Drivers across the New York City Metro area may be getting socked with hefty and hidden E-Z Pass charges.
While drivers receive visual warnings about low balances or impending charges when using low-speed tolls, drivers do not receive warnings on high-speed tolls, like those found on the George Washington Bridge, Henry Hudson Bridge, New York State Thruway or the Goethals, Outerbridge, and Bayonne Bridges, due to safety concerns.
As a result, drivers who are accustomed to these warnings can be blindsided when they do not receive similar notifications on these lanes, and are then forced to pay up to $50 in “administrative fees” for each unpaid toll on top of the bridge or road toll.
On Thursday, Sen. Charles Schumer called on the four toll agencies that operate E-ZPass in New York State to implement a text-message warning system to alert drivers when their E-ZPass balances run low and about any impending charges they may face.
“When you have to go pay $50 to go through a bridge because you didn’t know your balance was gone, that’s highway robbery,” Schumer told 1010 WINS’ Carol D’Auria. “Our local libraries…when your book is due in a day, they text you. Why can’t EZ-Pass do the same thing?”
Schumer said the text-message warning system will help the over 2.1 million New York City area residents that use E-ZPass avoid unnecessary toll fees.
“With gas prices adding to commuting costs, the last thing New Yorkers need are unwarranted and avoidable fees every time they pay a toll,” said Schumer. “E-ZPass is supposed to save New Yorkers money, but by failing to notify drivers about impending charges when they drive through high-speed tolls, it’s leaving many of them in the red.”
(Source: WCBSTV)
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4 Responses
Don’t most people have EZPass linked to their credit card? In that case, I don’t it’s possible to get such a charge.
$50! What is wrong with NYC?
@TikkunHatzot:
It’s not NYC, it’s either the MTA or Port Authority.
Both are “authorities” not under direct control of the City.
My complaint isn’t the fine per se. I don’t like the fact that the “low balance” is a moving number set by their computer. My travel is inconsistent: there are months of little activity and then weeks of huge use. Unless I log-on to check my balance, I don’t know what “low balance” means. It has been anywhere between $30 and $90.
I use EZ Pass all the time and just he other day I was stopped at the Verrazano Bridge and they took my EZ Pass as I had Low Balance but I never got any warning. I then paid for the tolls but EZ Pass is charging 25.00 Administrative fees which I am trying to fight unsuccessfully. It is an absolute crime and EZ Pass shoul deither be stopped or we should boycott it and then there woul dbe major havoc on the Bridges and Tunnels. the lines would be ridiculous but the message would be sent.