New York State Thruway Authority drops toll hike for trucks

New York State Thruway Authority officials recently announced that they have discarded a controversial plan to impose a 45 percent toll increase on commercial vehicles with more than three axles.

"After working with Governor Andrew Cuomo and his administration to find additional cost saving measures and permanent reforms, today I will present the Thruway Board of Directors with a new cost saving plan that does not include any toll hike," said Thomas Madison, executive director of the New York State Thruway Authority. "Thruway Authority has begun to implement plans to eliminate poor fiscal practices, make transformative operational changes, and generate long-term cost savings."

Although the New York State Thruway Authority planned to use the tolls to help pay for repairs, experts believe that the toll hike would have had devastating effects on the state economy. The Interstate turnpike between Buffalo and New York City is a major freight route in the northeast, but truckers with commercial drivers licenses would have tried to avoid this 641-mile stretch to save money. Had the toll increased passed, it would have raised the toll cost from $88 to $127.

New York State Thruway Authority drops toll hike for trucks

Monday, December 24th, 2012