A plan to charge truckers and other motorists a toll to drive in the busiest part of New York City is back on after having been halted in June. In response, the state's trucking association renewed its considerable opposition to the plan and warned it would raise prices for residents.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul Thursday announced the congestion pricing plan would be implemented early next year, but at prices reduced from the original plan. The plan is meant to reduce traffic congestion below 60th Street, limit air pollution, and also raise money for the city’s mass transit system.
In the original plan, operators of large trucks would have paid $36 to travel through the busiest section of the city during the day. Hochul said that the price would be lowered to $21.60. The price for small trucks is now $14.40, down from the original $24.
Cars will be charged $9, down for the original plan’s $15.
However, while cars would pay $9 per day under Hochul's new plan, trucks would be charged $21.60 and $14.40 per trip.
Prices for night time travel in the central business district are reduced by 75%. This is meant to encourage after-hours truck deliveries, according to Hochul’s plan.
In response to Hochul's announcement, the Trucking Association of New York President Kendra Hems released the following statement:
“While political leadership is now saying the right things about bringing down the cost of living in the state, New Yorkers should not be fooled by the rhetoric: this new congestion pricing plan is still bad for the economy, will still cause supply chain disruptions, and will still raise the price of goods upon which households across the five boroughs and its surrounding suburbs rely. As such, the Trucking Association of New York will continue using every tool at our disposal to fight this plan and deliver relief for hardworking operators and the New Yorkers counting on their services.
“The fundamental issue remains the same as before: the disproportionate pricing structure, which once again unfairly targets trucking operators, is a burdensome regulatory framework and cost imposition on the industry responsible for transporting 90% of goods in New York State.
“As we have repeatedly stressed, a reduced rate congestion pricing structure is a positive development for our industry but is not sufficient on its own. The decision to maintain the per-trip charge, rather than adjusting the fee to a per-day structure, is yet another example of the continued disregard toward our industry from the most powerful people in the state.
“In fact, despite the ubiquity of our operations, we were entirely excluded from all discussions pertaining to the reinstatement of this plan."
Hochul put the congestion pricing plan on hold shortly before it was to go into effect earlier this year.
The Trucking Association of New York filed a federal lawsuit in an attempt to block the plan, which the association called unconstitutional.
“It is disappointing that, after a lengthy pause, the Governor’s revised plan still does not provide a solution to the constitutional violations we highlight in our lawsuit, filed in the Southern District of New York, which argues that the congestion pricing policy unfairly targets trucking and logistics companies by charging far higher rates than passenger vehicles," said Hems in her statement.
“Until this discrepancy is addressed, the Trucking Association of New York remains committed to seeing out the legal process and is hopeful that our ongoing litigation will preserve business-as-usual for New Yorkers.”
Part of the justification for the congestion pricing plan was to reduce air pollution in the city, especially for those in vulnerable locations. Among the emissions reduction projects to be funded by the tolls are:
- $15 million to replace diesel-powered Transport Refrigeration Units at Hunts Point Produce Market in the Bronx
- $20 million to implement electric truck charging infrastructure
- $20 million to expand the NYC Clean Trucks Program
- $5 million to expand the NYCDOT Off-Hours Delivery Program
