Ghost’ Plates Costing NYC Millions As Drivers Dodge Cameras

New York City is losing $200 million a year due to drivers using “ghost” license plates to avoid fines, a new report shows. These rogue motorists are passing through tolls and by speed cameras 100,000 times each month without paying.

Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine, who led the study, says over 5% of vehicles caught on camera now have unreadable plates. Some drivers are using high-tech gadgets to hide their plates, while others simply scratch out the numbers or use fake tags.

“You better believe it influences behavior when people know their plate is unreadable,” Levine told The Post. He added that the city’s increased use of cameras had the unintended effect of encouraging more drivers to cheat the system.

The problem goes beyond lost revenue. Luther Sibuea, an Uber driver and father, worries about hit-and-run drivers using ghost plates to escape justice. “It’s more than not paying tickets,” he said.

Levine suggests using radio tags on registration stickers and AI tools to catch cheaters. He also wants to increase fines and crack down on online sales of plate-obscuring devices.

City officials are taking notice. A recent joint operation by the NYPD and MTA caught 200 offenders, including a career criminal with a loaded gun.

As the ghost plate problem grows, New York faces tough choices in balancing enforcement with privacy concerns.