DRPA Scandal Has Insiders Talking

The Delaware River Port Authority E-Z Pass Scandal is getting wider. Your tax dollars are paying for the free tolls and free train rides for employees and retirees. Now some DRPA insiders are starting to talk about these bad business practices – now exposed – that have been going on for way too long.

Ever since New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and the DRPA Commissioner John Dougherty began looking into the DRPA’s business practices last week, the group that controls our bridges and PATCO lines have been feeling the heat.

Fox 29’s Dave Schratwieser spoke to the DRPA’s #2 man today – Vice President Jeffrey Nash.
Nash promises big changes on the horizon. These changes will shake up the agency and do away with perks, fringe benefits, nepotism, high salaries and cronyism.

Dave also leaned today that in addition to those free 100 trips on EX Pass for all DRPA employees and retirees, they also get free tips on the PATCO high-speed line – up to 10 trips per year. All these free trips has gotten DRPA Public Safety Director Mike Joyce in “hot water.” His pay has been docked three days and he had to pay back $600 in EZ Pass fees after he gave the EZ Pass from another high-ranking DRPA official to his son and daughter.

Check out the video to see what Jeffrey Nash thought of Joyce’s actions.

Meanwhile, Republican State Representative Mike Vereb wrote a letter to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell, calling for a criminal investigation into Joyce's actions.

Today at 5, our Investigative Reporter Jeff Cole takes a look at the DRPA players. Who is on the board? How did they get appointed? Some have deep ties to labor unions, while others make up the regions political elite.

Correction: A previous version of this story incorrecty said that a DRPA executive asked for a criminal investigation into the matter.