I am thinking of changing careers. Tollbooth Collector=$$$!

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

Is there any wonder my state is known as Taxachusetts?

I was checking out the Boston Herald Online and came across this nugget:
Massachusetts Turnpike Authority: The agency has been underfunding maintenance by $25 million a year. A 25 percent toll hike for 2008 will have to be upped far higher to pay off Big Dig debt. Average compensation of toll collectors nears $65,000 a year.


Thinking this must be a misprint, I decided to do some research. Apparently, MA does indeed pay these fucking cashiers rather handsomely, considering all they do is make change while sitting in a fucking box. Are you fucking kidding me:
MTA toll collectors however get $56k in wages plus $10k in benefits costing $66k/yr. They also get more generous leave at 6 weeks/yr, holidays plus 15 sick days. And they take an average of $3.3k/yr in workers compensation payments.

They average $3.3K in Worker's Comp? How the fuck does one get injured when you sit on your fucking ass for a living? Your arms must take a beating reaching in/out of window 8 hours at a pop, I guess.

Sure... it'll be a decrease in salary and I am not sure what sort of career path a toll booth collector has... but who the fuck cares??

You get 6 weeks of vacation/year and 15 sick days (or 3 MORE weeks of vacation if used "properly") By my math... carry the 2... yup. That's 9 weeks off per year.

Where do I sign?

[Ana Ng]

Might have something to do with all the emissions they're exposed to on a daily basis? (no one ever accused me of even being able to SPELL the word "genius")

It's a nice paycheck, even IF your life expectancy is only up to about 45?

Well, okay...not really.

[BSmack]

Is there any wonder my state is known as Taxachusetts?

I was checking out the Boston Herald Online and came across this nugget:
Massachusetts Turnpike Authority: The agency has been underfunding maintenance by $25 million a year. A 25 percent toll hike for 2008 will have to be upped far higher to pay off Big Dig debt. Average compensation of toll collectors nears $65,000 a year.

Have they considered using illegal immigrants?

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

Have they considered using illegal immigrants?

Seeing as how our moonbat Governor "Coup" DeVal is all for giving illegals driver's licenses and in-state tuition rates... I wouldn't rule that out.


http://www.ontheissues.org/Governor/Dev ... ration.htm


Btw -- I am sure you meant using illegals at sweat-shop rates, but this crazy fucker would probably push for $70K/year for them...

[OCmike]

Have they considered using illegal immigrants?

I thought they only did jobs that Americans wouldn't do...

On a related note, I think the whole idea of toll roads just plain fucking sucks. Between state tax, sales tax and gasoline tax, there is no state that doesn't have sufficient funds in this country to pay for their road maintenance costs

I get that once in awhile a new tax may need to be levvied to pay for something like the "Big Dig", but we all know that long after that debt has been repaid, that tax will still be around to pay for some federal building with the name "Kennedy" on it somewhere.

[BSmack]

Have they considered using illegal immigrants?

I thought they only did jobs that Americans wouldn't do...

I for one would not do that job for 65k a year. For starters, I'd have to move to Massachusetts and deal with their ridiculously high cost of living, which would wipe out the pay increase instantly. And the job itself sucks ass.

[Headhunter]

The Pennsylvania tollbooth lackeys wen't on strike a few years ago around some Holiday because their 65K or whatever wasn't enough. Turns out they are represented by the Teamsters.


Any other questions?

Teamsters, yeah, those guys usually ask for fair pay for a full days work.


Unions suck dick.

[Terry in Crapchester]

I for one would not do that job for 65k a year. For starters, I'd have to move to Massachusetts and deal with their ridiculously high cost of living, which would wipe out the pay increase instantly.

They do have toll collectors around here, Bri, although the job doesn't pay anywhere near $65K a year in these parts.

[indyfrisco]

I for one would not do that job for 65k a year. For starters, I'd have to move to Massachusetts and deal with their ridiculously high cost of living, which would wipe out the pay increase instantly. And the job itself sucks ass.

[zyclone]Way to KYOA.[/zyclone]

[jtr]

Might have something to do with all the emissions they're exposed to on a daily basis? (no one ever accused me of even being able to SPELL the word "genius")

It's a nice paycheck, even IF your life expectancy is only up to about 45?

Well, okay...not really.

you mean they get to go under cover online? sweet sign me up. sin, m2.

