The New York State Thruway is cracking down on toll evaders, focusing on trucking companies that rack up overdue toll charges. They're determined to recover "every single dollar" from these persistent offenders.
The big picture: The Thruway lost roughly $70 million in unpaid tolls last year. A handful of trucking companies have been implicated for being frequent offenders.
- Northside Industrial Corp. has over $600,000 in unpaid tolls and penalties.
- Chris Ridenhour's operation owes $311,542.
- Williamsburg Materials Corp. is listed for $316,000 in tolls and fines.
How they're doing it: Some firms continue to use toll roads with deactivated E-ZPass tags, leaving the bills unpaid. There are also reports of companies using tricks like "ghost plates" to dodge the charges.
Steps taken: After pausing enforcement measures during the pandemic, the Thruway has renewed its efforts. They've flagged numerous registrations for suspension and hired agencies to collect debts.
Enforcement actions have included suspensions for those evaders. The Thruway has recovered around $15 million, but $40 million remains unpaid, reported Democrat and Chronicle.
Zoom in: The increased tolls on major bridges and the Thruway, introduced in early 2024, might have contributed to these rising figures of unpaid tolls.
The Thruway continues to push for inter-state agreements to better track and collect from out-of-state evaders. The overall toll revenue last year hit $887 million, but the quest to recoup losses from unpaid tolls continues.