Long Island Woman Gets E-ZPass Bills Meant for NYPD Car with Same Plate Number

The Bay Shore woman claims that she is being charged and penalized for late payments and tolls that she did not pay.

“The problem is the license plate number,” Joan Schuck stated.

The disabled retiree on fixed income began seeing E-ZPass bills for bridges and tolls that weren’t hers six months ago.

“The only place I go is to the grocery store, the doctors, and the neighborhood,” said Shuck.

Shuck began phoning E-ZPass. The E-ZPass bills show a white Ford police car, but her gray Hyundai is different.

Her car’s license plate matches the NYPD’s, with the exception that the patrol car number is identified by the final two numerals (12).

The MTA responded favorably to Schuck, stating that they paid her back for all of the contested costs.

However, Shuck claims that she has been receiving threatening notices since March.

“They want me to pay $190. It’s gone to collections.”

Driving to see her sister, who lives upstate, is a concern for Shuck. She fears being stopped, having her license revoked, and maybe having her vehicle taken.

“This is now going to impact my credit score,” she stated. “Every single one of these [charges], none of these were mine.”

The incident of another Long Island retiree who was mistakenly charged for novelty Star Trek license plates that once matched hers in December of last year. At last, it was settled.

“I’m trying to stay hopeful,” Shuck adds.

“I’m not a police officer. I don’t have a police car,” Shuck declared.

But she wishes she had.

“So I wouldn’t have to sit in traffic or pay tolls,” she chuckled.

However, the humor is limited.

“I have cried, to be honest with you. I have gotten off the phone and just sat there and cried,” Shuck remarked.

The MTA responded. In order to prevent any charges that are not hers, they have now flagged her license plate number.

“Given that two vehicles, one owned by a Long Islander and another by the NYPD, appear to have identical license plate numbers, some trips taken by the police car were inadvertently invoiced to the Long Island E-ZPass account, and those charges have all been reversed. In addition, an alert was placed in the tolling system to prevent future confusion from this isolated situation, as we work with the parties involved to resolve any remaining issues,” said Catherine Sheridan, president of MTA Bridges and Tunnels, in a statement.