Four days into New York City's controversial congestion pricing plan, and police have already busted dozens of drivers trying to figure out ways to cheat the new toll.
At the edges of the new Congestion Relief Zone, the NYPD was set up on Wednesday confronting toll evaders doing what they can to dodge payment and fool cameras. Most of the attempts focus on alterations to the vehicles license plates.
"People who are masking their plates, covering them up, using plates that are not valid," said NYPD Deputy Chief Thomas Alps, who told NBC New York that officers found 16 toll cheats on Tuesday. The pace grew the following day.
On Wednesday, police issued 113 summonses, including 10 vehicles seized and 52 violations for improper or covered plates.
Get Tri-state area news delivered to your inbox.> Sign up for NBC New York's News Headlines newsletter.
"There’s always gonna be someone who tries to circumvent the system. We gotta do everything we can to catch them," said NYC Mayor Eric Adams.
But among drivers, frustration is already easy to find. An activist staged a one-man protest on Wednesday in Columbus Circle (which falls just inside the Congestion Relief Zone).
Across the Hudson River, officials are not satisfied with the $3 toll credit at the Lincoln Tunnel.
"We supposed to feel good that we are only paying an extra $6 a trip? C'mon man!” said New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy in his first comments on the matter since his state lost an emergency appeal to block congestion pricing from taking effect.
"We have not given up. We are reviewing all of our legal options," the governor continued.
Congestion pricing is designed to generate $15 billion for the MTA and modernize mass transit, earning it support from NYC commuters who rely on public transit daily.
"The vast majority of people in my district, which is the zone, want less congestion. They want cleaner air," said New York State Senator Liz Krueger.
The rules still mystify many drivers though, especially in more confusing areas — like the lower level of the inbound Queensboro Bridge, where there is no way to avoid the toll, even if drivers are heading uptown. (A quick breakdown of the tolls and what roads are exempt is available here)
"All the cameras are on 61st street, but the bridge is on 59th. Doesn’t make sense," said Upper East Side resident Bobby Weiss.
