A 36-hour rule for people who want to pay the commuter rate across the Mackinac Bridge has whittled commuter traffic from about 21% last year to an anticipated 12.9% this year, leading the Mackinac Bridge Authority to push back the expiration date on commuter cards for at least one year, until December 31, 2011, and some Authority members to say they favor removing the expiration date entirely. The Authority voted unanimously to at least extend the expiration date at its meeting at Mackinac Island City Hall Friday, August 13.

Saying the lower fare was abused by drivers who were not commuters, the Authority implemented the 36-hour rule January 1, which gives the 48.6% commuter discount only to those who re-cross the bridge within 36 hours of their first crossing.

“It was clear that a lot of people that were using the commuter discount were clearly not commuters and were very infrequent users,” said Mackinac Bridge Executive Secretary Bob Sweeney.

This strategy seems to be working, with commuter numbers hovering between 12% and 14% since putting the rule in place, similar to what the totals have been in the past, according to the Mackinac Bridge staff.

“We're accomplishing what we wanted to accomplish,” said Chairman William Gnodtke, “to give the commuter discount to those people who meet the definition of commuter.”

The one-way toll for a passenger vehicle is $3.50, and for a commuter who makes the return trip in the allotted time, the fare is $1.80.

Without the time restriction, nearly 21% of crossers claimed they were commuters last year. This January, commuter use came down to around 18%, while in July that number dropped to around 8%, a decline typical of summer traffic. At year's end, nearly 12.9% of overall traffic is expected to show up as commuter traffic.

Some members are in favor of eliminating the expiration entirely.

“If a user's card is being actively used, they should never have to worry about an expiration date,” said Barbara Brown, the vice chair. “Only the dormant cards, and we would have to determine what would deem a card or an account dormant, should be considered for expiration.”

Bob Struck echoed this sentiment and urged a decision to take an expiration date off the table completely, rather than extending the deadline one year.

“Looking at the numbers,” he said, “we have the rate of commuters down to an acceptable level, similar to what it was in 2003. I would like to see no expiration on the commuter cards. There's people who might buy a card in November . . . we can say that we'll extend it another year to see what happens, but I think we're just postponing a dilemma.”

No decision was reached, though, about eliminating the expiration date.

Ms. Brown had praise for the current system.

“It's actually the user who defines themselves as a commuter,” she said. “We don't have to say you live in a certain zip code and you cross this many times. We're holding their money and if they don't return in 36 hours, they pay full fare.”

Commuter cards are charged full fare on the first trip, and 10-cents on a return trip within 36 hours, or full fare if after that.

Demand is growing for accepting credit and debit cards as payment options for all bridge patrons, and the Mackinac Bridge Authority (MBA) is mulling how to handle the requests.

Currently, the MBA only accepts these forms of payment at the Customer Service Center building as a last resort for customers who don't have the cash necessary to pay the bridge fare.

“If a customer comes across the bridge and does not have cash, we don't turn them around and send them back in the direction they came from,” Mr. Sweeney said.

Other customers are also asking to use credit and debit cards to deposit funds into their Mackinac Bridge Toll Debit, Quick, and commuter accounts. The last resort service has already seen skyrocketing use, Mr. Sweeney said, as the typical day on a summer weekend sees between 20 to 25 customers make the request.

“Accepting credit-debit cards for electronic deposits to toll accounts would lower staff transaction time and costs,” he said.

While saving in staff time, however, the MBA would have to pay a 2.1% processing fee to the credit card companies.

No decision was made in regard to pursuing credit and debit card options.

The MBA last Friday also voted 5-2 to award Superior Insurance Agency in Sault Ste. Marie its business for a one-year contract. Cheeseman Insurance Agency in St. Ignace has provided auto insurance to the MBA since 2003, and was considered during an open bid process again this year. Authority members Dan Musser III and Ms. Brown were the votes of dissent on awarding the contract to Superior Insurance, citing that Cheeseman had performed well for them in the past.

Other board members said that putting the contract out for bid and not going with the lowest bidder, Superior Insurance, would send the wrong message. Superior Insurance submitted a bid for $21,278, while Cheeseman Insurance Agency's bid was $25,106 and State Farm's was $49,300.

The MBA will meet next in Marquette December 2 and 3 and in Lansing March 10 and 11. Mr. Struck, who calls Marquette home, said this will be the first time he can remember the MBA meeting there.

The Fares, Fees and Classifications Committee, Infrastructure and Deck Replacement Committee, and Finance Committee met prior to the official meeting. The first two committee meetings were held at the Grand Hotel, while the finance and official meetings took place at the Mackinac Island Community Hall.