never carried through.

Gravytrain · #18 05/07/14, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dizzy

I wonder how much of it is due to location? I've been in Philly, and the roads were fine, same w/Harrisburg and Lancaster. I'm wondering if it's because you're farther away from the big cities?

Those areas of the state get very little of the snow, melt, seep, refreeze, heave cycle that other parts of the state gets. In addition, the politicians that frequent those areas make darned sure their potholes are fixed.