Commuters divided over launch of congestion pricing

The new year rang in and a few days later, so did congestion pricing. As of Sunday, Jan. 5 the long-debated commuter toll was up and running. 

The idea of Central Business District Tolling or congestion pricing, began in 2007, introduced by then-city mayor Michael Bloomberg, but it wasn’t officially added to the state budget until 2019. The plan was then approved by the state in June 2023 but was postponed numerous times over lawsuits brought by New Jersey and various concerned citizens. 

In March 2024, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority board voted to approve toll rates with plans to roll out the program on June 30, 2023. Last June, Gov. Hochul backed out of the plan and stated the pricing was too expensive. 

In November, Gov. Hochul approved the toll once more, with the price adjustment of $9 down from the originally planned $15. 

The expressed goal of congestion pricing is to relieve automobile crowding in the already congested district of Manhattan, according to the MTA. 

Riverdale resident, Stu Kolinsky shared his feelings on the matter in a Facebook post. 

“Has nothing to do with congestion. Just another tax on NYC that the millionaire corrupt politicians are celebrating,” Kolinsky wrote. “Everyone should just be calling it the NYC driving tax and not give in to these people who are trying to make you believe it's something other than that.”

Spuyten Duyvil resident Gabriel Kretzmer-Seed said he works in Queens which means he drives to work every day because public transportation would take him too long to commute. Despite his need to drive to work, he said he supports the plan for congestion tolling. 

“I’m very pro-public transportation. I would definitely take transit if it was reasonable for me to get to work by transit,” Kretzmer-Seed said. 

For him, congestion pricing means further funding for public transportation. 

“I think it will promote people taking transit more and help the environment improve,” Kretzmer-Seed said. 

Overall, congestion pricing is set to bring in an estimated $15 billion to be used on capital projects by the MTA, like electrifying the city’s bus fleet, bridge and track repair and repairs to subway train cars, elevators and escalators. 

According to the MTA, 700,000 vehicles enter the Central Business District every weekday, and the tolling plan could result in 80,000 fewer vehicles included in that number. 

The current congestion plan for passenger vehicles charges $9 during the peak hours of 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and between 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends. During off-peak hours, drivers are charged the overnight fee of $2.25. These prices are only available to automobiles with EZ-Pass, all other passenger cars are charged a 50% increase totalling $13.50 during peak hours and $3.30 overnight. 

Large trucks and buses will be charged $21.60 during peak hours and small trucks, like pickups, pay $14.40 during peak hours. All motorcycles with an EZ-Pass pay $4.50 during peak hours. 

Passenger cars, small commercial vehicles and motorcycles are only charged the congestion pricing once a day. 

Taxis and ride-shares are not exempt. Taxis are charged $.75 and ride-shares like Uber and Lyft are charged $1.50 with the cost passed on to the passenger, according to the MTA. 

Some exemptions and discounts exist for individuals with disabilities, organizations transporting people with disabilities, emergency vehicles, buses and specialized government-owned vehicles. 

Discounts are also available to low-income individuals. People with an adjusted gross income of $50,000 can receive a 50% discount which takes effect after the first 10 trips into the city in one calendar month. Another discount is offered to those with an adjusted gross income of $60,000 and who live living in the Congestion Relief Zone.

Despite the current $9 peak passenger car charge, the prices are set to increase over six years, going up to $12 in 2028 and finally $15 in 2031.