Rahul Somvanshi
In just one year, a joint task force of city and state agencies has removed over 4,000 “ghost cars” from New York City streets. These vehicles, which use fraudulent or altered license plates to evade tolls and traffic cameras, have been a growing public safety concern.
Task Force Makes Significant Impact
Since March 2024, the interagency effort has conducted 73 enforcement operations, resulting in:
- 4,073 impounded vehicles
- 39,850 summonses issued
- 902 arrests
The financial impact is substantial, with scofflaws stopped in 2024 owing approximately $45.7 million in unpaid tolls, fees, judgments, and debts.
Governor Kathy Hochul emphasized the state’s commitment to safety: “If you attempt to alter your license plate to avoid traffic cameras and toll readers, you will be caught.”
Mayor Eric Adams pointed to broader improvements in city order: “For too long, ghost cars and illegal mopeds and scooters have contributed to the feeling of disorder in New York City — but those days are in the past.”
Regional Expansion and Legal Changes
The task force has grown to include Nassau and Westchester County police departments in 2025, signaling a regional approach to the problem.
Governor Hochul secured important legal changes in the 2025 budget:
- Increased fines for driving with altered plates
- Prohibition on selling covers that obscure license plates
- Restrictions on DMV registrations for vehicles with suspended registrations
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Advanced Technology Deployment
The MTA is using new technology to combat license plate fraud:
- Drones acting as aerial license plate readers
- Mobile license plate reader trailers at bridge approaches
These tools help identify vehicles with suspended registrations and detect patterns to guide enforcement.
Why This Matters
Ghost cars pose threats beyond toll evasion. According to officials, these untraceable vehicles are often used in more serious crimes, including hit-and-runs, robberies, and shootings.
MTA Chair Janno Lieber delivered a clear message to toll evaders: “You are going to get caught and pay the price. If you evade the tolls, the police will stop you, they will take your car and you will be driven out — in a police car.”
The task force’s work represents one of the largest interagency collaboration efforts in recent years, bringing together multiple law enforcement entities including the NYPD, MTA Police, State Police, Port Authority Police, and others to address this public safety issue.
