With paper tags going away in Texas, officials fear toll dodgers will use fake metal plates
ARLINGTON – Toll evaders in Texas have long exploited fake paper tags to dodge millions of dollars in toll fees, funds intended for road maintenance and potentially lower fees for honest drivers. A new Texas law set to take effect this summer will eliminate paper tags, replacing them with temporary metal plates for new car buyers. However, it's unclear if the new law will reduce toll dodging or lead to an increase in other toll dodging schemes, including the use of fake metal plates.
"The suspicion is maybe we are going from one problem to another," said Chris Klaus from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). The NCTCOG oversees planning and funding for the region's transportation projects, including toll roads.
Last year, over 16 million vehicles drove on North Texas toll roads without paying, accumulating more than $69 million in unpaid tolls, according to the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA). These cases involved out-of-state, unregistered, or fake plates – metal and paper – making it impossible for state records to identify the vehicle owners.
To stay ahead of potential new schemes, Klaus and his team at the NCTCOG are collecting data from traffic cameras and toll readers to identify the prevalence of unregistered metal plates that are potentially fake. Two additional surveys will be conducted: one in July when the state stops issuing paper tags and another in September when the last paper tag expires. Klaus' team hopes to determine if fake metal plates increase as paper tags go away.
"There will always be something, but I think we can work to reduce the number of occurrences," Klaus said. "We'll be on the lookout for that next scheme, that next tactic for someone to evade a toll."
Online, dozens of companies legally sell novelty license plates, including through Amazon. For less than $15, anyone can customize and purchase a Texas metal plate that looks just like a real one. The plates are advertised as home decorations and gifts, but with their realistic appearance, officials suspect they have been used as fraudulent plates.
When the CBS News Texas I-Team asked Amazon if the company knew how some were using products sold on its website, an Amazon official said they were "investigating the matter" but declined to comment further.
In other states, toll authority officials have launched campaigns to crack down on license plate covers and reflective sprays that block toll readers. In New York City, Amazon agreed to stop shipping certain plate covers to specific ZIP codes due to their prevalence among toll evaders.
"They (fake metal plates) are definitely less obvious than paper tags," Klaus noted. "A paper tag is a paper tag; you see those all the time. When July 1 comes, you have no idea if that vehicle is properly registered."
Toll evasion is not only a financial issue but also a safety concern. Fake plates, whether paper or metal, can prevent police officers from knowing who they are dealing with during a traffic stop, posing a significant risk.