[Dinsdale]

I played a toll booth in a movie once.

Sin
JTR

[Goober McTuber]

Sure... it'll be a decrease in salary

You'll just have to wait till those Polo shirts go on sale.

[indyfrisco]

Sure... it'll be a decrease in salary

You'll just have to wait till those Polo shirts go on sale.

If you only knew how much I hated this post.

My mother win't buy ANYTHING unless it is 75% off. I don't know where she picked this up. Growing up, my dad was always pissed at her for spending so much money on clothes and shit. Maybe he finally won. I don't know.

Anyhow, I get a nice check from mom and pops every year for Christmas and my birthday. However, also along with that check she has like 10 Polo shirts from Dillards that are the most futt-bugly patterns you could ever imagine. I swear, one of them must have been from Ralph's Puke Collection. She gets them all at their local Dillard's because they always have a Polo section with 75% off shit.

The sad thing is, when I go down to Texas to visit my family, my brother is always wearing these shirts. Schmuck. In 5 years, I've probably gotten 60 shirts from my mom. I only kept one, a solid white. The Mexicans in these parts buy up all this shit when we have the yearly neighborhaood yard sale. Always advertise "New with tags Polo shirts!" My wife probably sells them for more than my mom bought them.

[Rootbeer]

I get that once in awhile a new tax may need to be levvied to pay for something like the "Big Dig", but we all know that long after that debt has been repaid, that tax will still be around to pay for some federal building with the name "Kennedy" on it somewhere.

Amen.

I remember a few years ago there was a debate on lifting a telecommunications tax from the early 1900's era. Back when people used barbed wire fences as telephone wire the gubment levied a tax and used the taxes to pay for upgrading telephone lines from barbed wire to something more bovine-proof. The upgrade was completed 60 years ago or some such but the tax remained in effect through the Clinton administration. Gore wanted to use the money to wire classrooms with the internet.

My memory might be a little faded but that's the jist.

[smackaholic]

Have they considered using illegal immigrants?

I thought they only did jobs that Americans wouldn't do...

On a related note, I think the whole idea of toll roads just plain fucking sucks. Between state tax, sales tax and gasoline tax, there is no state that doesn't have sufficient funds in this country to pay for their road maintenance costs

I get that once in awhile a new tax may need to be levvied to pay for something like the "Big Dig", but we all know that long after that debt has been repaid, that tax will still be around to pay for some federal building with the name "Kennedy" on it somewhere.

rack.

If gubmint really did give a fukk about saving energy/money, it would ban all tollbooths tomorrow. But, pols know that tolls need tollbooth collectors. Unionized, state hack tollbooth collectors who will vote for them so long as they are kept in the highest paying cashier gig going.

Another reason that states like NJ and massatwoshits keep tolls is that it allows them to nail non residents just passing through. These folks don't vote there, so they don't give a fukk about them.

BTW, whatever happened to trollbooth willy? Musta sucumbed to CO poisoning.

[Ken]

The Pennsylvania tollbooth lackeys wen't on strike a few years ago around some Holiday because their 65K or whatever wasn't enough. Turns out they are represented by the Teamsters.


Any other questions?

Teamsters, yeah, those guys usually ask for fair pay for a full days work.


Unions suck dick.

Actually, I think that was as recently as last year the human coke machines went on strike for a day or so. Ooooooooooo, the managers had to take their place for a day.

The Pa Turnpike was chaos for hours, I tell ya'. Cars backed up for MILES. It seems that the managers never had the actual required training. People were getting an extra $.10 back. Others were getting stiffed $.30 or so. They couldn't get the cash registers to work. Seems they didn't know if you should push 'subtotal' or 'total' after getting the toll from the traveler. I heard some were even making change in their head. Then, there was the one manager who couldn't tune in the usual employee's radio to the right station. Another who developed a MEAN blister on his toll-receiving hand. Couldn't take money for the rest of the day and closed his booth. The worst of the lot was the guy who couldn't tell the diff between a $5 and a $10. With all the new designs of the printed money, it really threw him off. I understand he's still on disability for vertigo.

I don't necessarily disrespect the human coke machines. Really, I don't. I just detest the ones wo have the backing of a fucking union and who believe they perform a job that's worthy of a pay structure that's on par with those performing a job requiring higher education.

