NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – The MTA decided that certain vehicles, including school buses, some commuter buses, and parts of the city fleet, will be exempt from the congestion pricing plan, according to reports on Monday.
The decision followed the conclusion of a final round of public hearings which started in February.
Exemptions from congestion pricing include authorized emergency vehicles, vehicles for people with disabilities, transit buses, and specialized government vehicles like street sweepers, according to the MTA's website.
"The MTA will bring congestion pricing toll rates to a vote this week, tied closely to Traffic Mobility Review Board recommendations, with certain clarifications that include items raised by the City of New York and others," MTA Deputy Chief, Policy and External Relations and former Executive Director, TMRB Juliette Michaelson said in a statement.
The plan initially excluded specific city-operated vehicles such as garbage trucks and fire engines. Now, it will extend exemptions to most of the city's municipal fleet, including small cars and trucks utilized by agency inspectors and officials, according to Michaelson.
Additionally, yellow school buses under contract with the NYC Department of Education, certain commuter buses, commuter vans licensed with the NYC Taxi and Limousine Commission, and buses providing scheduled commuter services open to the public, including long-distance services like those operated by MegaBus, are exempt.
This includes transit buses and commuter buses, along with specialized government vehicles not intended for general transportation, such as street sweepers, sanitation trucks, and roadway repair equipment. Michaelson also emphasized that they've collaborated with the City of New York to identify which of their vehicles fall under the category of "specialized government vehicles" - those that are critical to perform public work in the congestion zone - which comprise well under half of the city's non-emergency fleet.
The MTA also announced that low-income drivers earning up to $50,000 or receiving SNAP, WIC, or TANF benefits may get a 50% discount on certain tolls. Residents of the CBD with a household income under $60,000 may also qualify for a tax credit.
The exemption does not apply to private buses such as employee shuttles.
The MTA is not "considering any exemptions for public workers' private vehicles," according to the Daily News.
"As scheduled, the MTA will bring congestion pricing toll rates to a vote this week, tied closely to Traffic Mobility Review Board recommendations, with certain clarifications that include items raised by the City of New York and others," Juliette Michaelson, MTA's deputy chief for policy, said in a statement to the Daily News.
Under the plan, passenger car drivers entering Manhattan south of 60th Street during daytime hours would be charged $15 electronically. However, drivers without E-ZPass would pay $22.50.
The fee for small trucks would be $24, while large trucks would be charged $36.
The MTA can also charge an extra 25% on Gridlock Alert Days, when traffic is especially bad in Midtown.
MTA officials intend to implement congestion pricing in June unless it is restrained by a court order.
