The MTA approved a plan Wednesday to charge $15 for passenger cars entering Manhattan during high traffic hours.
The MTA board voted 11 to 1 to charge most commercial and passenger vehicles that would drive into Manhattan's business district, specifically below 60th Street.
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According to reporting from the New York Times, the pricing plan is the first of its kind in the nation. The idea was proposed in 2019 by former Gov. Andrew Cuomo to reduce traffic, improve air quality and raise $1 billion a year for public transportation programs.
However, the plan is facing challenges as the MTA fights off five lawsuits brought to federal courts in New York and New Jersey by union groups, citizens and various elected officials, including New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy and Rockland County Executive Ed Day.
The MTA will begin to charge the fees in June.
Who will have to pay the tolls?
Charges at E-ZPass rates:
- $15 will be charged once daily for passenger vehicles and passenger vehicles with commercial license plates that enter the zone during peak hours, between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends.
- $3.75 will be charged for passenger vehicles and passenger vehicles with commercial license plates that enter the zone during off-peak hours.
- $24 or $36 will be charged for trucks and buses — depending on their size — to enter the zone during peak hours.
- $6 or $9 will be charged for trucks and buses depending on their size to enter the zone during off-peak hours.
- $7.50 will be charged for motorcycles to enter the zone during peak hours.
- $1.75 will be charged for motorcycles to enter the zone during off-peak hours.
- $1.25 will be added to each paid passenger trip for trips to, from, within or through the zone using a taxi, green cab or for-hire vehicle.
- $2.50 will be added to each paid passenger trip for trips to, from, within or through the zone using a high-volume for-hire vehicle, or app-based service, such as Uber and Lyft.
- Vehicles that receive tolls by mail will be 50% more than the E-ZPass rates.
Credits, discounts and exemptions
- School buses contracted with the New York City Department of Education, commuter vans licensed with the city Taxi and Limousine Commission and buses providing scheduled commuter services open to the public, including NJ Transit and fixed routes from private carriers, are exempt from the toll.
- Specialized government vehicles will be exempt. This includes those carrying equipment and tools or where the vehicle itself is needed to do the work; it does not include those carrying agency personnel or elected officials.
- Certain emergency vehicles and qualifying vehicles transporting people with disabilities will be exempt.
- Lincoln and Holland tunnels' crossing credit during peak hours will be $5 for passenger vehicles; $2.50 for motorcycles; $12 or $20 for trucks and buses, depending on their size.
- Queens-Midtown and Hugh Carey tunnels' crossing credit during peak hours will be $2.50 for passenger vehicles; $1.25 for motorcycles; $6 or $10 for trucks and buses, depending on their size.
- There is no crossing credit during off-peak hours.
- Low-income vehicle owners who register with the MTA's Triborough Bridge and Tunnel Authority program will receive a 50% discount on the passenger vehicle peak period E-ZPass toll rate on their vehicle's 11th trip and trips after in a calendar month. There are no residency requirements to qualify for the discount.
— Bergen Record writer Colleen Wilson contributed reporting for this story.