Interagency Operations Held at Multiple Crossings Throughout New York City
Through 31 Operations, Officers Have Impounded 1,806 Vehicles, Issued 15,019 Summonses, and Made 395 Arrests
Increases in Enforcement to Include Judgment Warning Notices Sent to Top Violators Starting Immediately
View Photos of Enforcement Operations in July 2024
View B-Roll from Enforcement Operations in July 2024
Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Bridges and Tunnels and the New York City Police Department (NYPD), along with regional law enforcement partners, today announced the results of six joint operations held in July.
“Bridge and Tunnel officers and regional partners have done tremendous work to curb ghost plates and scofflaw misconduct,” said MTA Bridges and Tunnels President Catherine Sheridan. “These operations covered many different crossings, sending the message to anyone attempting to break the law or evade the toll that no matter where you drive in our region you will get caught and pay the consequences.”
In the six operations since the joint task force marked its 25th operation on July 9, officers have impounded a total of 266 vehicles from enforcement operations at multiple crossings throughout New York City. The scofflaws had amassed $3,215,656 in unpaid tolls and fees, judgments, and other amounts owed. The operations resulted in 55 arrests and 3,012 summonses issued.
See results of each day’s operation below:
- On Thursday, July 11, 2024, an enforcement operation took place at the RFK, Willis and Third Ave bridges, which resulted in 20 arrests, 73 impounded vehicles, and 750 summonses.
- On Saturday, July 13, 2024, an enforcement operation took place at the Throgs Neck Bridge, which resulted in 10 arrests, 50 impounded vehicles and 345 summonses.
- On Friday, July 19, 2024, an enforcement operation at the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel, Brooklyn and Williamsburg bridges resulted in seven arrests, 25 impounded vehicles and 644 summonses.
- On Sunday, July 21, 2024, an enforcement operation at the Cross Bay and Marine Parkway bridges resulted in five arrests, 31 impounded vehicles and 420 summonses.
- On Sunday, July 28, 2024, an enforcement operation at the 207 St, Broadway and 181 St bridges resulted in seven arrests, 55 impounded vehicles and 390 summonses.
- On Monday, July 29, 2024, an enforcement operation at the Queens Midtown Tunnel and Kosciuszko Bridge resulted in six arrests, 32 impounded vehicles and 463 summonses.
Vehicles impounded were for a number of violations including unregistered vehicles, and suspended licenses, among other traffic infractions. The interagency operations included MTA Bridge and Tunnel Officers, MTA Police, NYPD, New York State Police, New York City Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV), Taxi and Limousine Commission (TLC) Police, and U.S. Park Police.
Notable Arrests
During the 31st enforcement operation, which took place on the 181st and 207th St. bridges in upper Manhattan, enforcement officers received a suspended registration alert on a taskforce license plate reader (LPR) patrol car as the vehicle was heading Bronx-bound over the 207th St. bridge. NYPD officers stopped the vehicle and subsequent checks of the driver revealed the motorist had two active warrants related to alleged domestic violence offenses. The motorist also had an open criminal case in the Bronx for alleged criminal possession of a loaded firearm. The driver was taken into custody by police for the two active warrants and transferred to the Brooklyn Detectives Squad where the domestic violence complaints had originated.
During the 26th enforcement operation, which took place at the RFK/Third Avenue/Willis Avenue bridges, NYPD personnel received a stolen vehicle notification from their position along the Third Avenue bridge. After stopping the Bronx-bound vehicle, law enforcement officers apprehended five occupants of the vehicle, including the driver, and impounded the car without incident.
So far this year, 31 joint enforcement operations have been held resulting in 1,806 vehicles impounded, 395 arrests and 15,019 summonses.
This enforcement aligns with a coordinated strategy by MTA Bridges and Tunnels and City and State law enforcement partners who announced a joint effort against obstructed and counterfeit license plates last year. Since the start of Open Road Tolling, Bridge and Tunnel officers have interdicted more than 10,500 vehicles for suspended registrations because of persistent non-payment of tolls.
Effective September 1, a new law supports MTA Bridges and Tunnels’ efforts to pursue payment from persistent toll violators who use MTA Bridges and Tunnels’ crossings, with the Top 10 violators collectively owing $3.6 million – an average of $360,000 each in unpaid tolls and violation fees.
The first wave of 500 notices of imminent judgment are being mailed today to each vehicle owner who is part of a group that collectively owes $53 million in unpaid tolls and violation fees – an average of $106,000 each in unpaid tolls and violation fees.
Between 10 and 20-thousand more notices are slated to be mailed on August 9, then in September, the MTA plans to begin a weekly program of mailings in batches of 5,000 to persistent toll violators who have escalated to a Judgment Warning Notice.
In addition to this new effort, MTA Bridges and Tunnels already uses a variety of tools to identify persistent toll violators and interdict vehicles:
- DMV registration suspensions
- Robust roadside interdictions
- Data-driven intelligence to continuously identify persistent toll violators
Additionally, under another new law effective September 1, 2024, and similar to the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles’ (DMV) current ability to suspend the vehicle registrations of owners who fail to pay tolls and fees, the DMV can also suspend the vehicle registrations of owners who conceal or obscure their license plates.
MTA Bridges and Tunnels, through tolls and fees collected, has recovered more than 98% of the tolls owed by recidivist toll scofflaws since the inception of its participation in the DMV Registration Suspension Program.
Motorists can avoid violation fees and registration suspensions by paying their toll bills on time, using the award-winning Tolls NY free mobile application to pay tolls or manage their E-ZPass accounts. E-ZPass NY Customer Service Center accountholders can save at least 25% at MTA B&T tolled crossings by using NY E-ZPass. To set up an E-ZPass account or for more information, visit www.ezpassny.com. NYS Vehicle and Traffic Law prohibits any covering or coating that intentionally conceals, obscures, or distorts an image of license plates.