With a fare increase already approved for subway and bus riders, the MTA wants to dig deeper into the wallets of motorists who use the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge and East River crossings. On October 27th, MTA board members will vote on proposals to raise tolls on the bridges and tunnels.
One proposal, in particular, has roiled drivers who don’t use the E-ZPass automated toll collection system. The MTA is considering significantly increasing the penalty for paying cash, and allowing E-ZPass users to escape the toll increase altogether.
Under the plan, an E-ZPass driver who pays $4.57 to use the Midtown Tunnel today would pay the same $4.57 after the increase goes into effect. Cash payers who fork over $5.50 today would see their toll jump to $7.00. The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge cash toll would leap from $11.00 to $14.00. E-ZPass users would pay exactly what they pay today: $9.14.
MTA Chairman Jay Walder has said the idea of exempting E-ZPass users is intriguing.
“Why not increase the toll more on the cash users and hold down the E-ZPass. There’s an argument for that,” Walder said.
Board member Patrick Foye opposes the idea on the grounds that it would exempt so many motorists from paying a fair share of the toll increase.
“No toll increase for E-ZPass customers. Just cash customers. To me that’s encouraging people to drive. Imagine transit users getting a fare hike but drivers getting no hike.”
(Source: WPIX)
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One Response
“Imagine transit users getting a fare hike but drivers getting no hike.”
Drivers already pay more than twice as much as subway and bus riders (and that’s not counting gas or the cost of buying and maintaining a car). Stop whining.