State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli says New York’s Thruway Authority has strengthened billing accuracy for tolls but must address remaining gaps in oversight and customer service.
(WNY News Now) – The New York State Thruway Authority has made progress in accurately billing drivers for tolls, according to a new audit released by State Comptroller Thomas P. DiNapoli. While improvements have been noted since the adoption of cashless tolling, the audit highlighted areas where monitoring and corrective actions remain necessary.
“The Thruway Authority has come a long way since it first introduced cashless tolls, but some problems remain,” DiNapoli said. “Even a smaller percentage of unreadable or inaccurate tolls can mean loss of revenue to the state or aggravation for New Yorkers facing incorrect bills.”
In 2024, the Thruway reported $1 billion in toll and related revenues, a significant increase from $804 million in 2021. E-ZPass accounted for 95 percent of tolls collected in 2024. A previous audit in May 2023 identified weaknesses in the collection process, prompting recommendations for stronger oversight.
The latest audit found improvement but still flagged challenges. Over a three-week review, auditors discovered 92,000 tolls could not be charged because of unreadable license plates. At interchange 25A near Schenectady, about 36,000 tolls were incorrectly charged and 8,000 were missed entirely, representing an error rate of roughly five percent.
Auditors also called for stronger oversight of more than 12,000 non-revenue E-ZPass tags, which allow certain vehicles to avoid toll charges. A random sample revealed that documentation was missing for 61 percent of reviewed tags, raising questions about whether all were used appropriately.
The report further examined the Office of the Toll Payer Advocate, established in 2019 to help customers resolve billing disputes. Auditors found that in some cases, toll violation fee reductions exceeded the amounts permitted by guidelines, without documentation to justify exceptions.
Mail delivery issues also posed problems. In a sample of 48 toll bills and past-due notices, 25 were deemed undeliverable. Rather than correcting the addresses, the vendor continued mailing to the same undeliverable locations, limiting drivers’ ability to avoid penalties.
DiNapoli’s audit issued nine recommendations, including:
- Reviewing transactions at Exit 25A to ensure accuracy.
- Conducting regular reviews of toll collections to identify and prevent errors.
- Verifying eligibility for non-revenue and discount tags.
- Documenting toll settlements that fall outside established guidelines.
The Thruway Authority largely agreed with the findings and stated it has already begun implementing corrective measures.
Leave a Reply