Top Class Actions’s website and social media posts use affiliate links. If you make a purchase using such links, we may receive a commission, but it will not result in any additional charges to you. Please review our Affiliate Link Disclosure for more information.
A class action lawsuit has been filed in New York federal court against the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and other entities, alleging that consumers are facing exorbitant penalties from tolls.
Plaintiff Jason Farina of Westchester County, N.Y., filed the MTA class action lawsuit on behalf of himself and others who have been charged $100 fees from using New York’s cashless toll systems: EZ Pass and Tolls-By-Mail.
According to the New York toll fees class action lawsuit, all MTA bridges and tunnels switched to cashless toll collecting in 2017. Because of this change, drivers are no longer able to pay cash as toll booths have been dismantled. Instead, tolls are charged using EZ Pass or Tolls-By-Mail.
The EZ Pass tag is a transponder which communicates with the system’s antenna to record information and process a charge for the toll, which is charged to the vehicle owner’s EZ Pass account. If a vehicle is not linked to an EZ Pass account, the Tolls-By-Mail system collects the toll by taking a picture of the vehicle and its license plate, which is used to identify the vehicle owner. A bill for the toll is subsequently mailed to the vehicle owner.
The cashless toll system was meant to eliminate traffic congestion in toll booth lines and allow MTA to shift its employees from collecting tolls into roles focused on the safety and security of motorists.
“However, Defendants — who operate those systems and collect tolls from drivers — have used the cashless toll system to line their own pockets at the expense of drivers, primarily by collecting improper fees and penalties in addition to collecting the tolls,” the MTA toll fee class action lawsuit says.
Farina claims that the penalties faced by drivers who do not pay the toll are often substantially higher than the actual toll and may result in drivers being charged more than $100 to cross a bridge or tunnel. Even worse, the defendants impose these fines without giving prior notice to the drivers and wait weeks before notifying them about the penalties. In the meantime, drivers may unknowingly rack up more charges.
“Defendants also aggressively pursue collection efforts against motorists, threatening them with adverse credit reports, suspension of the driver’s license, revocation of their vehicle registration, and seizure of their tax refunds if they do not immediately pay the fees,” Farina alleges in the MTA toll fee class action lawsuit.
Farina claims that he has been charged more than $6,000 from October 2017 to January 2018 by using his EZ Pass on New York’s bridges and tunnels. He claims he never had any significant problems with his EZ Pass tags or account before experiencing these penalties.
Farina says the defendants’ equipment routinely fails to recognize EZ Pass even when a driver has a fully-funded EZ Pass account. He notes that EZ Pass readings can fail for a variety of reasons, such as window tinting, the position of the vehicle, or a dead EZ Pass battery. EZ Pass users are unable to know when the defendants’ equipment fails to read the EZ Pass.
The MTA class action lawsuit says the toll fees are unconstitutional.
Farina is represented by Stephen J. Fearon Jr. of Squitieri & Fearon LLP.
The MTA Toll Fee Class Action Lawsuit is Jason Farina v. Metropolitan Transportation Authority, et al., Case No. 1:18-cv-01433, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York.
ATTORNEY ADVERTISING
Top Class Actions is a Proud Member of the American Bar Association
LEGAL INFORMATION IS NOT LEGAL ADVICE
Top Class Actions Legal Statement
©2008 – 2024 Top Class Actions® LLC
Various Trademarks held by their respective owners
This website is not intended for viewing or usage by European Union citizens.
Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Subaru vehicle data collection class action lawsuit investigation
May 17, 2024 | Legal News
364 thoughts onEZ Pass Class Action Alleges N.Y. Consumers Face Unconstitutional Toll Fees
I was just made aware after calling ez-pass to call transworld for overdue fees from 2019 which were in excess of $7,500.00 in unknown tolls. Had I not actually CALLED EZ-Pass for an unrelated issue I would never have known as there were no mailed notices. I have paid regularly my due tolls on the ez-pass. Where are these charges coming from years down the path? This is a sad attempt to force payment without prior notice or proof of incident. Please keep all informed as this will continue without the numbers of innocent commuters fighting back. Why dont they go after the plates that are covered and fake instead of abusing the working folk. Transworld is more involved than most think on this scheme. They manage the software, hardware and are also the collections aspect. Make sure people know this!!!
