When the Metropolitan Transportation Authority rolls out its congestion pricing plan, there is the reality that they might not be able to toll everyone.

"Fare evasion in the subway is a theft of service and you can be arrested for that. Toll evasion is not," Catherine Sheridan, the president of MTA Bridges and Tunnels, said at the MTA's February board meeting Wednesday.

What You Need To Know

  • The infrastructure for congestion pricing is nearly complete, as the 104th tolling gantry was installed Wednesday
  • However, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority is concerned about fare evasion when congestion pricing is finally launched
  • The MTA does not have many tools to catch those who don’t pay for tolls by obscuring their license plates with devices
  • The state has asked Amazon to not sell devices that obscure plates, but they can be found elsewhere on the internet

Police can make an arrest when a license plate is altered or associated with another crime. But the MTA does not have many tools to catch those who do not pay for tolls by obscuring their plates with devices.

"So we're asking for theft of services to be added to toll violations. Additionally, we're looking to be able to arrest for use of electronic or mechanical devices," Sheridan said. "So right now, we can write a summons, but we can't even take the device."

While police cannot monitor all 110 congestion pricing toll gantries in the city, the NYPD will try its best.

"These cars with fake plates, counterfeit plates and obscured plates are routinely used in crime," said Janno Lieber, the chair and CEO of the MTA. "This is the way that criminals go about their business without encouraging the cops to catch them or allowing the cops to catch them."

"We need to crack down on obscured plates and counterfeit plates," Lieber added.

The state has asked Amazon to not sell devices that obscure license plates, but the items can be found elsewhere on the internet.