Bayonne Bus Company, Owner Indicted for $290,000 in Unpaid Tolls

The charges stem from a five-year pattern of toll evasion involving thousands of violations across multiple license plates registered to Best Big Bus LLC and its owner.

BAYONNE, NJ — A Hudson County-based bus company and its owner have been indicted on theft charges following allegations that they amassed approximately $290,000 in unpaid tolls over a five-year period on roads operated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Somaya Elkaramany, 57, of Bayonne, and her business, Best Big Bus LLC, were each charged with multiple counts of theft of services, according to an announcement made Thursday by Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ).

Elkaramany faces five counts of theft of services, including one second-degree count and four third-degree counts. Her company is named in three of those counts.

The indictment follows a joint investigation conducted by the DCJ and the Port Authority Police Department, which alleges that between October 1, 2020, and September 25, 2025, vehicles registered to both Elkaramany and Best Big Bus bypassed toll payments using five distinct New Jersey license plates.

“The defendant and her company are charged with racking up nearly $300,000 in unpaid tolls for thousands of trips back and forth between New Jersey and New York,” said Attorney General Platkin. “The tolls we all pay go to maintain the vital bridges, tunnels, and roads that our state depends on. We will not tolerate anyone who tries to cheat the system.”

According to investigative records:

• One license plate registered to Best Big Bus generated $143,835 in unpaid tolls across 3,526 citation violations between September 7, 2022, and October 26, 2024.

• Another plate linked to the company accumulated $60,069 in tolls from 1,542 violations between October 1, 2020, and October 21, 2021.

• A plate registered to Elkaramany personally resulted in $19,482 in unpaid tolls from 469 violations spanning December 20, 2021, to October 30, 2024.

• A second plate in Elkaramany’s name accrued $4,776 in tolls from 131 violations between October 5, 2021, and January 17, 2022.

• A third company plate added $65,719 in unpaid tolls from 1,360 violations between November 21, 2024, and September 25, 2025.

Elkaramany is listed as a registered agent and manager of Best Big Bus LLC, a New Jersey-registered transportation company providing commuter services between Hudson County and New York City. Investigators noted that she also operated as a driver for the business.

The charges carry significant penalties. A second-degree theft conviction could lead to five to 10 years in state prison and fines of up to $150,000. Each third-degree charge carries a potential sentence of three to five years in prison and fines up to $15,000.

The case is being prosecuted by DCJ Deputy Attorney General Christopher Scerbo.

Authorities emphasized that these charges are accusations, and Elkaramany is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law.

This case reflects an ongoing effort by New Jersey and regional authorities to crack down on large-scale toll evasion that undermines public infrastructure funding and fair use of transportation systems.