Thousands of cars impounded for bridge and tunnel fare evasion in 2024: MTA

NEW YORK (PIX11) -- Toll evasion remains a significant issue that city officials encounter daily, with the MTA reportedly losing approximately $800 million annually. 

During its monthly board meeting, MTA officials presented new statistics regarding efforts to combat fare evasion, particularly highlighting the results of the MTA toll evasion task force. 

In 2022, bridge and tunnel fare evasion cost the MTA about $46 million. 

In 2024, the toll evasion task force issued 34,000 summonses and impounded 3,400 vehicles in response to fare evasion at bridges and tunnels. 

Despite the high number of summonses, the MTA reported a remarkable 96% collection rate on bridge and tunnel fares, indicating that fare evasion may not be as widespread as it seems.

Officials expressed a desire to modify the law to enable law enforcement to target New Jersey vehicle registrations more effectively and to increase the number of impounded vehicles. 

Additionally, the MTA noted a 25% decrease in subway fare evasion over the last six months, while bus fare evasion decreased by 12%.