Report: Motorists file class action suit against Florida toll road for… taking hostages?

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety

toll booth

Florida motorists are officially fed up with the actions of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and Faneuil Inc. The latter is a private firm hired by the FDOT to manage its tollbooth operations. A class-action lawsuit filed against both parties alleges that toll booth operators have been holding cash-paying motorists hostage.

Paying with cash causes an increase in operating costs for Faneuil because workers are needed to handle the money and provide change. In an apparent attempt to dissuade drivers from paying with cash, tollbooth operators are required to fill out Bill Detection Report. The driver’s license plate number, vehicle make and model and driver’s license information are all written down. The barrier isn’t lifted until this information is provided, and many motorists feel this policy is out of control. For its part, Faneeil would prefer that drivers switch to the automated SunPass system, which would help reduce operating costs.

The lawsuit alleges that civil rights are being violated and claims this is a form of false imprisonment. Neither the FDOT or Faneuil have commented on the lawsuit.

[Source: TheNewspaper.com | Image: Getty]

Report: Motorists file class action suit against Florida toll road for… taking hostages? originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 23 Feb 2011 13:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Florida cancels online learner’s permit test after finding over 50% can’t pass test in real life [w/video]

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Safety, Videos

Person waiting in line at the DMV

No more online Learner’s Permit option for Florida drivers – Click above to watch video after the jump

If you live in Florida and are getting ready to take the test to get you’re learner’s permit, you better head to Google Maps and find the location of the nearest DMV. For the past decade, potential new drivers had the option of taking their permit test online. This practice just came to a screeching halt when they found that a large percentage of drivers passing the online test failed the in-person version. How large? Over 50 percent.

Emotions are predictably mixed, but we’re all for fine-tuning a program that gives people the privilege of piloting two-ton murder mobiles. Having smarter drivers on the road leads to a better motoring experience for all of us. It’s even plausible that a more knowledgeable pool of drivers could lead to fewer accidents and reduced insurance premiums.

Hop the jump to view My Fox Orlando’s segment on the matter.

[Source: My Fox Orlando]

Continue reading Florida cancels online learner’s permit test after finding over 50% can’t pass test in real life [w/video]

Florida cancels online learner’s permit test after finding over 50% can’t pass test in real life [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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