NJ drivers fuming: How a $2 toll mistake can explode into a $52 E-ZPass bill

🚗 NJ drivers say minor toll mistakes can turn into $50+ penalties, sparking widespread frustration.
🏛️ Assemblyman Paul Kanitra is leading a bipartisan effort with a NY lawmaker to reduce or eliminate the fees.
📞 Drivers complain about poor E-ZPass customer service, saying it’s hard to fix violations or reach a live person.

NJ lawmakers want to stop massive E-ZPass fees for small toll mistakes

New Jersey drivers say they are being slammed with massive fees for minor toll mistakes — and lawmakers are now pushing back.

State Assemblyman Paul Kanitra is leading a bipartisan effort to eliminate or sharply reduce administrative fees tied to E-ZPass violations.

The complaints from drivers are widespread, as New Jersey 101.5 has been reporting for years.

Callers to New Jersey 101.5 have been expressing outrage and frustration about these 'administrative fees' for years. Even a small toll error — sometimes just a few dollars — can quickly turn into a bill for more than $50 once administrative penalties are added.

“How can a $2 mistake turn into a $52 bill?” one frustrated caller recently asked.

Kanitra says that kind of penalty makes no sense.

“Drivers shouldn’t be hit with a massive fee for an honest mistake,” Kanitra said. “If someone misses a $2 toll, they should pay the toll — not a penalty that’s 25 times higher.”

Drivers complain about E-ZPass penalties and poor customer service

Many drivers say the financial hit is only part of the problem.

Some report difficulty contacting customer service to resolve violations, saying long hold times or unanswered calls make it harder to fix simple mistakes.

Others say they receive violation notices weeks later in the mail, leaving them scrambling to deal with unexpected fees.

Kanitra said those complaints come up frequently from constituents.

“People tell us they can’t get anyone on the phone and don’t know how to resolve the problem,” Kanitra said. “Drivers want to pay their tolls. They just don’t want to be punished with excessive fees.”

NJ and NY lawmakers join forces on toll violation reform

The effort to reform the system has drawn support across state lines.

Kanitra, a Republican, is working Democratic New York State Monica Martinez (D-Suffolk) on legislation aimed at reducing or eliminating steep administrative penalties tied to toll violations across the E-ZPass system.

“This shouldn’t be a partisan issue,” Kanitra said. “Drivers in New Jersey and New York are dealing with the same problem, and it’s time we fix it.”

Kanitra and Martinez announced the creation of a new bistate toll and fee reduction task force during a press conference last Friday.

Goal: eliminate $50 administrative toll fees for most

The bipartisan effort may ultimately result in legislation that would focus on eliminating or significantly lowering administrative fees that can be triggered by a missed toll or transponder issue.

Habitual offenders and toll cheats would still be subject to stiff penalties.

Kanitra and Martinez say the goal is simple: make sure drivers pay the toll they owe — without getting trapped in a cycle of escalating penalties.

Kanitra said the current system needs a dose of common sense.

“The system should be about collecting tolls, not punishing drivers,” he said. “Right now, people feel like they’re being hit with unfair fees for honest mistakes.”

If the effort succeeds, this could bring relief to many of you who continue to share your horror stories of dealing with excessive fees for a simple mistake involving your E-ZPass account.

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