MTA seizes 19 'ghost' vehicles in 1 day at Queens Midtown Tunnel

The MTA seized 19 vehicles Monday from persistent toll evaders who police said were responsible for nearly half a million dollars in unpaid fares.

The MTA Bridges and Tunnels department issued 81 tickets Monday at the Queens Midtown Tunnel for a combined $483,000 in unpaid tolls and fees. The single top violator owed nearly $76,000 in tolls and fees. Authorities also seized two fraudulent license plates.

“The results of this latest operation are a reminder to motorists that New York law enforcement will not tolerate drivers operating ‘ghost’ vehicles on our streets and highways,” NYPD Commissioner Edward A. Caban said in a statement.

NYPD officers and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey worked with state police, the state DMV and New York City sheriff’s deputies who started a sting operation Thursday. Authorities were stationed at bridges and tunnels, leading to 10 arrests, 45 vehicles seized and more than 300 tickets issued.

Officials also targeted illegal drivers at the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, the George Washington Bridge and the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, which resulted in 15 arrests, 356 tickets and 58 impounded vehicles. The majority of those violations occurred on the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, including 13 of the arrests, 42 vehicle seizures and more than 190 of the tickets.

The MTA targeted drivers through suspended registrations, traffic stops and surveillance to find repeat violators.

Last year, police stopped more than 2,700 vehicles, nearly double the total of vehicles intercepted in 2022. MTA Bridges and Tunnels officers issued more than 3,000 tickets for covered or obstructed license plates since the beginning of this year.

MTA officials said they have recovered more than 98% of the tolls owed by repeat toll offenders since launching the DMV Registration Suspension Program. State and New York City officials announced a crackdown last year of obstructed and counterfeit license plates, leading to the seizure of more than 9,500 vehicles for repeatedly evading tolls.

Officials said tolls paid on time or through E-ZPass can prevent additional fees and suspended registrations.

New York State officials said they lose $50 million annually on hidden license plates and lost tolls.

A study by Newsday found drivers dodging 224,000 tolls per month last year at bridges and tunnels overseen by the MTA.

At Port Authority crossings, the state lost about 191,000 tolls per month due to obscured license plates. Newsday also found Suffolk County couldn’t bill nearly 20,000 tickets for red light violations last year because of obscured license plates.

With Yancey Roy

By John Asbury

john.asbury@newsday.comJohnAsbury

John Asbury is a breaking news and general assignment reporter. He has been with Newsday since 2014 and previously worked at The Press-Enterprise in Riverside, California.