Sec. 201.8. Toll violation enforcement

(a) The owner, as defined in Public Authorities Law section 2985(3), of any vehicle crossing a bridge without paying the crossing charge prescribed by the authority at the place and time and in the manner established for the collection of such crossing charge commits a violation of toll collection regulations.

(1) Payment of crossing charges by E-ZPass shall be made by means of a properly mounted E-ZPass tag of the proper class that is classified as valid at the time of the toll transaction. For each such violation, the owner shall be charged the full undiscounted crossing charge for fare media other than E-ZPass. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the liability of an E-ZPass account holder for administrative violation fees established and imposed by the E-ZPass agreement for failure to pay crossing charges by means of a properly mounted E-ZPass Tag of the proper class that is classified as valid at the time of the transaction.

(2) Payment of crossing charges by fare media other than E-ZPass shall be made at the place and time and in the manner established for the collection of such crossing charge. Nothing in this section shall be construed to limit the obligation of a video account holder for administrative violation fees established and imposed by the applicable video account agreement for failure to pay the crossing charges at the place and time and in the manner established for the collection of such crossing charges.

(b) The owner of any vehicle which violates toll collection regulations by crossing a bridge without paying the crossing charge prescribed by the authority at the place and time and in the manner established for the collection of such crossing charge shall be liable to the authority for an administrative fee, known as the toll violation fee. The toll violation fee shall be in the amount of $50, for each such violation unless a fee of less than $50 is set by the authority in its sole discretion. The toll violation fee shall be in addition to the applicable crossing charge and any fines and penalties otherwise prescribed by law or by agreement.

(c) A notice of violation shall be sent by the authority's authorized agent (authorized agent) to the individual or business alleged to be liable for the toll violation as owner and shall contain:

(1) the name and address of the individual or business alleged to be liable for the toll violation as owner;

(2) the registration number and state of the vehicle alleged to have been involved in the violation;

(3) the location, date and time of each use of the facility that forms the basis of such violation;

(4) the amount of the assessed toll and toll violation fee; and

(5) an image of the license plate of the vehicle being used or operated on the toll facility, provided that an image of each such license plate in the notice of violation shall be provided by the authorized agent upon request.

(d) The individual or business alleged to be liable for the toll violation as owner may dispute the violation by submitting a declaration of dispute to the authorized agent at the time and place and in the manner established in the notice of violation together with a certification establishing the basis for dispute as follows. Such toll violation and associated toll violation fee shall be dismissed if:

(1) the individual or business was not the registered owner of the vehicle at the time of the toll transaction that forms the basis of such alleged violation and submits to the authorized agent:

(i) a copy of the plate surrender receipt from the Department of Motor Vehicles;

(ii) proof of sale of the vehicle;

(iii) a copy of the report to a law enforcement agency that the plate was lost; and/or

(iv) a copy of the report to a law enforcement agency that the vehicle was stolen; or

(2) the toll was paid by E-ZPass and the toll posted to an E-ZPass Account and submits to the authorized agent a copy of the E-ZPass statement showing the toll posting; or

(3) the toll was paid in cash at the time and submits to the authorized agent a copy of the toll receipt; or

(4) the registered owner’s vehicle was not present at the facility at the time of the violation(s); or

(5) for other good cause shown.

(e) If the owner is a vehicle rental or leasing company which seeks to perform a transfer of responsibility to the vehicle lessee or renter, the owner shall submit to the authorized agent at the time and place and in the manner established in the notice of violation a signed lease or rental agreement and certification of the name and address of the lessee or renter of the vehicle at the time of the toll transaction that forms the basis for the violation. A notice of violation or toll invoice shall be sent by the authorized agent to such lessee or renter within 45 days of receipt of the signed lease or rental agreement and certification and such lessee or renter shall be deemed the owner of such vehicle and shall be liable for the payment of tolls and any toll violation fees.

(f) The authorized agent shall send the owner a written determination of the declaration of dispute under subdivision (d) of this section.

(1) The owner may request a review by the authority of the authorized agent's determination of the declaration of dispute by submitting a request for review to the authority at the place and time and in the matter established in the authorized agent's written determination of the declaration of dispute.

(2) The authorized agent's determination of the declaration of dispute under subdivision four shall be final and binding on the owner unless overturned by the authority upon review.

(3) The authority's determination of the owner’s request for administrative review shall be final and binding on the owner unless overturned by a court of competent jurisdiction of the State of New York, County of Ulster, under article 78 of the New York Civil Practice Law and Rules or a United States Court located in Albany, NY, under the procedures and laws applicable in that court.

(g) The individual or business alleged to be liable for each toll violation as owner shall be liable for each unpaid toll and toll violation fee unless:

(1) such unpaid toll and/or toll violation fee has been dismissed under subdivision (d) or (f) of this section;

(2) there has been a transfer of responsibility under subdivision (e) of this section; or

(3) after payment of such toll, the toll violation fee has been dismissed or reduced under the fee waiver policy adopted by the authority. Such owners who fail to pay each toll and toll violation fee in response to a notice of violation may also have their vehicle registrations suspended under Vehicle and Traffic Law section 510(3)(d) and implementing regulations.