nymtc regional freight plan - New York Metropolitan Transportation ...

A Freight Plan for the NYMTC Region
Three variable toll programs currently are in place in the region:
1. The PANYNJ currently charges variable toll rates at all of the Hudson River and Staten
Island bridge and tunnel crossings. Trucks using E-ZPass are charged $6.00 per axle
during the peak periods (6:00 to 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.), $5.00 per axle during
designated off-peak hours (9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. to midnight), and $3.50
per axle during overnight hours (midnight to 6:00 a.m.).
2. The NYSTA has used a variable toll system on I-287 in Rockland and Westchester
Counties since 1997. Commercial vehicles using E-ZPass receive an off-peak discount
of up to 50 percent depending on the time of day. Peak hours are 7:00 to 9:00 a.m. for
the Tappan Zee Bridge (southbound toll only) and 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. for the Spring
Valley Toll Plaza (northbound toll only). During shoulder periods tolls vary in 15-
minute increments from the peak rate to the off-peak rate.
3. The NJTA offers a volume discount for commercial fleet owners whose trucks use
E-ZPass during off-peak hours (all hours of the day other than from 7:00 to 9:00 a.m.
and from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.). This system is used primarily to maximize revenue from
high-volume commercial carriers during off-peak periods by providing a reduced toll
to carriers who might otherwise use parallel non-toll roadways.
Transportation Impacts
Some analysis has been done on the impact of value pricing in the region relative to specific
agencies and/or facilities, but the specific impact of variable tolls is often difficult to ascertain.
The New Jersey Turnpike has seen a general increase in truck traffic over the long term,
but the Turnpike Authority has not specifically quantified the impact of its volume
discount program on truck volumes. The PANYNJ has initiated an assessment of truck
volume trends at its six interstate crossings.
The NYSTA conducted comprehensive interviews with motor carriers to ascertain their
response to the I-287 variable toll program. It was determined that offering discounts for
off-peak travel would impact commuter patterns more than truck travel patterns. This
was primarily because: 1) most carriers can pass along increased shipping costs to their
customers, and 2) toll costs are relatively small for most truck trips as a percentage of
other operating costs. Carriers wishing to cut costs (by saving time) generally adjust their
shipping schedules in response to congested conditions on the I-287 corridor regardless of
any toll considerations.
Other Impacts
By spreading out peak-period traffic, pricing strategies are likely to have transportation
and environmental benefits. These projects face minor physical barriers to implementation
and some institutional barriers due to the concerns of the shipping industry regarding
the potentially adverse economic impact of discouraging deliveries at certain times of the
day, and the concerns of toll authorities that these programs be revenue neutral. Pricing
strategies do not directly address issues of connectivity. They rely heavily on the latest
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