Toll Freeways: Be careful when traveling in the US, it could cost you more

A Quebecer traveling to New York in October to attend an NFL Jets game expected to pay $52.90 CAD for his trips on the highway. He fell out of his chair while receiving the $451.52 bill.

“I received only one letter. No warning, nothing,” says the man in his forties, who holds a strategic position in a large company.

The New York State Thruway Authority, which manages the highways he traveled, charged him US$302 in late fees. The problem? It was the organization's first contact with him, the New York Jets supporter swears.

If he had received a letter earlier, he would have noticed, insists Québéser, who describes himself as “on his business.” Especially since Thruway's envelopes are bright orange!

Highway toll booths in New York State are similar to those on Bridge 25 in Quebec. If you don't have a transponder, you'll receive an invoice by mail.

This is what happened to our person who was asked to pay for five trips on October 10, 2023 and October 13, 2023. Total trips: US$342.08 or $451.52.

The five tolls were expected to cost US$40.08 ($52.90) before fees of US$302 ($398.62).

Screenshot provided by our source

Contacted this week, the New York State Thruway Authority (NYSTA) declined to comment on the matter. Last year, 408,000 Canadians and 111,000 Quebecers had to pay to use its highways, a spokeswoman said.

“This is the first time we are hearing such a story,” Thruway said.

Quebec lost little

The Office of Consumer Protection (OPC) or CAA-Québec or SAAQ do not know what to respond to NewspaperThis week.

“We did not find such cases in the complaints handling system, which does not necessarily mean that we could not have had them,” the OPC told us.

To the extent that we are talking about collection proceedings with Quebec creditors, certain debt recovery legislation applies.

At CAA, members are offered the opportunity to purchase a transponder for them and show them how to prepay online. We also offer to help people create their travel plans.

That's cool, Jets fan feedback, but you can't create an account in the E-Zpass system to make payments or receive alerts.

“They offer an option for Quebecers, but it gets stuck when entering the zip code. A beautiful cabochon system,” he exclaims.

Get plate number

Poor payers in Quebec can sleep easy. They won't bother with a bail house for unpaid tolls in the US.

Under the agreement between SAAQ and NYSTA, Quebec cannot send information to the United States unless payment is made.

All the US agency can do is send the SAAQ a list of the license plate numbers of vehicles that do not pay tolls on a highway.

All SAAQ does is send the contact details of those whose license plates were seized by NYSTA during a pass.

SAAQ then sends the necessary information, which allows NYSTA to make payments and take legal action.

Our Quebecer paid $452 to put an end to the NYTSA. “Maybe I shouldn't have, but because of their incompetence, I'm not taking the risk,” he said.