On Monday, May 16, a toll increase of 25 percent for passenger vehicles and 35 percent or higher for commercial vehicles went into effect on the New York Thruway.

The toll hikes come after months of heated debate between the Thruway Authority and members of the trucking community. Because of a simplified classification system that narrowed trucks down from 43 to nine categories, many truckers said they could be as much as a 60 to 100 percent increase in toll costs.

After holding several public forums, the Authority approved a modified version of the rate increase on Monday, April 25. Although the new program still uses a nine-category system to classify trucks, it does offer three different discount programs for commercial drivers, according to the Authority’s Web site:

• A special E-ZPass discount program that brings drivers of tractor-trailer combinations of less than 48 feet back to the 35 percent increase range. Drivers are only eligible for the discount if they use the automated toll system, which requires a downpayment of $1,000 to enroll;
• An additional 5 percent discount for all trucks and 10 percent discount for all passenger vehicles who use the E-ZPass system; and
• A volume discount that would provide a 10 percent discount for drivers who spend over $1,000 a month, an additional 10 percent for $2,000 a month and 5 percent over $3,000 a month. In 2006, the discounted rate will decrease to 5 percent for spending $2,000 a month. Drivers must enroll in the Thruway’s charge account program to receive the volume discount.

Although these discounts do help high-volume companies, E-ZPass users and trucks with total lengths of less than 48 feet, their impact on owner-operators who can’t afford to enroll in E-ZPass or take advantage of a volume discount is minimal.

OOIDA has received numerous calls, visits and e-mails from drivers concerned about how the Thruway’s decision will affect their operation and their bottom line. Watch for continued coverage of the increase and how it affects drivers in upcoming issues of Land Line Magazine.

By Aaron Ladage
Aaron_Ladage@landlinemag.com