Queens-Midtown Tunnel tolls go cashless

NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Queens-Midtown Tunnel made the switch to cashless tolls Tuesday, that latest MTA crossing to adopt a no cash, no problem approach.

The agency plans to remove toll booths from all its New York City bridges and tunnels over the next year, and the project began with the Hugh L. Carey Tunnel going cashless last week and continues with the Rockaway, RFK, Verrazano-Narrows, Throgs Neck and Bronx-Whitestone bridges.

All of the toll booths will eventually come down, eliminating the need for drivers to stop and reducing pollution.

Every vehicle coming through now gets scanned, and drivers with E-ZPass are charged while everyone else will get a bill in the mail.

Officials hope it will help reduce backups and save about 1 million gallons of fuel a year.

Toll prices will not change, and E-ZPass users continue to receive a 30 percent discount.

The scans take place on the Manhattan side of the tunnel and have allowed police to crack down on drivers with unpaid tolls. Last week, they were able to nab a woman who owed $6,500. Her car was seized and towed.