§82-27(b) TLC Rule 82-27: Green Cab E-ZPass Requirements

In short: Rule 82-27 is the E-ZPass rule for green cab (street hail livery, SHL) licensees, the people or companies that hold the SHL license, not the driver. Part (a) requires an E-ZPass New York account with MTA Bridges and Tunnels, which can be held through the affiliated SHL base. Part (b) requires a properly attached MTA E-ZPass tag in the car (or letting the driver use a personal tag) and enough money in the account. Each part carries $100 and suspension until compliance, and you must appear. A related base rule lets an SHL base withhold tolls from a driver's cash pay, but only tolls for that driver's trips, listed on the receipt.

What the rule says

From TLC chapter 82, §82-27 "Operations – EZ-Pass Required":

(a) EZ-Pass Account. (1) All Licensees must participate in the EZ-Pass New York Program by maintaining a current account with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority. (2) A Licensee may participate in the EZ-Pass New York Program through the Licensee's Affiliated Street Hail Livery Base.

Fine: $100 and suspension until compliance. Appearance REQUIRED

(b) EZ-Pass Tags Required on all Street Hail Liveries. (1) Licensees must either: (i) Equip the Licensee's Street Hail Livery vehicle with its own MTA Bridges and Tunnels EZ-Pass tag, which must be attached as required by MTA B&T, or (ii) Allow a Driver to use his or her personal EZ-Pass tag. (2) Licensees must have available at least one MTA Bridges and Tunnels tag for each Street Hail Livery. (3) Licensees must maintain a sufficient balance in their EZ-Pass account, according to what is required by the program.

Fine: $100 and suspension until compliance. Appearance REQUIRED

In plain English, the SHL licensee must:

1. Have an E-ZPass NY account with MTA Bridges and Tunnels, its own or through its base.
2. Put an MTA tag in the car, mounted the way MTA says, or let the driver use their own tag.
3. Have at least one MTA tag per SHL.
4. Keep the account funded.

82-27(a)(2): taking part through the base

This is what makes the green cab rule different from the taxi (§58-27) and FHV (§59A-24) owner rules: an SHL licensee may use its affiliated base's E-ZPass account instead of opening its own. The rule doesn't say how the base and licensee split the costs; that is up to their agreement, within the base rules below.

Unlike the taxi and FHV owner rules, §82-27 has no paragraphs on who keeps the toll money or on driver replenishment deposits. Those topics are covered for green cabs by the driver rules in §80-15(d) and the base rules in §59B-18.

Can my green cab base deduct tolls from my pay?

Yes, within limits. §59B-18(c)(3) says an SHL base owner "can withhold from the cash payments to a Street Hail Livery Driver (and all such withholdings must be identified on the receipt)":

• "the sum of all MTA Tax payments due from the Street Hail Livery Driver; and"
• "the sum of all tolls and charges deducted by the MTA Bridges & Tunnels from the E-Z-Pass account of the Street Hail Livery Base Owner for trips provided by the Street Hail Livery Driver."

So the base can recover tolls charged to its E-ZPass for your trips. It can't take tolls for other drivers' trips, tolls from a different account, or anything not shown on the receipt. On a hail trip the passenger pays the toll in the fare, so the withholding is how the base's account gets that money back. Check that each toll is withheld only once and matches a crossing you made. See what receipts must my base give me?.

Who it applies to

• SHL licensees (green cab permit or license holders): §82-27 directly.
• SHL bases: through §82-27(a)(2) and the withholding rule in §59B-18(c).
• Green cab drivers: not under §82-27, but under the driver E-ZPass rules: don't drive for hire without a tag, use it at MTA crossings, personal tags allowed (§80-15(d)(1)-(3), $100 / $150); forward passenger-paid tolls to the tag holder by the end of the shift or lease, and keep any required replenishment balance (§80-15(d)(4)-(5), $50 plus restitution).

For how passengers pay tolls in a green cab, including the 2023 return-toll change that the online chapter 82 PDF hasn't caught up with, see who pays tolls on a taxi or green cab trip.

Penalty and points

• §82-27(a) (no E-ZPass account): $100 and suspension until compliance. Appearance required.
• §82-27(b) (no tag, too few tags, or no balance): $100 and suspension until compliance. Appearance required.
• No points are listed.

"Suspension until compliance" means the license stays suspended until the problem is fixed. Fixing it fast is the main thing you control.

What to do if you get this summons

Toll bills that arrive even though you have E-ZPass are a different problem: see why did I get a toll bill with E-ZPass?. Background on green cabs: green cab SHL permit guide, SHL, and rule 82-13(a)(1). All toll pages: Tolls.

This page explains TLC rules. It is not legal advice.