[Diego in Seattle]

The Pennsylvania tollbooth lackeys wen't on strike a few years ago around some Holiday because their 65K or whatever wasn't enough. Turns out they are represented by the Teamsters.


Any other questions?

Teamsters, yeah, those guys usually ask for fair pay for a full days work.


Unions suck dick.

Yeah....why would a worker need a union?

Sincerely,
Circuit City employees

[Wolfman]

If gubmint really did give a fukk about saving energy/money, it would ban all tollbooths tomorrow. But, pols know that tolls need tollbooth collectors. Unionized, state hack tollbooth collectors who will vote for them so long as they are kept in the highest paying cashier gig going.

must be they never heard about the 407 in Canada !

[Y2K]

The Toll Roads in Fla around Orlando & Miami as well as the ones I traveled around Chicago suck serious ass, at least the Penn Turnpike (I-70) was well maintained and offered beautiful scenery. The I-45 from OKie City to Tulsa was inexpensive and also well maintained. All in all Toll Roads are a big time rip off. The fact that the employees are also part of the rip off isn't any surprise.

[Ken]

The problem with the ones in Florida, and there's a LOT of 'em, is that they're seemingly every freakin' 5 miles.

I will say this though... the roads in Florida are maintained pretty damned good. Not hard to do in the land of sunshine and no snow, I guess.

[Wolfman]

No toll ROADS down here in Lee/Collier counties
(yet) but a few toll BRIDGES:

http://www.leewayinfo.com/Tollschedule.htm\

True that our roads are mostly in good condition--
owe that to the lack of freezing and thawing that
chews up highways in more northern latitudes !

[smackaholic]

If gubmint really did give a fukk about saving energy/money, it would ban all tollbooths tomorrow. But, pols know that tolls need tollbooth collectors. Unionized, state hack tollbooth collectors who will vote for them so long as they are kept in the highest paying cashier gig going.

must be they never heard about the 407 in Canada !

whatchutalkin'bout wilis?

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

In the amount of time it took you to type out that reply, you could have googled "407 in canada", right?

[smackaholic]

yeah, but, I was just lookin' for an opportunity to drop a different strokes reset.

[Goober McTuber]

The Pennsylvania tollbooth lackeys wen't on strike a few years ago around some Holiday because their 65K or whatever wasn't enough. Turns out they are represented by the Teamsters.


Any other questions?

Teamsters, yeah, those guys usually ask for fair pay for a full days work.


Unions suck dick.

Actually, I think that was as recently as last year the human coke machines went on strike for a day or so.

See, this just doesn’t make sense.

I understand why running back Charlie Tolar was nick-named the “human bowling ball”. He was 5-foot-5 and weighed 210, and he kind of resembled a bowling ball when he ran.

I understand Dominique Wilkins as the “human highlight film”, because anytime down the court he might do something truly spectacular.

I understand Ron Goldman as the “human Pez dispenser”, for obvious reasons.

But I don’t understand toll booth collectors as “human coke machines”. Do you insert the toll in their mouth and they shit out a 16 oz bottle?

Kendra, quit trying to be clever, because you’re just not wired that way.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Wow. A decent paying job that Guntslinger would actually possess the qualifications for. The world gets weirder every day.

[indyfrisco]

Wow. A decent paying job that Guntslinger would actually possess the qualifications for. The world gets weirder every day.

Think of all the opportunities to put a Post-It on car windows.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Wow. A decent paying job that Guntslinger would actually possess the qualifications for. The world gets weirder every day.

Think of all the opportunities to put a Post-It on car windows.

Yeah, and all the hos he can bitchslap with his arm hanging out the window.

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

Think of all the opportunities to put a Post-It on car windows.

Exactly... he could also berate the motorists with his nonsensical bullshit:

"Dude... 6 years later and you're still driving on this road. I hate this road. I travel it every day just to come here and tell you how much of a fucking loser you are. That'll be $1.35, you pathetic fucking loser."

[indyfrisco]

Think of all the opportunities to put a Post-It on car windows.

Exactly... he could also berate the motorists with his nonsensical bullshit:

"Dude... 6 years later and you're still driving on this road. I hate this road. I travel it every day just to come here and tell you how much of a fucking loser you are. That'll be $1.35, you pathetic fucking loser."

By the way, here's a picture of gay porn you FAG. You're such a FAG for looking at this gay porn that I search all over the interwebs to prove you're such a FAG, FAG!