My fiancé just received a $31,000 bill after 2 years of not one notice, thinking he paid all his toll bills. This is straight up extortion, corrupt and reprehensible conduct of EZpass. If there is a class action suit for motorists to join, please reply. We must fight for our rights of freedom. These fees are unconstitutional.
Es una porquería tener q pagar 24 mil dólares donde no me llego ninguna notificación
I’ve been charged over 4000 dollars in E-ZPass tolls and violations I’ve replenished my ezpass via the app and it reflects no violations or tolls owed at all but apparently since I received the FIRST TIME ever notice of 4,000 dollars owed Ii am speechless angry nervous and do not have that money!
me pusieron la bota en el carro a lo 30 minutos se lo llevaron y me toco pagar todo en el momento zpass me esta cobrsando 12 mil sabiendo que fue un herror de ellos y si no pago 600 dolares cada mes me quitan ntodo
Mi nombre es yolanda García tengo un hijo tiene un taxi ayer las Policia los paro y los saco de carro por que Ezpaaz lle supedio las regitracion los dejaron en las calle sacaron el pasajero que el llevaba eso es una humillación todos mi ahorro se los tube Que dar para que dieran el carro yo no tengo trabajo ahora los únicos que tenía era ese ahorro el Ezpaaz está abusando aguien que hago un congresista que no ayude fueron 9000 dolares. Sin contar con lo que cobrar para registrar el carro casi 12000 mil dólares eso es un abuso Dios mío cuanto abuso yo si quiero desmandar porque esto es demaciado
Hola no se los que ban haser con este abuso que tienen esta jente del el Ezpazz esa MTA está acabando con los conductores esa gente no tienen cociencia a mi hijo ayer lpolicia los paro los saco del carro taxi el con pasajero le quitaron el carro le suspendieron las regitracion del carro se llenaron el carro mi hijo sin dinero para pagar hubo que buscar 9000.dolarse prestado para que pudieran dar el carro más sacar el carro 550 dólares mas las regitracion del carro eso es un abuso alguien que saque las cara y haga hargo es un abuso con eso. Argun congresista agüiten. Que no ayude de verdad
I have been getting billed for other vehicles. I have been getting crazy bills in the mail that make no sense. I was doing the autopay option until I discovered I was getting robbed geting charged 25$ every week when i wasnt driving through tolls so I turned that off. Now I can’t access any of my information on the website to confirm any of my bills and I’ve been purposely not using any toll roads for months. Yet I’m getting g violation letters every week. I went as far as contacting the governor in the hopes they they could put me in contact with someone that can help. Someone did end up calling me back and emailing me a copy of my recent toll history and it looks crazy none of it adds up and they don’t let you argue your bill its just pay it or they make life difficult. Which is what I’m going through at the moment difficulties. Threatening suspension, violation fees significantly higher than my toll fees. Told i have to return my ezpazz and i have to pay a fee for that. I haven’t used a toll in months. Not to mention tolls before this mandatory cashless ezpazz were significantly cheaper. Rip van Winkle bridge toll was 1.50$ for as long as I can remember but I got 15$ rip tolls…add me to the list please
Please add me to the class action. April 24, 3023 I found out my vehicle registration has been suspended since January 23, 2023 with no letters, phone calls, or email informing me of this suspension or threat of so. All the while ez pass faithfully replenished my account, and had done so as recent as two weeks ago.
I once had a payment plan on a 27k toll bill. Highly exaggerated by $100 toll fees that was negotiated to 7900. I made a few months payments of 600 and was laid off in August 2022. Last week April 2023 I called once learning of the suspension to renegotiate the payment plan and was denied. MTA Bridges and Tunnels along with Ez pass said I needed to pay 5400 up front. They are not willing to work with me on an affordable payment plan. The only way to lift the suspension is to pay in full. My car is parked with an active and good standing ez pass transponder.
There still doing it I have ezpass and it’s not being read then they hit me with the $100 fine
Please add me, tired of paying hundreds in admin fees for ez pass not registering my tag but then sending fees to the account they claim to not know about. Obviously admin fees aren’t going to people connecting the dots. Our taxes should already be enough to cover these roads.