New Higher Tolls On The MCB, NY Thruway: There's An App For That

With tolls going up in January along the New York State Thruway, the MTA is promoting its free mobile application to help you manage toll bill payments and your NY E-ZPass or Tolls By Mail account.

The tolling system will get more complex in January, with a tiered system that includes different charges for commuters, residents, drivers with out-of-state E-ZPass accounts, people without E-ZPass, and trucks.

The smartphone app should help customers handle routine transactions quickly and efficiently, without needing to call the Customer Service Center, officials said.

• New York E-ZPass account holders can check their balance, add funds, set up automatic payments, and update their profile.
• Tolls by Mail customers can use the ‘Tolls NY’ app to pay their tolls without waiting for a bill.
• Rental car users and day-trippers can even plan and pay for tolls in advance of their travel.

Across the thruway system, if your E-ZPass is from another state, you'll pay 15 percent more. If you use Tolls by Mail, you'll pay 30 percent more plus a $2 administrative surcharge per billing statement.

Rates for NY E-ZPass customers will remain the same with one exception: the toll for the Gov. Mario Cuomo Bridge over the Hudson River.

The question of higher tolls to pay for the new bridge has exercised local residents for years. Now the Thruway Authority has made its announcement. SEE: Toll Discounts Sought For Rocklanders Crossing The MCB

Here are the details for passenger vehicles:

Here are the details:

• The bridge commuter plan will remain in place. Enrolled commuters will see their cost go up 15 cents in 2021 and another 30 cents in 2022.
• A new plan for Rockland and Westchester residents: those who opt into a NYSTA program and provide proof of residency will see their cost to cross the bridge stay at the current toll of $4.75 for two years.
• Drivers with an NY E-ZPass will see their cost to cross the bridge go up 50 cents in 2021 and another 50 cents in 2022.
• The increases are higher for drivers with an out-of-state E-ZPass, who will see their costs jump $1.04 in 2021 and another 57 cents in 2022.
• The increases will be even higher for those who pay tolls by mail, rising more than $2 to $7.48 by 2022.

While you're paying tolls on the MTA's mobile toll app, you can also check out a FAQ, “how to” videos, and contact information for customer service centers, plus leave feedback for the app’s developers.

"The ‘Tolls NY’ mobile app has come at exactly the right time and will be a welcomed benefit to our existing and new customers," said Daniel F. DeCrescenzo Jr., President of MTA Bridges and Tunnels, calling it "quick and easy, like one-stop shopping."

The ‘Tolls NY’ app was designed by MTA Bridges and Tunnels, the New York State Thruway Authority and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, in collaboration with E-ZPass service center contractor Conduent. Officials said they conducted extensive focus groups, design workshops and surveys to identify and incorporate the needs and preferences of customers.

Customers with an iPhone can download the free app through the Apple App store and Android users can download it through the Google Play store.

SEE: Tolls Going Up On The Cuomo Bridge And NY Thruway