How will congestion pricing impact trucks? MTA chair says review board will consider incentives for overnight deliveries
NEW YORK -- CBS2 is taking a closer look at how the MTA's proposed congestion pricing plan could impact truck drivers and deliveries.
The city has said almost 90 percent of goods transported into the five boroughs every day are on trucks. As Lisa Rozner reported Thursday, many of those trucks travel to Midtown Manhattan, where they could have to pay as much as $82 under the plan.
The Department of Transportation has said one of the top three zip codes for daily freight deliveries is in Midtown, next to the Lincoln Tunnel. That happens to fall in Manhattan's Central Business District, which is the area below 60th Street.
READ MORE: MTA report details plan for congestion pricing and how much drivers will have to pay
In one scenario being proposed for congestion pricing, during peak hours small trucks could pay anywhere from $12 to $65.
And for large trucks, the price could be anywhere from $12 to $82.
"I feel like enough is enough. Man, they paid enough," one New Yorker said.
"Yeah, it's getting hectic," another said.
"Horrible time to do it. Don't do it," Queens resident Fabian Chiparro said.
"I'm working in Manhattan. We get paid to work. They'll just raise the prices of everything," truck driver John Biltakus added.
READ MORE: MTA's congestion pricing proposal prompting strong reaction in the the suburbs
The proposal suggests any cost increase would be minimal because it will be divided among several customers that trucks deliver to. However, Joey Hamilton, the sales associate at Red Carpet on East 59th Street, said he isn't convinced.
"We have to pay the deliveryman. We have to pay the gasoline. Then we have to pay another charge? I mean, how do you think we feel?" Hamilton said.
The report does acknowledge that some commodity sectors, like construction materials, electronics and beverages, are more prone to increases due to less competition within the delivery market.
"I have spoken to some contractors who have expressed concerns that cost is going to be passed on to consumers," Long Island Legislator Steve Rhoads said.
READ MORE: Some Nassau County lawmakers call congestion pricing plan an attack on the suburbs
MTA Chairman Janno Lieber said the review board will consider incentives for trucks to come in overnight when there is less traffic.
"Is there going to be any consideration for trucks delivering food or medicine so costs aren't passed on?" Rozner asked.
"That's a very good point. There's a lot of different issues that this group, the Traffic Mobility and Review Board, is going to have to weigh," Lieber said.
READ MORE: New Jersey bill offers incentives to "Stay in Jersey" and combat NYC's congestion pricing
With tolling technology to be set up across 60th Street, along the West Side Highway and the FDR, the proposal acknowledges trucks may instead travel through Staten Island or the South Bronx.
Zach Miller is with the Trucking Association of New York.
"You are not going to divert over 6,000 trucks based on the tax. What you're going to do is put companies out of business," Miller said.
Some who are willing to pay the toll say maybe it'll be easier to get around.
"If you want to support bike lanes, if you want support bus lanes, then you're kind of leaving all these cars to just jam everyone else," one person said.
"Traffic is crazy," a truck driver said.
Lieber said the hope is that reducing traffic in the Central Business District will decrease rates of asthma, decrease traffic deaths, and create $1 billion for MTA improvements.
One scenario suggests trucks will not be charged the toll more than twice in one day.