Toll agencies refute claim they can detect cash amounts in vehicles
State and federal officials said toll systems like E-ZPass cannot identify how much cash a driver carries, rejecting allegations made on a podcast.
On a recent episode of “The Wild Chaos Podcast,” Travis Harwood claimed toll collectors can detect the amount of cash a driver has by reading a blue security band on dollar bills, saying law enforcement has used this to stop individuals carrying large sums. He recounted a story about a drug trafficker pulled over after traveling from New Hampshire to Maine. In response, the Maine Turnpike Authority told one outlet News Foundation that Maine State Police have never employed such a practice.
The New Hampshire Department of Transportation, Virginia Department of Transportation and Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission also stated their E-ZPass systems cannot identify cash in vehicles. A spokesperson for the U.S. Department of the Treasury explained that the blue band is merely an anti-counterfeit feature, not a GPS or tracking device. Requests for comment from the Justice Department, the U.S. Mint and other state transportation agencies went unanswered. This marks another instance of officials denying rumors about toll-based cash detection.
Why it matters
Clarifies that toll technology does not infringe on drivers' privacy by tracking cash, dispelling a circulating myth.
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