The Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission is turning up the heat on rogue commercial trucking companies that it says have racked up millions of dollars in unpaid tolls over the last two years.
The commission on Monday publicly identified 315 trucking companies across 26 states that each owe at least $5,000 in unpaid tolls. Combined, these companies owe nearly $5.2 million since April 2024, with the highest offender owing $156,000 — one of six carriers to owe more than $100,000.
"The Ohio Turnpike is one of the nation’s major freight corridors and the vast majority of commercial trucking companies do the right thing and pay their tolls," Executive Director Ferzan M. Ahmed said in a statement. "But there is a growing number of companies that are breaking the law by avoiding paying their tolls."
While hundreds of companies are named on the commission’s list, a small group of repeat offenders accounts for the bulk of the debt. According to Ahmed, the targeted companies have ignored at least three mailed invoices before being sent to collections.
"Companies are either simply choosing not to pay, or using deliberate toll evasion tactics, or both," Ahmed said, noting the commission uses high-speed cameras to track and identify nonpaying vehicles.
The commission warned that tolls remaining unpaid for 90 days after the initial invoice are subject to aggressive collection efforts.
The commission said it will pursue lawsuits against the most significant debtors and turning over accounts to professional debt recovery agencies.
Of the 315 companies, 42 have commercial vehicles registered in Ohio. The commission will also prevent companies from renewing vehicle license plates until debts are cleared.
