MTA, NYPD impound 132 vehicles during August enforcement of ghost plate, chronic toll violators

The NYPD, MTA Bridge and Tunnel officers and other law enforcement partners impounded 132 vehicles during three joint operations in August focusing on so-called ghost plate and chronic toll violators.

Authorities made the announcement Friday, saying that this year law enforcement officers have made 463 arrests, impounded 2,163 vehicles and issued 19,000 violations — including making 18 arrests and issuing 1,537 summonses at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge and the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge during enforcement crackdowns in August.

“Our Bridge and Tunnel Officers have worked with our regional partners to make it abundantly clear that the use of ghost plates to avoid paying tolls will not be tolerated,” Metropolitan Transportation Authority Bridges and Tunnels President Catherine Sheridan said in a statement Friday, adding: “Don’t risk losing your car by breaking the law. Pay your tolls.”

Authorities said the vehicles impounded were as a result of chronic violations, including suspended registrations due to unpaid tolls, as well as having unregistered vehicles, suspended licenses and other traffic infractions.

The enforcement teams included officers from MTA Bridges and Tunnels, NYPD, Port Authority Police, New York State Police, the New York City Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles and the Taxi and Limousine Commission.

Officials said a new law that went into effect Sept. 1 allows for additional enforcement against what the MTA described as “persistent toll violators” — with the top 10 violators owing a total of $3.6 million or an average of $360,000 each in unpaid tolls and violation fees.

Authorities said the first wave of 500 judgment warning notices were mailed Aug. 2 to vehicle owners, part of a group that collectively owes $53 million in unpaid tolls and violation fees — or $106,000 each.

More than 20,000 additional notices were mailed Aug. 9, officials said.

Starting this month, the MTA plans weekly mailings of 5,000 notices to persistent violators whose accounts have been escalated.

Authorities said an enforcement operation on Aug. 19 at the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge resulted in nine arrests, 68 impounded vehicles and 652 summonses. On Aug. 24, an operation at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge resulted in three arrests, 26 impounded vehicles, and 354 summonses. And, on Aug. 30, an operation at the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge resulted in six arrests, 38 impounded vehicles and 531 summonses.

Officials said MTA Bridges and Tunnels has so far recovered more than 98% of tolls owed by recidivist scofflaws under the NYSDMV Registration Suspension Program, which allows officers to make arrests and impound vehicles for registration suspensions and toll violations.

By John Valenti

john.valenti@newsday.com

John Valenti, a reporter at Newsday since 1981, has been honored nationally by the Associated Press and Society of the Silurians for investigative, enterprise and breaking news reporting, as well as column writing, and is the author of “Swee'pea,” a book about former New York playground basketball star Lloyd Daniels. Valenti is featured in the Emmy Award-winning ESPN 30-for-30 film “Big Shot.”