Good Question: Why did I get a toll bill for someone else?

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — Everything is now automatic. The New York State Thruway has been cashless since going live about five months ago. It’s all E-ZPass or toll-by-mail only.

The whole goal is to streamline the system to make it more efficient and easier for drivers, but, it’s not perfect.

A viewer named Nathan sent News10NBC’s Brennan Somers a copy of a bill he got in the mail. It lists a total of $3.54 owed for a trip picked up at exit 16 downstate. The problem? Nathan hasn’t been on the thruway in months, he lives here, and it’s not his license plate in the photo on the bill.

The tag begins with ‘H’ — Nathan’s starts with ‘I’ but the rest of both tags is identical. The system missed it by one letter and billed the wrong driver.

Bills sent in the mail do have a section about how to dispute a charge. You can mark "wrong license plate" and attach supporting documents. But, what if you don’t know exactly what to send?

Thruway Authority Officials told Somers "We are happy to assist any customer who has a question about a toll bill or E-ZPass account or would like to dispute a toll charge. Customers can contact us Monday – Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. by calling 518-471-5300 or filling out the form located at Contact Us By Email – New York State Thruway (ny.gov)."

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