Trucking renews push to end NYC congestion pricing ahead of March 21 deadline

Today, two trucking industry leaders wrote to the U.S. Department of Transportation to reiterate their unwavering support for the Trump Administration’s termination of New York’s scheme to punish hard-working truckers who make essential deliveries to Manhattan businesses and residences.

Exactly one month ago, the Trump Administration ordered New York to cease collecting tolls through the congestion pricing pilot program by this Friday, March 21. In their letter to USDOT Secretary Sean Duffy, American Trucking Associations President & CEO Chris Spear and Trucking Association of New York President Kendra Hems detailed the demerits of New York’s policy and reinforced why DOT is fully justified in seeking to end the tolling program, including through legal means if necessary. The letter expands on comments previously made by Spear and Hems commending the Trump Administration for protecting truckers from these unfair tolls.

“The congestion pricing scheme was clearly designed to discriminate against trucks,” Spear and Hems wrote. “Unlike passenger vehicles, there is no viable alternative for trucks that must operate in the congestion zone to deliver the essential freight relied upon by businesses, the hospitality industry, and health care facilities, to name a few.”

“The result is higher prices for everyone living, working in, and visiting the city, with the potential for significant job losses,” Spear and Hems continued. “We would like to thank you for your efforts to halt this ill-conceived, discriminatory scheme. We encourage USDOT to take all necessary steps to ensure that New York’s application of tolls is consistent with the Constitution and federal statutes.”

Earlier this year, New York implemented the first-in-the-nation zone pricing tolls on vehicles entering Manhattan below 60th Street. While passenger vehicles pay a $9.00 daily fee that provides them with unlimited passage into the zone (a requirement of New York State law), trucks are forced to pay up to $21.60 each time they enter the zone. Notably, trucks already pay a highway use tax and a commercial motor vehicle tax to operate on roads in New York City, taxes that passenger vehicles are not subject to.

The Value Pricing Pilot Program New York is operating under was created by Congress for the express purpose of demonstrating the potential for variable tolls to influence travel behavior, yet toll rates under the Manhattan program were clearly established primarily to meet a financial target. Moreover, 100 percent of the revenue is dedicated to funding

transit improvements, with none of the money going toward fixing the city’s decrepit roads and bridges.