February 25th, 2010
NJ101.5
Racquel Williams Reporting

To listen to the audio click here.

Two state assemblymen Wednesday asked the state's Acting Transportation Commissioner to detail exactly what is being done to address customer service complaints filed by motorists against New Jersey Turnpike Authority toll collectors.

The recently published complaints range from threats of bodily harm to hurling racial slurs, to throwing change at drivers. Assemblymen John Wisniewski and Paul Moriarty want to know how this behavior could have been tolerated for so long...and what feeds it. Wisniewski says it's shameful because people who work for the state of New Jersey, including toll collectors, are ambassadors of the state.

"Turnpike authority workers are ambassadors for our state and we need to be sure they're all properly trained and prepared for appropriate customer service, " They wrote in a letter. "As we work hard to steer New Jersey through this recession and revive our economy, we cannot afford to have anyone left with a bad impression of our state because of horrendous behavior by a Turnpike Authority worker."

Wisniewski and Moriarty asked the commissioner to provide them with specifics detailing the customer service training provided to each employee and what the turnpike authority plans to do to address the complaints and ensure they don't happen again. The lawmakers emphasized that most toll workers do a good job.

In preparation for possible hearings on the complaints, the assemblymen asked the public to share stories of poor customer service by e-mails at asmdemoffice@njleg.Org