Rhode Island’s truck-only tolls are raking in the dough. With only two toll gantries operational, the state has collected $7.2 million in just the first 12 months of tolling.
Part of Governor Gina Raimondo’s RhodeWorks program, the controversial truck-only tolls have been the target of multiple lawsuits. The most high-profile lawsuit was brought by the American Trucking Association (ATA). That lawsuit was thrown out when the federal judge ruled that he did not have jurisdiction and that the case would need to be heard in Rhode Island. The ATA appealed that ruling.
Despite ongoing legal challenges however, the gantries continue to bring in toll revenue. Though the tolls were estimated to bring in $7 million, they’ve actually outperformed expectations by $200,000.
Earlier this month, the third gantry in the state started collecting tolls. A total of thirteen locations are planned, with one coming on line every month until all of them are operational. The tolls are expected to bring in $45 million per year, all from truckers.
Source: gobytrucknews, ttnews
45 million in a year…great they should make their money to cover expenses and THEN BE CLOSED THE FOLLOWING YEAR..BECAUSE AFTER THAT ITS ALL PROFIT AND THAT WOULD BE CROOKED AND UNFAIR, RIGHT?!?!?
I MEAN, YOU COULD PAY EVERY TEACHERS SALARY, INDEFINITELY, WITHOUT FURTHER COSTS TO THE TAXPAYER…ALL BY SETTING ASIDE ONE OF THOSE JACKPOT LOTTERY WINNINGS…WOULDNT THAT BE GREAT FOR THE STATE, WITH EVERY WEDNESDAY OR SATURDAY DRAWING WE COULD DECIDE WHAT TAXES WILL NO LONGER NEED TO BE PAID BY THE CITIZENS
….NA, MAKES TOO MUCH SENSE
All trucking compaines should not deliver there then they will take the tolls down
Exactly. But instead of all companies saying NO, they just write it off as a ‘business’ expense and get it back.
Robert G. it would have to be more drastic han that for them to remeve those barriers .When the people of RI start getting charged , like my daughters ex , they will get the idea and request that they come down because they are supposed to be trucks only tolls .
$45 million a year? That’s ridiculous for a state the size of Rhode Island.
Wait until Connecticut starts their tolls and they want to tax everyone even on state highways.
say money making machine, wait till the rest of the states find out, then we will pay the freight rate flat to the states highway and go home as a slave…
There you go, another entity trying to take their piece of the trucking industry pie!!! All the roads in Rhode island are going to be immaculate and not even a crack to be seen, thanx to the trucking industry!!! They’re just a modern day organized crime syndicate charging taxes just so you can keep working.
Charge the state back. If a loaded 53 is paid say $10k to be delivered in that state’ and tolls cost $300 per month (for that turn) the companies just ‘readjust’ their rates to DOUBLE the tolls so the company now makes the profit. NEW rate the company now charges is $10,600. EXTRA EXTRA Read all about it, toll system for TRUCKS ONLY, not profit worthy, will no longer charge tolls.
Wow, have I got one for you guys. My daughters ex came home to visit his relitives . He lives outside of Charlotte ,N.C. so he rents this car to drive back to RI . He tries to go the cheapest way he can so as to avoid tolls but he knows he can’t get around all of them . So , mind you he’s driving a car , and when he comes into RI on 95 his toll monitor tells he he just paid a toll,in RI . I live here and I am under the impression that truck tolls only means just that . So,why is he getting charged for a toll ???? In a four wheeler, maybe because it was an out of state car .
Pretty simple, refuse loads going to that state.
no need getting upset, just add the tolls to the freight bill. RI compliance fee… simple. maybe someday they’ll figure out they’re not bringing in the out of state money they hoped for, but just sucking themselves dry.