Snowbird squawks at International Bridge vanishing toll credit

A Canadian snowbird, returning home via the International Bridge at Sault Ste. Marie got a big surprise. Waving his "prox card" at the card reader he was stunned when the system said his prox card was invalid. Don Edwards knew he had at least $25 worth of credit left on the card, which should have easily given him a pass across the bridge.

Edwards recalls, "There were two cars behind me and I had to get them to back up so I could get to the toll booth to inquire why my proxy card was invalid." A regular bridge users, Edwards was more than a little distressed when the toll attendant told him that since he hadn't used the card in over three months, his card was no longer valid, and his $25 was gone forever.

Edwards says he can't understand the policy--when he's on vacation he can get all his utilities set on "vacation" mode with no penalty. But trying that with his bridge toll payment card goes nowhere. He says he's contacted bridge authorities twice on the matter to no avail. We called the bridge authority for a comment. While Edwards may not have received an answer to his letter, our phone inquiry had a quick response.

An official for the bridge authority was quick to confirm that the stated--and written--bridge policy is that if a card isn't used for three months, the credited funds do in fact, vanish, somewhere in the coffers of the bridge authority. However, before this happens, the bridge folks will either phone or send an e-mail to the card's user to warn of the impending loss of funds, and suggesting that if the card owner can't use the funds the owner might consider lending the card to someone who can. We asked: Does this mean if the card isn't used in 90 days, the holder will have to purchase a new card? No indeed, emptied accounts can be recharged at no additional cost.

photo: wikipedia.com