1 millionth Fast Lane customer wins turnpike gear, $100 toll credit
By Noah Bierman and Andrew Ryan, Globe Staff
The Massachusetts Turnpike Authority recognized a sunny milestone today at its monthly meeting, a typically drab gathering in a boardroom that tackles subjects as exciting as implementation consulting verification.
The recipient of the good news was the smiley Janet Athens, a 50-year-old mother of six from Lexington. Athens was lucky enough to buy the one millionth Fast Lane transponder sold by the Pike since 1998, when it launched its automatic toll collection system.
“No balloons. No confetti. No trip to Disney World,” Athens said by telephone after the meeting. “But I got a turnpike hat and a turnpike coffee mug.”
The souvenirs, which include the roadway’s signature pilgrim hat, were given as part of an effort to increase the use of Fast Lane. When Athens stepped forward to receive the accolades, Transportation Secretary Bernard Cohen could not resist a cliché.
“Welcome to the Fast Lane,” Cohen said.
Athens smiled. “This is fun,” she said.
Citizens Bank, the program’s corporate sponsor, also gave Athens a $100 credit for tolls on her account and refunded the $25.99 she had paid for the transponder at the Natick service center. She used it for the first time this weekend on a run to Logan International Airport and “felt very cool not having to fish through my purse for money.”
“You know how they say you get 15 minutes of fame?” Athens said. “I told them I hoped I didn’t use it all up on this. I still want to save a little luck for when I buy my Red Sox Lottery ticket.”