[Hobbes]

Hmmm, I see that this is the place to air our grievances about toll roads. Anyone else familiar with the clusterfuck that is E-470?

Ostensibly, it was to be a loop around the Denver metro area, so that people could zip around with their Speedpass and not have to deal with the bullshit that is I-25. It was also supposed to be self-funded. The people who use it pay for it, the tolls fund the construction and maintenance. Hey, fine by me. I don't need to use it, and if people want to spend $10 a day to go from North Denver to South Denver and back, that's their lookout. Then last year I got the annual notification to renew my vehicle registration. Suddenly, there's a $10 surcharge on top of your normal registration fee to fund - you guessed it - the E-470 loop. Fuck that. This state has just about the worst infrastructure planning and development that I've ever seen. Seems like shit is always being built with current needs in mind, without any thought to what could happen down the road. Because, you know, it's not like Colorado's population is increasing by an average of 70,000 people per year or anything. It's unfathomable that the demands on your infrastructure in 10 years just might be greater than what they are now.

[indyfrisco]

Hmmm, I see that this is the place to air our grievances about toll roads. Anyone else familiar with the clusterfuck that is E-470?

Ostensibly, it was to be a loop around the Denver metro area, so that people could zip around with their Speedpass and not have to deal with the bullshit that is I-25. It was also supposed to be self-funded. The people who use it pay for it, the tolls fund the construction and maintenance. Hey, fine by me. I don't need to use it, and if people want to spend $10 a day to go from North Denver to South Denver and back, that's their lookout. Then last year I got the annual notification to renew my vehicle registration. Suddenly, there's a $10 surcharge on top of your normal registration fee to fund - you guessed it - the E-470 loop. Fuck that. This state has just about the worst infrastructure planning and development that I've ever seen. Seems like shit is always being built with current needs in mind, without any thought to what could happen down the road. Because, you know, it's not like Colorado's population is increasing by an average of 70,000 people per year or anything. It's unfathomable that the demands on your infrastructure in 10 years just might be greater than what they are now.

[Goober McTuber]

It's unfathomable that the demands on your infrastructure in 10 years just might be greater than what they are now.

Wow. Been a long time since I’ve seen a shutyomouth reset.

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Think of all the opportunities to put a Post-It on car windows.

Exactly... he could also berate the motorists with his nonsensical bullshit:

"Dude... 6 years later and you're still driving on this road. I hate this road. I travel it every day just to come here and tell you how much of a fucking loser you are. That'll be $1.35, you pathetic fucking loser."

By the way, here's a picture of gay porn you FAG. You're such a FAG for looking at this gay porn that I search all over the interwebs to prove you're such a FAG, FAG!

"You're gonna tell my boss? Bwahahahaha! You think I give a shit? This job means nothing to me. I'm just here for shits and giggles."

[ucantdoitdoggieSTyle2]

RACK Frisco's and MGO's work in this shit thread. This is turning into a decent read...

[indyfrisco]

Exactly... he could also berate the motorists with his nonsensical bullshit:

"Dude... 6 years later and you're still driving on this road. I hate this road. I travel it every day just to come here and tell you how much of a fucking loser you are. That'll be $1.35, you pathetic fucking loser."

By the way, here's a picture of gay porn you FAG. You're such a FAG for looking at this gay porn that I search all over the interwebs to prove you're such a FAG, FAG!

"You're gonna tell my boss? Bwahahahaha! You think I give a shit? This job means nothing to me. I'm just here for shits and giggles."

[MgoBlue-LightSpecial]

Never saw that one before. Rack it.

[indyfrisco]

[RadioFan]

On a related note, I think the whole idea of toll roads just plain fucking sucks.

Don't even get me started.



The only upside, and it is a pittance at best, is that the speed limit on the turnpikes is 75, generally with a 10 mph tolerance, meaning you can pretty much do 80 without having to worry about it.

I'm not sure what the turnpike collectors make here, but I know they get paid fairly well for sitting in a booth making change.

Fuck. I shouldn't have posted that. Dipshitslinger will be down here applying next week.

[Dinsdale]

If I controlled the roads in Oklahoma, I'd charge people to get out, too...great scam.


I just have a hard time believing they try to charge people money to get into Vallejo, CA...will wonders never cease?