No overnight toll collector starting this Sunday on Confederation Bridge

Starting this Sunday, there will be no toll-booth operator working overnight at the Confederation Bridge between P.E.I. and New Brunswick.

Typically, Strait Crossing, the company that manages the bridge, hasalways hadone dedicated toll collector in a booth that can accept cash.

Keith Sigsworth, the toll-trafficsupervisor said one of the reasons for the change is that fewer drivers are using cash.

"We have very few cash sales throughout the night traffic is light at that time of the night and as I say once you get by midnight, cash sales are pretty much non-existent."

Cash still viable

Sigsworthsaid commuters will still be able to pay with cash if they areleaving the Island between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m.

He said there will be adedicated cash-only lane, whichdrivers wanting to pay with cash can use.

"If [an attendant is] not right in the booth at that particular time you pull in, there's a telephone there, where you can just pick up the receiver and call bridge control which is just30 seconds away, and they can assist you," he said.

Sigsworth said the companyattempted going completely cashless and automated for a few weeks in December,butsome driversstill wanted the option.

He saidthe companywill monitor how this works over the winter and make any adjustments if need be.

"I don't think you'll see a big change in the way the toll plaza is operated at night. This is not meant to be an inconvenience to anybody."

Sigsworth saidthey'll have an operator at the booth to take cash again beginning June 1st.

More P.E.I. news