Audit raises questions about unpaid tolls as Pennsylvania Turnpike rates rise
As it becomes more expensive to drive on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a new state audit is questioning whether enough is being done to ensure all motorists pay their fair share.
HARRISBURG, Pa. —
As it becomes more expensive to drive on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, a new state audit is questioning whether enough is being done to ensure all motorists pay their fair share.
Audit finds $229 million in unpaid tolls
The report from Pennsylvania Auditor General Tim DeFoor found the Turnpike Commission failed to collect roughly $229 million in tolls between June 2024 and May 2025.
“We found that the Turnpike Commission’s unpaid toll problem has grown,” DeFoor said.
About 75% of the unpaid tolls, or approximately $171 million, came from travelers who used the turnpike, received a bill and did not pay it, according to the audit.
DeFoor said stronger collection methods are needed. He suggested unpaid toll debt could be reported on vehicle owners’ credit reports.
A Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission spokesperson said the agency appreciates the report and shares DeFoor’s goal of operating a financially strong, accountable and transparent organization. The spokesperson said many of the report’s recommendations are already being implemented.
Rate increases could burden paying drivers
The audit examined trends dating to 2022, including the expansion of all-electronic tolling. Under the system, motorists are charged automatically at entrance and exit points rather than paying at tollbooths.
DeFoor also warned that continued rate increases could make the highway too expensive for some motorists, leaving paying customers to shoulder more of the burden created by unpaid tolls.
“The bottom line is, what are we going to do for the people traveling on the turnpike?” DeFoor said. “The turnpike has made some significant investments as far as technology, and things have improved, but they’re going to have to improve a little more because ultimately the burden is going to fall on the traveler.”
Report calls for action on Turnpike debt
The report also recommended that state lawmakers consider reducing the amount of money the Turnpike Commission is required to provide to the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation each year.
DeFoor called for creating a task force to address the turnpike’s debt, which had climbed to $14.4 billion as of May 2025.