In response to inquiries by The Inquirer, DRPA chief executive John Matheussen said Tuesday that the agency would suspend the benefit soon, perhaps by Monday.
In her memo, the bridge director, Valerie P. Bradford, told employees to use the bridge's outside lane, which is not staffed by toll collectors and is designated for authorized use only.
When that lane is closed at night and on weekends, Bradford wrote, employees should "show their photo ID badge to the cash lane Toll Collector to obtain passage."
"The Toll Collector will note the ID, document the name on their exception sheet and grant the passage," she wrote.
Bradford reminded employees that the free ride "is strictly limited to while the employee is on duty or part of their commute from or to their DRPA/PATCO facility."
The agency's policy is that "when people need to travel for work, or if people are coming to work or going home, they don't have to pay," DRPA spokeswoman Danelle Hunter said Tuesday.
Hunter compared the practice to granting free admission to employees at an amusement park.
"At Disney World, I don't think they make employees pay to get in," she said.
Several hours later, though, Matheussen told The Inquirer "that was something I didn't have my eye on." He said he would move to end the free crossings.
He estimated that 20 to 25 percent of the DRPA's 900 employees commuted across the Delaware River to work.
"If we're going to treat employees like all our other customers, they'll have to pay the toll," Matheussen said.
He said they would not have to pay if they were crossing a bridge in the course of their work duties.
Matheussen said he would try to have a new written policy in place by the end of this week. The revised rules could be in effect by Monday, he said.
