Tolls

Every vehicle has an orange E-Z Pass, which are issued to official vehicles and individuals on official business. It prevents the vehicle from triggering an automatic violation, especially with cashless tolling. I am unsure whether the FDNY sends money from its budget to the TBTA and other authorities or whether that money is reimbursed.
 
Quick story about tolls; (ALLEGEDLY) When members came into the firehouse from Long Island to the Bronx, back in the day of "tokens," we'd look for the gate that was unmanned and "stuck open, " and do the ol' hand fake like you were tossing the token in the basket. Also, you checked the opposite side and gave the brother heading home a heads up; "gate #3 is stuck open."

We also "found out" that the Mexican pesos was the same size and width of a token. We greased one of the members that headed to Mexico for a vacation with some cash to bring us back a bunch of souvenirs.
 
In the days before EZ Pass, FDNY vehicles (and other NYC official vehicles) drove through a toll booth with a toll collector and announced the FDNY vehicle number.
 
Over the years the FDNY official parking plaque was used. You would show it & give a vehicle number. TBTA compiled a list & monthly it was send to the agency for review.
 
Agencies don't pay a toll right now. It has been proposed in the past that all agencies pay the MTA for the tolls, but the City has fought it.
 
Back in the mid 80's an EMS tow truck was towing an ambulance from the Bronx back to the Maspeth Central Repair shop. The operator of the truck was told he had to pay the toll for the truck and the ambulance was free. He said no and finally a TBTA Sergeant told him just go. That was when EMS was under Health&Hospitals. Hot stuff eh?
 
One would think (Oops, did I say think?) that I have more to lose in the long run than just toll money. I've said it before and I'll say it again..Common Sense Is Just Not Common!
 
A FF friend was on light duty at the Mand Library and was assigned to drive an FDNY marked communcations van. Returning to Randalls Island later in the day, he noticed several toll takers laughing and pointing at his vehicle. The guy in the booth informed him of the magnetic "free pizza delivery" sign on the van's roof (placed there earlier by one of his fellow FFs) which he had driven around the city all day.
 
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At L 5 we had a few practical jokers who had artistic talent...very dangerous. They'd make up a detailed NY vanity plate on cardboard with a clever remark, I couldn't even write here what was said... and fastened over the rear license plate. Some of the epigrams were beyond belief, and they looked legit. I can only imagine people driving by howling at the guy as he innocently drove on.
 
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