Assemblyman Michael Reilly is taking on the E-ZPass system, introducing new legislation to protect New York motorists from excessive fines and improve their ability to dispute erroneous tolls.
The bill, called the Toll Payer Advocacy and Relief Act (TPARA), comes just weeks after Reilly called for a state investigation into Conduent, the company that operates New York’s E-ZPass program. Motorists across the state have reported being hit with thousands, and in some cases tens of thousands, of dollars in penalties due to poor billing notifications and limited options to fight back.
Under current state law, drivers can be penalized after just 30 days of non-payment, with late fees escalating up to ten times the original toll amount. The TPARA addresses this through four key provisions:
Limit Fines and Reform Billing. The bill would prohibit late fees for the first 180 days after a toll is incurred and cap penalties at no more than ten percent of the original toll. To put that in concrete terms: the peak toll on the Outerbridge Crossing is $15.38. Under current law, a third violation can carry a penalty of up to $153. Under the TPARA, that same penalty could not exceed $1.53.
Strengthen Toll Payer Advocates. The bill would require the Toll Payer Advocate at each tolling authority to respond to requests within 48 hours and resolve them within 60 days. It would also mandate a single state-run website compiling contact information for every Toll Payer Advocate office, so drivers know exactly where to turn.
Cashless Tolling Amnesty Program. For drivers already buried in overdue toll debt, the TPARA would create a one-time amnesty program that waives all accumulated penalties, provided the underlying toll balance is paid in full within 180 days of the law taking effect.
Statewide Study and Report. The bill directs the New York State Department of Transportation to work jointly with tolling authorities to review regulations and policies on cashless tolling and toll-by-mail, with a focus on the impact of excessive fines, communication breakdowns, and the effectiveness of existing Toll Payer Advocate offices.
“For far too long, New Yorkers have been subjected to unfair practices resulting in excessive penalties from tolling authorities, placing them even deeper into financial hardship,” Reilly said. “The Toll Payer Advocacy and Relief Act is the most substantial piece of active legislation on the subject in the New York State Legislature and would provide meaningful relief to thousands of working and middle class New Yorkers.”
Reilly added that the bill is about more than just dollars and cents. “This legislation ensures fair tolling practices and is a necessary step towards restoring public trust in our state’s chronically problematic cashless tolling program.”