With essential workers on the road and many other New Yorkers out of work, state Sen. David Carlucci is asking for state tolling authorities to delay toll debt collection for 90 days as the state deals with COVID-19.

“There are so many people who are financially strapped, so many essential workers doing what they can to get to work to keep all of us healthy and safe – the last thing we need is a nurse not able to get to the hospital,” he told News 12.

Carlucci recently helped Mervine Francoix, a nurse in New York City from Chestnut Ridge, who was facing a $900 fee for having a negative balance on her E-ZPass account. 

She was told by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey that she had to pay it off or her registration faced suspension. The Port Authority eventually waived the $900 fee.

While state tolling authorities and entities like E-ZPass may be relying on these fees now more than ever with less people traveling, Carlucci says the revenue should come from tolls themselves and not through excessive fines.

In a statement, a Port Authority spokesperson said, in part, that the inquiry was “successfully resolved all issues with the motorist. Resolutions are determined on a case-by-case basis, and we encourage anyone with tolling issues they are not able to resolve through the E-ZPass Tolls-by-Mail NY Customer Service Center to contact the advocate’s office.”

People seeking assistance can go to  https://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/en/tolls/tpa.html.