Thruway’s 570-Mile Superhighway Completed Conversion to Cashless Tolling in November 2020

Tolls Account for More Than 90 Percent of all Thruway Authority Revenue

The New York State Thruway Authority today announced more than one billion transactions have been successfully processed since cashless tolling went live on the Thruway’s former ticketed system in November 2020. The one billion transactions account for more than 17.4 billion total miles traveled and have generated more than $2.1 billion in toll revenues. The Thruway is a user-fee supported roadway and receives no dedicated federal, state or local tax dollars.

“The Thruway Authority is committed to modernizing and investing in our system. Cashless tolling saves time for our motorists, is better for the environment and enhances safety at previously congested toll plazas,” said Thruway Authority Interim Executive Director Frank G. Hoare. “Reaching one billion successful transactions is an incredible milestone and it would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our employees day in and out. We look forward to the continuing to provide the safest and most reliable super highway in the nation to our motorists.”

The state-of-the-art system features more than 2,000 state-of the-art cameras affixed to gantries statewide. Cashless tolling enhances safety, eases congestion and decreases carbon emissions by eliminating vehicles idling at toll plazas.

With the implementation of cashless tolling, more customers are signing up for E-ZPass, which is the most convenient way to pay tolls on the Thruway. Almost 87 percent of trips on the Thruway statewide are E-ZPass transactions. NY E-ZPass customers save 30 percent on tolls versus the Tolls by Mail rate. Motorists can find NY E-ZPass-On-the-Go tags at more than 900 locations across the state including Thruway Service Areas, local grocery and convenience stores, municipal locations, New York State DMVs, online at e-zpassny.com, and more. To find a retailer near you, go to thruway.ny.gov/getezpass.

Motorists who do not have E-ZPass receive a toll bill in the mail from Tolls by Mail. Toll bills are mailed to the registered owner of the vehicle for the address on file with DMV. There are numerous payment options available for Tolls by Mail customers including payment by mail, online, by phone, and cash at Vanilla Direct Pay locations.

The Thruway Authority is committed to educating the public about cashless tolling and the billing process. Since 2017, the Thruway Authority has made many improvements to the billing system which include enhancements to the Tolls by Mail website, new toll bills and envelopes to emphasize ways to help customers better understand the tolls incurred, and more signage leading up to and after cashless tolling gantries. In 2021, the toll violation fee was revised to $50 per bill, rather than $50 per trip, to lower the amount owed and encourage people to pay their violation fees before they escalate further. Additionally, the Office of the Toll Payer Advocate was created in 2019 for customers who need additional assistance with an issue. We also use feedback from customers who contact this office to enhance the cashless tolling billing experience.

For additional information on how cashless tolling works and tips on how to pay bills on time, visit the Thruway Authority's website at thruway.ny.gov.

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