Lawmakers demand answers on wrong toll bills plaguing Central New York

Wrong toll bills that started with a jet ski somehow tied to the George Washington Bridge have pushed a growing Central New York grievance into Albany, where lawmakers are now demanding answers about why drivers keep getting charges they say are not theirs. The complaints stretch across Syracuse, Onondaga County and nearby communities, and residents say the cost is not just money, but hours lost on hold and the risk of damage to their credit.

In one of the cases that brought the issue into focus, Bill DeRocher said it was nearly impossible to get help. He spent long stretches on hold, tried to get legal assistance and still could not quickly clear the matter until outside pressure forced attention. Since that complaint surfaced, more drivers have come forward with similar stories, suggesting the problem is broader than a one-off mistake.

The tangle is made worse by the way the tolling system is set up. Bills can involve E-ZPass New York and Tolls by Mail New York under multiple agencies, including MTA Bridges and Tunnels, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and the New York State Thruway Authority. Those agencies can all appear on the same bill, which leaves drivers unsure which office is responsible or where to file a dispute. For anyone who gets a bill that looks wrong, the first step is to contact the customer service center tied to the notice. If that does not resolve the problem, each tolling agency has a toll payer advocate or customer-help channel.

The MTA says its Office of the Toll Payer Advocate provides free, independent toll-problem assistance and asks customers to allow at least four weeks for a response. The Port Authority says its toll payer advocate is a free service that investigates toll issues customer service centers cannot resolve. The New York State Bridge Authority says its toll payer advocate is a free, last-resort ombudsman for unresolved toll problems.

State Sen. Joe Griffo raised the issue during a transportation budget hearing in Albany and pressed Thruway officials for fixes. He said the situation is outrageous and suggested lawmakers may need to rethink whether cashless tolling is working as intended if the errors cannot be corrected. Assemblyman Bill Magnarelli, who represents much of Syracuse, wants hard numbers on how many complaints are being filed, how many are being disputed and whether officials have underestimated the problem. A New York State Comptroller audit found the Thruway generally bills drivers correctly, but exceptions can occur, a sign that the fight is about real errors, not a systemwide collapse.

For commuters, delivery drivers and anyone using the region’s bridges and highways, the stakes are immediate: time, money and the burden of proving a trip never happened.