Tip of the Week: Pay Your Tolls. They’re cheaper than the fines.
As tolls keep getting higher and higher, many drivers and companies are looking for ways to ease the strain a bit. Paying with E-ZPass or similar services is usually far less expensive than paying cash, but some drivers take it a step too far.
Port Authority Police busted a New Jersey truck driver going over the George Washington Bridge for trying to avoid paying the increased tolls. Wiston Montas-Alejos, 25, was arrested after Officer Steve Pisciotta pulled him over at 8:50 a.m. He was initially pulled over because he had mounted his front license plate higher than normal – a trick commonly used to try to avoid toll cameras.
His troubles only increased from there when Officer Pisciotta noticed a strange smear on the front license plate. He took a picture of it and continued his inspection, but when he returned to the front of the truck, the smear was gone… and the ‘8’ on the plate had turned into a ‘6.’ By altering that one number, another trucking company had been getting charged for his tolls.
According to the port authority of New York and New Jersey website, a cash toll for the George Washington Bridge can run up to $65.00 per direction for a 5 axel commercial vehicle. Authorities said that Montas-Alejos had pulled the same trick at least 2 times prior in that same week. Police charged Montas-Alejos with theft of service, hindering, tampering, unclear and altered rear plate, altered front plate, failure to provide insurance proof and a cracked windshield.
Late last month, a New York driver was arrested on suspicion of owing over $25,000 in tolls. This driver, Benjamin McClellan had also attempted to change his license plate using electrical tape.
These were crimes that should not have been committed, yes, but truckers are all too familiar with the circumstances under which it occurred. Tolls hikes have been pushed all across the country, and in New York State, where tolls are already elevated, a new proposal has come out that would show a 45% increase in truck tolls on the New York Thruway.
For individuals, a ride on the PATH, a commuter train that connects New York and New Jersey, only costs $2.75, but where does that leave commercial drivers? Some states have instituted tolls that are higher for out of state drivers. This “Trucker Tax” combined with the rising costs of tolls across the country is forcing the cost of operating a commercial vehicle through the roof. And there’s no end in sight.
Next Story: Driver Turnover Is Up Above 100%
Sources: http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=24151 http://www.northjersey.com/news/Paterson_truck_driver_accused_of_trying_to_evade_GWB_toll.html
looks like the governments wet dream of their one world truck fleet is just a heartbeat away. then they can run it into the ground like tbey did rail freight. glad im old. wouldnt want to be out here 10 years from now. all the complicit civil servants facilitating the destruction of private property and private enterprise have a special place waiting for them. i hear someone channeling Dante came up with a new circle for them.
This is why I am avoiding the north east.
what’s the big deal? shippers know there are tolls, bill them for the tolls. if you are foolish enough to haul freight that doesn’t pay the cost of delivering it, you get what you deserve.
I would not mind paying these extra high tolls if the money went to what they’re supposed to go for. What i’d like to know is where is all that extra money going? My guess is politicians bank accts.
.
I wouldn’t mind paying these very high tolls if i knew the money was going back in the roads or bridges they’re supposed to go for. I just can’t believe that all the money, for example, the George Washington bridge has collected for all these years hasn’t been able to at least give us at least a reasonable trip over to Ny.
Most of the money from these outrageous tolls goes to support equally outrageous pensions new york state workers receive, there is no end in sight. Ever.
Please stop union bashing, everyone of us truckers has been shat on up and down. No one stands for our rights anymore so we have NONE and have to pay. and pay. and pay. To those ultra masculine ” i can do every fu*king thing on my own like a champ ” give the rest of us “normal” hardworking truckers a flipping break. We NEED help. Yes it hurts the pride but with the deck stacked against us, what else can we do. When we won’t break the law or work for less than slave wages they blame us and bring in foreign workers. We need to unify not fight each other for scraps against corporate billion dollar profits. God help us when we fight against each other.
stay out of NY andNJ when the Gov and the resident cant by goods local they can buy more cars to flood the streets with no parking ,and comuties that will help commodity movers will have more sales tax revune. How long before NJ and NY will be begging for trucks. IT IS ESTIMATED THREE DAYS with no deliveries store shelves will be empty.THEN WHAT
Why complain, two things charge the shipper for the tolls, stop cutting your own throats to be cheaper than everyone else. And donnot go into those states, its your truck your contract. Like the man said when there is no prouduct in the stores and they start loseing there jobs they will sing a diffrent tone. You have the power, but as long as they can get away with it you no they will keep doing it. Your running a company, every other company charges for increase in overhead why would you not do the same? Why struggle with yourself and each other
Toll on the George Washington Bridge is only northbound.