NYC Taxi Driver Creatively (And Illegally) Avoids $28k In Tolls


NYC taxi drivers do a lot of driving, and therefore are forced to pay a lot of tolls. In fact, every time a taxi driver crosses the Robert F. Kennedy Bridge, a toll must be paid — unless you are NYC taxi driver Rodolfo Sanchez, who found a creative (and illegal) way to avoid the tolls.

Police allege that the NYC taxi driver determined that if he stayed close enough behind the car in front of him (you know, the car whose driver actually paid the toll) he could drive through before the barrier came down, according to USA Today.

While sneaky, how much damage could something like this actually do? Well, according to authorities, the NYC taxi driver employed this same tactic every time he crossed the bridge for the last two years. That totals as much as $28,000(!) in tolls that should have been paid but never were.

While Sanchez certainly was probably content with himself for figuring out how to game the system, we’re assuming he is less-than-happy about his choice now that he faces grand larceny charges and could get up to seven years behind bars if he is convicted. Certainly not something that any 69-year-old would want to happen in the twilight of his life.

Sanchez might have gotten away with it if it weren’t for some inconsistencies coming up regarding his EZ Pass. Authorities started to notice that there was a certain EZ Pass that had no money in its account, but nonetheless was crossing the bridge again, and again, and again. The EZ Pass itself wasn’t even registered to the NYC taxi driver (it may have been a decoy), but the tracking code associated with the pass made it possible for authorities to crack the case.

Suffice it to say that people are a little upset that there was a NYC taxi driver who skirted the system that they themselves need to pay for every day.

What do you think? Is the NYC taxi driver a genius or a criminal? What do you think should happen to him? Should he go to jail or just be forced to repay what he stole? Let us know your thought about the NYC taxi driver in the comments.

Image via NY Daily News

Share this article: NYC Taxi Driver Creatively (And Illegally) Avoids $28k In Tolls
More from Inquisitr