But it's nice to know there are people training for such an event just in case - even if their drill yesterday had to be called off due to tornado warnings.

More specifically, its Jumbotronish display next to the turnpike, which is going dark until cooler weather returns or the station installs a new cooling system to keep the LEDs from overheating.

Third Decade doesn't get why the state plans to rescue the turnpike authority from its crushing debt while refusing to rescue the MBTA from its crushing debt.

The Outraged Liberal asks questions, too:

... Did Cahill -- or Sen. Mark Montigny offer reform suggestions? And how can they be implemented in an agency that operates somewhat independently with a board appointed on staggered terms so that it is not supposed to be in the thrall of one governor. ...

The turnpike authority continues to press forward with plans for more ramps between Back Bay and South Boston.

In the back of a pickup, no less.

This is how entrenched bureaucracies threaten public policy. Mass Pike usage drops by 3.5% in May without any change in tolls and the Turnpike authority responds with concern about authority revenues.

Here's the appropriate response:

1. Express elation with the drop in driving
2. Demand that state subsidy shift towards the growing MBTA ridership (up 5.3% in May)
3. Increase tolls to encourage greater shift to transit

Ten current and former toll collectors at the Ted Williams and Callahan tunnels were charged today with stealing toll money from the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority, which owns the tunnels.

Suffolk County DA Dan Conley says the most common scheme involved taking advantage of the different tolls charged to commercial vehicles and ordinary passenger cars:

As vehicles pass through the tolls, the collector is supposed to hit a switch indicating the type of vehicle passing through and collect the appropriate fare. In most of these instances we've charged, toll collectors would classify some of the taxi cabs or other commercial vehicles as ordinary vehicles, but charge the drivers the higher toll rate and pocket the difference.

Another scheme involved toll collectors manipulating the timing switch used to count cars so that two vehicles would be counted as one. Again, the toll was collected from the uncounted vehicle but pocketed by the toll collector. The dollars stolen from the Turnpike by misclassifying or miscounting vehicles could range anywhere from $20 to $150 per toll collector, per shift, and amount to thousands of dollars.

State Police began their investigation last October. The ten were issued summons to appear in Boston Municipal Court to answer the charges.

Carumba!

Those darn truck rollovers.

Eeka discovers toll takers at the Allston/Cambridge exit on the turnpike have an interesting way of addressing each other.