New York City’s congestion pricing plan has been met with a surprising level of ingenuity from toll evaders, who are using creative methods to avoid the $9 charge. Two drivers were recently caught in Manhattan for attempting to conceal their license plates, but authorities say the issue is only just beginning.
Mayor Eric Adams acknowledged the problem, saying “There’s someone trying to figure out a way to circumvent the process” and warning that an entirely new industry may emerge to evade tolls. Despite this, city officials have been largely quiet on the issue since its launch last Sunday.
However, experts warn that the problem runs deeper than just covering license plates. Transportation veteran Sam Schwartz suggests that cars with placards and other illegal parking paraphernalia on their dashes are often a sign of a larger problem. “You’ll find a correlation between those trying to flout the parking rules and those flouting the congestion pricing rules,” he said.
The city has made some progress in removing vehicles with ghost plates, but Schwartz believes more needs to be done to root out corruption. He calls on officials to instruct traffic agents to inspect plates and points to examples of effective enforcement in the past, such as the backing of then-police commissioner Benjamin Ward during his own parking enforcement days.
As congestion pricing continues to face challenges, Adams vowed to take action against those attempting to evade the law. With a new rule banning more obstructions of license plates, city officials are hoping to crack down on toll cheats and send a message that the city will not tolerate such behavior.
Source: https://nyc.streetsblog.org/2025/01/08/congestion-pricing-city-needs-to-get-real-with-plate-placard-frauds