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The Port Authority Police Department of New York and New Jersey is arresting toll cheats and issuing summonses at a record pace this year, and plans on ramping up its already-intense crackdown on sly motorists in the coming months, according to a news release issued Tuesday, Aug. 6.
In the first six months of 2024, the PAPD has cited more than 4,800 motorists who owe a combined total of more than $4.2 million in unpaid tolls and fees, the agency said.
Data from the PAPD show that the total number of summonses issued by its officers increased by 55 percent and the number of arrests increased by 54 percent in the first six months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
Drivers who were issued summonses in that period collectively owed the agency more than $4.2 million. These included several repeat offenders who alone racked up toll bills of hundreds of thousands of dollars, the PAPD said.
"Toll cheats, beware: We’re cracking down with summonses and arrests up more than 50 percent since last year,” said Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole. “Thousands of motorists have already found out the hard way that if you try to cheat your way out of paying what you owe, it’s not a question of if we’ll catch you, but when."
“Between targeted patrols, streamlined data collection, and other resources, we’re leaving no stone unturned in our pursuit of drivers who think they can cheat the system,” said Port Authority Executive Director Rick Cotton. “Over the first six months of the year, thousands found out the hard way just how serious we are about our commitment to equity and fairness for all of our customers.”
In the first six months of 2024, a total of 4,836 summonses were issued for toll-related violations by PAPD officers. This was a 55 percent increase over the 3,103 summonses issued during the same period in 2023. The bulk of the summonses, totaling 3,940 citations, were issued for obstructed/missing/fictitious license plates.
From Jan. 1 through June 30, Port Authority police also arrested 63 people for theft of service and bogus license plates. This was a 54 percent increase in the arrest total from the same period in 2023, when 41 motorists were arrested.
The Port Authority is focused on seeking out egregious repeat offenders who often owe totals in the hundreds of thousands of dollars. Toll evaders who repeatedly do not pay their bills on time may be subject to having their vehicles’ registrations suspended and their vehicles towed and impounded by PAPD at the owners’ expense. Repeat offenders also may be subject to civil litigation for toll recovery.
Motorists can avoid administrative fees and vehicle registration suspensions for unpaid toll violations by paying their toll bills on time or by signing up for E-ZPass. With an E-ZPass account, customers can link a credit card or bank account to make the tolling process as seamless as possible and save as much as 20 percent on tolls at the agency’s crossings.
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