NEW YORK – Following the beginning of congestion pricing in New York City on January 5, the the Trucking Association of New York (TANY) is once again emphasizing how the newly enforced regulation will negatively impact truckers and the trucking industry.
TANY president Kendra Hems issued another plea on behalf of truckers affected by the regulation and vows to continue to fight against the practice.
“While congestion pricing has only just taken effect, our drivers are already bracing for the severe impact these tolls will have on their operations in the days and weeks ahead,” Hems said. “To be clear, we are not inherently opposed to congestion pricing. As we’ve said all along, as well as in our ongoing litigation against the MTA, our concern is that the current plan disproportionately targets trucking operators by charging them on a per-trip basis, unlike passenger vehicles which are charged once per day. This fact alone will have devastating downstream impacts across the city due to the essential role that the trucking industry plays in our economy—consider that nearly 90% of goods in the five boroughs are delivered by trucks.”
Hems noted that the industry is already in the midst of an affordability and quality-of-life crisis. Congestion pricing will only exacerbate these circumstances as the industry will be forced to pass along increased costs to customers. Ultimately, New Yorkers will be picking up the tab, according to Hems.
“Additionally, the trucking industry is not able to adapt like commuters who have the ability to use alternative modes of transportation,” Hems said. “Grocery stores, after all, can’t be stocked with shipments that travel on the subway. Additionally, while we fully support overnight deliveries, our drivers do not determine when and where deliveries occur—their customers do. In other words, drivers do not have the luxury of being able to drive during off-peak hours. The trucking industry fully supports finding a way to reduce traffic and improve the environment, but these efforts should not come at the cost of businesses and residents who in many cases serve as a lifeline to New Yorkers.”
Dana Guthrie is an award-winning journalist who has been featured in multiple newspapers, books and magazines across the globe. She is currently based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area.
