The New York State Thruway Authority is taking legal action against toll evaders who owe a combined $70 million in unpaid tolls from 2024. Three companies have been specifically identified in the lawsuits as owing more than $1 million of that total, with claims stating that Ridenhour Incorporated is responsible for $255,000, Williamsburg Materials Corporation owes $259,000, and Northside Industrial Corporation is reportedly in the hole for $506,000 in tolls, as reported by CBS News New York.
The Thruway Authority's Executive Director Frank Hoare emphasized the direness of the situation, stating, "And again our message is, to those who don't pay your tolls is, you use the system, you need to pay. If you don't, you're simply stealing from us and you're impacting our ability to deliver that safe, reliable and affordable highway." According to the agency, the vast majority of the budget for road maintenance comes directly from these tolls. In a bid to recover these losses, the authority is threatening to escalate to more aggressive measures, including registration suspensions and increased litigation. CBS News New York reports that approximately 15,000 registrations were flagged for suspension last year, which has helped to recover about $15 million of the debt so far.
Among the top offenders are 20 commercial trucking firms that have ignored the Thruway's cashless toll system by using deactivated E-ZPass devices and disregarding Tolls By Mail demands, detailed in an article by Lohud.com. The Thruway has initiated lawsuits against these firms, with Northside Industrial Corp. allegedly accumulating more than $600,000 in tolls and fines, Chris Ridenhour at $311,542, and Williamsburg Materials Corp. with $316,000 in debt.
Despite the authority's rigorous pursuit, it's not just local evasion they're contending with. Out-of-state drivers contribute significantly to the unpaid tolls, with a state audit revealing that $119 million in tolls from out-of-state drivers went uncollected between January 2019 and January 2023. Efforts to cooperate with neighboring states like Connecticut and Vermont have been hindered by a lack of reciprocal agreements. However, talks are ongoing as the issue of toll evasion is increasingly seen as a multi-state challenge that demands collective action.
Moving beyond the legal papers, some drivers are reportedly resorting to "ghost plates" or altering license plates to evade tolls. These intentional obstructions have cost the Thruway more than $1 million. Hoare distilled the issue to a matter of fairness, saying, "We want to collect every single dollar not only because of the need to invest those toll dollars in the system but also it's just not fair to the vast majority who are paying," in an interview obtained by Lohud.com. The Thruway Authority's current strategy is expected to increase pressure, improve compliance, and secure the funding required for maintaining New York's road infrastructure.
