Drivers in New York City cheat their way out of paying millions of dollars in local tolls each year by obscuring their license plates to avoid toll readers and traffic cams. It’s been an ongoing problem, but became even more dire with the launch of congestion pricing – so the city announced it is advancing new rules to make it easier to crackdown on scofflaws.
In early January, the Department of Transportation (DOT) proposed rules targeting drivers who turn their vehicles into “ghost cars,” clarifying existing regulations on visibility requirements for license plates, prohibiting anything – including dirt, rust, plastic and other materials – that could distort or make a license plate unreadable.
In 2022, the MTA estimated $46 million in bridge and tunnel revenue was lost due to toll evasion. Currently, there is a $50 fine for parking with an obstructed plate.
Wanted Criminals Among Those Caught
Meanwhile, the NYPD started posting vehicles in the shadow of congestion pricing cameras by 2nd Avenue, near the Ed Koch-Queensboro Bridge, actively stopping drivers who either covered their plates in some way or used paper plates to prevent overhead cameras and scanners from detecting them. During their stops, police say they recovered drugs and potentially deadly weapons from scofflaw drivers.
Between 6:00am and noon on Jan. 7, police reportedly issued 73 summonses, seized 16 vehicles and arrested two people wanted for other crimes. The next day, they handed out 113 summonses, confiscated 10 vehicles, and made one arrest. On Jan. 9, cops wrote 88 summonses, took in 14 vehicles, and made seven arrests.
The city is scheduled to hold an online hearing on the proposed rules on Feb. 6 at 10:00am, and has invited feedback from the public. For more info, visit https://a856-cityrecord.nyc.gov/RequestDetail/20241230046.
Sources: Crain’s New York Business, amNY
