Un-elected officials agreed to raise truck tolls across states such as Pennsylvania and New Jersey to welcome truckers into 2024.
A Pennsylvania rate hike went into effect on Sunday, Jan. 7, and its 5 percent increase could cost truck drivers and freight carriers upwards of $30 to run loads through its highway system. Big rigs with an EZ-Pass can anticipate seeing tolls rise from $14.40 to $15.20. Those without an electronic payment device can expect Toll by Plate costs to hit $30.90.
“Our annual toll increases directly support the escalating Act 44 debt service we have had to manage due to the mandates of Act 44 of 2007,” Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission CFO Rick Dreher reportedly said. “However, even given that significant financial management challenge, our per-mile toll rates are lower than national toll averages and remain in the midrange among the 47 toll roads in the U.S.”
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission also approved a concerning difference between the per axle costs of passenger vehicles versus Class 8 trucks. When traveling the Pennsylvania Turnpike (I-70, I-76, and I-276), passenger vehicles are taxed at a rate of $0.15. Truckers get slapped with a $0.55 per axle fee. CDL holders may also take exception to the fact that the money is not restricted to the maintenance and upkeep of these major arteries.
The Turnpike Commission is legally obligated to hand over truck tolls to the state’s department of transportation to fund other projects. Since 2008, PennDOT has received a reported $8 billion from the tolling system. Paying for other non-Turnpike efforts appears to be a driving reason for year-over-year toll increases.
Construction is reportedly underway to transition the Turnpike to Open Road Tolling, which is designed to reduce congestion. The system won’t come online until 2025 in Eastern Pennsylvania and 2027 in other areas.
Tolls Around NY-NJ Port Authority Spike
The New York-New Jersey Port Authority recently released a reminder that various area tolling locations also went up as of Jan. 7. Rates for the Lincoln and Holland tunnels, George Washington, Bayonne, and Goethals bridges, as well as the Outerbridge Crossing will all increase when entering New York. This is a breakdown of the new costs for five-axle commercial motor vehicles.
- EZ-Pass Off-Peak Hours: $99.25
- EZ-Pass Peak Hours: $104.25
- EZ-Pass Weekday, Overnight Hours: $91.75
- Tolls by Mail: $119.25
New Jersey does not plan to collect tolls for big rigs entering the Garden State.
Sources:
https://www.panynj.gov/bridges-tunnels/en/tolls/2024-tolls.html
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