NEW YORK CITY — The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) along with regional law enforcement officials marked their 100th joint operation dedicated to removing “ghost cars” on Tuesday.
Ghost cars are vehicles that are virtually untraceable by traffic cameras and toll readers because of their forged or altered license plates — from New York roadways.
The joint operations began in March 2024 and have resulted in 5,343 vehicles towed for suspended registrations and fraudulent, obstructed or altered license plates. Unbillable tolls from ghost plates have dropped 20 percent, officials said.
So far in 2025, there have been 38 enforcement operations, which resulted in 1,893 towed vehicles with approximately $11.5 million in unpaid tolls and fees, judgments and debts owed to all task force partners.
In addition, MTA Police and Bridge and Tunnel officers alone have issued 16,000 summonses year-to-date.
The number of Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument (CPFI) or “ghost plates” confiscated this year is 48 and 126 throughout 100 joint enforcement operations, officials said.
We won’t tolerate bad actors using obscured and fraudulent license plates to avoid detection while committing crimes,” MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said. “Public safety is the priority, and if you cover your plates, you will get caught and you will pay the price – not just the toll you evaded.”
Since the launch of congestion relief in January 2025, the role of the task force has expanded to include operations targeting vehicles committing violations in and around the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ). The 11 CRZ operations have resulted in 97 towed vehicles.
Governor Kathy Hochul in her final 2025 Budget agreed to an increase in fines and penalties for driving with altered plates, a prohibition of the sale or distribution of covers that obscure license plates and the restriction of DMV registration transactions for vehicles with suspended registrations for failure to pay tolls or failing to remove plate-obscuring materials.
“New Yorkers deserve streets that are safe for families and communities, and that’s what this multi-agency city-state task force has helped deliver for more than a year. Through 100 joint operations with the MTA and our city and state partners, thousands of ghost cars and illegal vehicles have been removed from our streets, and those violating the law know that the days of ‘anything goes’ are over,”New York City Mayor Eric Adams said. “Since the start of our administration, city agencies alone have removed over 110,000 additional ghost cars and illegal vehicles, demonstrating our ongoing commitment to public safety. Together, with our partners, we are holding drivers accountable, sending a clear message, and making our streets safer for everyone, while simultaneously continuing to tackle crime and unsafe behavior across the city.”