Day: September 6, 2024

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) announced Friday that local authorities confiscated more than 100 vehicles in August with “ghost plates,” which are unregistered license plates that drivers use to evade tolls.

MTA Bridges and Tunnels, NYPD, and other law enforcement agencies seized the vehicles and issued more than 1,500 tickets to toll evaders at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and Bronx-Whitestone Bridge, two major thoroughfares in NYC, during three separate operations last month.

The operations were conducted at the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge on Aug. 19, and at the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on Aug. 24 and 30.

“Our Bridge and Tunnel Officers have worked with our regional partners to make it abundantly clear that the use of ghost plates to avoid paying tolls will not be tolerated,” Catherine Sheridan, MTA Bridges and Tunnels president, said. “Don’t risk losing your car by breaking the law. Pay your tolls.”

Gov. Kathy Hochul said in July that ghost plates cost the state “millions” in lost dollars. 

“Ghost plates and toll evasion cost our state millions each year and impede our efforts to build a mass transit system that benefits everyone,” she said. “Our heightened enforcement efforts are cracking down on the brazen lawlessness that has gone unchecked for too long, and our message is simple: enough is enough.”

Cops also confiscated vehicles for a number of other violations in the latest crackdown, including unpaid tolls, unregistered vehicles and suspended licenses.

Targeting drivers with ghost plates also helps to combat major crime, authorities say. 

On June 24, a driver who obscured part of his license plate was pulled over at the RFK Bridge. As MTA Bridge and Tunnel officers conducted their operation, it was later revealed the driver had a suspended license, was wanted for several crimes, and officers found a large quantity of narcotics and a loaded firearm in the vehicle.

Meanwhile, as of Sept. 1, a new state law went into effect banning the sale of so-called ghost plates and license plate covers. These items have found their way onto sites like Craigslist, Facebook Market Place and TikTok.

Since the inception of open-road tolling — also known as cashless tolling — the MTA has stopped more than 11,000 vehicles for “persistent” non-payment of tolls, the agency said.

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Young tennis players from Brooklyn stepped into the spotlight at the U.S. Open this month, serving as as ball kids for one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world.

The talented youths spent weeks preparing for the contest, training to be the most attentive, fittest, and quickest ball people for some of the greatest tennis players. Ball people serve a “vital” role at the U.S. Open and other tennis tournaments. Often seen crouched by the net or waiting behind the court, they’re responsible for grabbing rogue balls, distributing balls to the players, and making games flow smooth and uninterrupted. 

Each student was selected and trained by New York Junior Tennis and Learning, an organization dedicated to enriching the lives of underserved youth through rigorous athletic training and sports education.

Autumn Clarke from Prospect Lefferts Garden, Julia Ivanov from Sheepshead Bay, Patrycja Filonik of Bushwick, and Jaydel Bennett from Cypress Hills were among the eight NYJTL participants to take on the role of ball kids.

Ninth grader Ivanov often navigates through the city, hopping on trains and buses with her younger siblings to get to practice. Her dreams of being a well-rounded tennis player started when she was just two years old. 

After years of hard work and determination, Ivanov said she was overcome with joy when she found out she had been selected to be a ball person for the U.S. Open.

Reflecting on her journey, she said she was grateful to NYJTL for shaping her skills both on and off the court. 

“The program [NYJTL], of course, shapes you as a tennis player and a person educationally. Our coaches help us on the court and teach good character and life skills, like persistence and grit,” Ivanov said.

NYJTL reaches nearly 90,000 young people every year through various programs, with the U.S. Open partnership being the most coveted opportunity. Students and coaches emphasize the program’s effort to instill life skills, character development, and healthy living practices. 

As the U.S. Open draws to a close, the young ball kids from Brooklyn say they are eager to return home with a renewed passion and inspiration. Each of them took away memories of the fast-paced matches and life lessons that would serve them well in their future endeavors.