Toll evasion prevalent in New York and New Jersey

Toll evasion has been a problem in New York and New Jersey, and trucking companies are some of the biggest violators, owing as much as six figures.

Last year, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey recovered $25 million in unpaid tolls, a 14% increase from the previous year. In most cases, penalties for failing to pay toll bills include administrative fees and vehicle registration suspensions. In some cases, the Port Authority Police Department can tow and impound vehicles at the owners’ expense.

And some of the most egregious, repeat offenders can find themselves subject to civil litigation. In 2023, six of the 10 largest civil judgments belonged to trucking/transportation companies:

• EM Padilla Trucking (Weehawken, N.J.) – $201,358.53
• JRK Xpress (Reading, Pa.) – $185,045.90
• Do 1 Do Right Services (Lodi, N.J.) – $141,077.06
• JLL 1 Logistics (Belleville, N.J.) – $132,288.55
• New Generation Transport (Bronx, N.Y.) – $86,257.50
• Salsam Transport (South Hackensack, N.J.) – $85,290.50

Of those companies, EM Padilla Trucking, Do 1 Do Right Services, JLL 1 Logistics and Salsam Transport appear to have inactive DOT numbers.

“Toll evasion is a serious offense that simply does not pay,” Port Authority Police Superintendent Edward Cetnar said in a statement. “We have zero tolerance for toll evaders and will continue to crack down on anyone looking to cheat the system.”

In total, the Port Authority Police Department issued 5,861 toll evasion-related summonses, a 28% increase compared to the previous year. That includes 4,446 summonses for obstructing, missing or fictitious license plates.

At least part of that surge can be attributed to an increase in toll enforcement efforts.

In an attempt to curb toll evasion, the Port Authority has increased targeted patrols, streamlined and improved internal data collection and leveraged license plate reader systems and police technology. Toll evasion information is being shared with regional partners.

“With increased patrols and the deployment of more technology across our infrastructure, we will catch toll violators, and they will pay what they owe,” Port Authority Chairman Kevin O’Toole said in a statement. “Tolls fund the critical infrastructure that stitch our region together, and drivers will not be able to skate by and steal.”

New York and New Jersey are not the only states trying to crack down on toll evasion. State lawmakers in Pennsylvania are considering a bill that would help collect millions of dollars in unpaid tolls. If passed, the bill would allow the state to garnish Pennsylvania lottery winnings and state income tax returns of motorists who have delinquent turnpike bills. LL