Lawmakers Call On Cuomo To Sign Toll Payers Protection Act
TARRYTOWN, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - Lawmakers are calling on Gov. Andrew Cuomo to sign the Toll Payer Protection Act, a bill aimed at ending the practice of suspending a driver's vehicle registration for unpaid cashless tolls.
Passed during the summer legislative session, the bill is a response to complaints about people unknowingly getting into trouble for past due bills stemming from the tolling system used by the Thruway Authority, Metropolitan Transportation Authority, and the Port Authority, reports CBS2's Valerie Castro.
"The first time someone learns of a toll should not be in collections," said state Senator David Carlucci.
READ: Senate Bill S7344A "Toll Payer Protection Act"
"We need to enact this law to make sure toll payers have safeguards in place and aren't victimized," said assemblyman Tom Abinanti.
Drivers who don't have an EZ Pass or live out of state tend to have the most issues with cashless tolling. If your address doesn't match what's on your car's registration, you might never see the bill in the mail.
The new legislation would do away with excessive fees, and require entities like the New York Thruway Authority to set up a website where drivers can dispute fees.
The state Thruway Authority says many of these measures are already in place. People can already check to see if they owe a toll to pay on the www.tollsbymailny.com website.
Cuomo has until Dec. 31 to sign the bill into law.
A state audit released this summer found the MTA in New York has lost millions in unpaid tolls. Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli blames cashless tolling for at least $1.6 million in unpaid tolls since January 2017.
