By MIAWLING LAM
The Metropolitan Transportation Authority revealed it would
push ahead with plans to implement all-electronic tolling and remove all means
of cash collection by mid-November.
The MTA’s plan, which was obtained by the Review, was
unveiled during a closed private meeting on Thursday, September 20.
Under cashless operations, all tolls will be levied via
E-ZPass, meaning motorists will be able to zip through any open lane on the
Bronx-Manhattan bridge without stopping.
Those who drive through the toll plaza without an E-ZPass
will be identified by license plate images and will receive a statement in the
mail. Drivers who pay the $2.20 toll within 30 days of receiving the bill will
not be penalized.
However, customers who fail to cough up funds will be sent a
second invoice and be slapped with a $5 fine. The penalty then rises to $50 if
motorists fail to pay within 30 days of receiving the second bill. Recalcitrant
drivers who still refuse to pay the toll and fine could then face civil action.
According to sources, the MTA will work with motor vehicle
departments across the country and match license plates with vehicle
registration records to track down out-of-state drivers.
A similar cashless system in effect for several years in
Sydney, Australia, is serving as a model in the current initiative.
