Following their victory against the New York State Thruway in a battle over tolls, the American Trucking Association is shifting their focus to examine toll roads in other states to see if toll money has been used improperly there as well. If the ATA continues their hunt, they may find a likely target in the Pennsylvania Turnpike.
When a judge in New York ruled against the New York Thruway, it was not the tolls themselves she objected to, but rather how the tolls were being spent. Because a large portion of the toll money collected was being used to pay for the extensive canal system instead of the upkeep and improvement of the thruway itself, the judge ruled that the tolls were unconstitutionally burdening interstate commerce.
“We certainly see the decision as a warning shot to any jurisdiction that tries to use tolls from interstate truckers as a kind of piggy bank,” said Rich Pianka, acting general counsel for the ATA according to the Post-Gazette. “We will be aggressively looking at these situations across the country to see what other action we might take.”
That same thing is happening right now in Pennsylvania.
The Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission is currently paying $450 million every year to PennDOT in order to fund public transit. To put that in perspective, the New York Thruway was paying a comparatively measly $65-$100 million annually to help maintain the canal system.
According to the Post-Gazette, the turnpike has had to raise tolls for the past 9 years and borrow money every year in order to make the $450 million payment.
After the ruling in New York, Chris Spear, the CEO of the ATA said “we hope today’s ruling will not only end this practice in New York, but dissuade other states from financing their budget shortfalls on the backs of our industry.”
Pennsylvania, you may be next!
Source: post-gazette, truckersreport
Victory in NY, wow I just saved $10 on a New York Hut sticker, now I can retire. The New York hut is a double taxation on highways. As an owner operator and having my own MC number why would I care if I saved a measly 10 bucks a year, that comes out to pennies per day. I pay my ifta sticker and quarterly fees and dues why do I have to pay one in New York state on top of it after in New York state. All these organizations are basically a cartel for the money makers in Washington.
years ago they did away with that hut sticker but then they brought it back.
I live in PA, 450 million is only half the story. The turnpike has become PA’s personal piggy-bank for anything and everything. One example money from the turnpike is used to fix other state highways. The is just one very small example..
Last but not least we have a tax and spend Governor that came from the private business sector. Owning a nationally known cabinet manufacturing company. Thrift only applied to his company, not the finances of the state..
Wolf owns Wolf Trucking
PA NEEDS to be next! As a resident, I’ve always been appalled at how poorly the turnpike is maintained, and how high the tolls jump each year. The spending of toll revenue for anything other than maintenance of the toll road (and access roads, to a lesser degree) should be illegal, plain and simple.
I remember running rte 30 west of I-81 because I didn’t think it would make much difference time wise and toll wise,boy was I wrong . Those hills will kill you. on that skinny road.
The toll for a big wheeler to use the Staten Island Bridge is a whopping $87!