Canadian Drivers Racking Up Over $1M Annually in Unpaid Tolls on NY/NJ Port Authority Crossings

Canadian Drivers Racking Up Over $1M Annually in Unpaid Tolls on NY/NJ Port Authority Crossings

Edited by: TJVNews.com

In a startling revelation, The New York Post has reported that Canadian drivers are accumulating over $1 million in unpaid tolls, penalties, and other fees each year while using the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey’s (PA) crossings. This financial burden stems from hundreds of Canadian motorists failing to pay their tolls, resulting in debts that are often sent to collections.

According to documents reviewed by The New York Post, the PA estimates that around 400 Canadian drivers per month contribute between $100,000 and $140,000 in unpaid tolls and associated fees. This leads to an annual loss of approximately $1.4 million—revenue that the PA depends on to maintain crucial infrastructure. The scale of toll evasion is not limited to Canadian motorists, but their significant share of these unpaid tolls has caught the attention of U.S. officials and policymakers.

The New York Post report noted that PA crossings—among the busiest in the nation—include key transportation arteries such as the George Washington Bridge and the Holland and Lincoln Tunnels. Additionally, bridges like the Bayonne, Goethals, and Outerbridge Crossing play a vital role in connecting New York and New Jersey. The increasing rate of toll evasion threatens the funding that keeps these crossings operational and safe.

Some political figures are calling for stronger enforcement to address the issue. Staten Island Assemblyman and Republican Party chairman Michael Tannousis urged the Trump administration to intervene. According to The New York Post report, he suggested that the growing toll debt from Canadian drivers should be a topic of discussion alongside the administration’s tariff policies on Canadian goods. Tannousis emphasized the importance of accountability, arguing that if an American driver failed to pay road fees in a foreign country, they would likely be prevented from leaving until settling their debts.

The New York Post report highlighted a significant obstacle in collecting these unpaid tolls: the need for the PA to contract a debt collection agency with a Canadian business license. Without such an agency, recovering the outstanding toll revenue from Canadian motorists becomes even more challenging. Many of these drivers do not use E-ZPass, meaning their tolls are billed by mail after their license plates are recorded. However, as the New York Post pointed out, a substantial number of them simply ignore these notices and fail to make payments.

Toll evasion is not limited to Canadian motorists, as The New York Post reported that the problem is widespread across the region. The PA has disclosed that 60% of all toll violators come from New York and New Jersey, while the remaining 40% hail from other states and countries. On average, a toll violator’s debt amounts to $330, a figure that quickly adds up when considering the thousands of non-compliant drivers who cross these roads daily.

The PA has been intensifying its toll enforcement efforts. In the past year alone, the agency issued nearly 17,000 summonses for toll violations—a significant 27% increase compared to the previous year, as was detailed in The New York Post report. However, the PA has been reluctant to disclose specific figures regarding the total debt owed by Canadian drivers or the broader population of toll evaders.

PA spokesman Seth Stein, in a statement cited by The New York Post, reinforced the agency’s commitment to cracking down on toll evasion. “We are rigorously addressing the issue of toll evasion and illegal vehicles on our roadways through aggressive enforcement,” Stein said. He emphasized that the agency collaborates with law enforcement and state motor vehicle departments to identify offenders and uses advanced technologies such as license plate readers to detect and apprehend repeat violators.

Beyond the PA’s toll enforcement efforts, the issue extends to other agencies. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) has also faced staggering losses due to toll evasion. Over the past four years, deadbeat drivers have racked up an astonishing $5.1 billion in unpaid tolls and fees, including $1.4 billion last year alone, a separate investigation by The New York Post revealed.

As toll evasion continues to escalate, the PA remains determined to ensure that every driver, regardless of nationality, contributes their fair share. “Toll revenue helps fund the region’s essential infrastructure, and we expect every driver to pay their share,” Stein stated, as quoted by The New York Post.

With toll debt rising and accountability measures being debated, the issue of unpaid fees—particularly among Canadian drivers—remains a pressing financial and logistical challenge for the PA. Whether the agency can successfully recover these debts, particularly across international borders, remains to be seen.