Amd 1704-a & 1630, add 1704-b, V & T L; amd 553, Pub Auth L
 
Limits the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority with regard to the number of tolls charged on trucks and the authority's power to raise its toll schedule.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
 
BILL NUMBER: A9569
SPONSOR: Cunningham
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the public authorities
law, in relation to limiting the number of tolls charged on trucks and
limiting the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority's power to raise its
toll schedule
 
PURPOSE:
This bill ensures that commercial vehicles making deliveries in the
Commercial Business District are tolled in the same manner as passenger
vehicles; once per 24 hours. Additionally, it protects these small busi-
ness owners from even more potential onerous tolls to and from this
district going forward."
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Amends Subdivision 1 of section 1704-a of the vehicle and
traffic law to limit trucks, as defined in section one hundred fifty-
eight of that same chapter, to one toll a day upon entering the central
business district.
Section 2. Amends the law by adding a new section, 1704-b, to prevent
central business district tolls increases once receipts of all tolls
total one billion dollars.
Section 3. Amends Subdivision 4 of section 1630 of the vehicle and traf-
fic law, as amended by section 2 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59
of the laws of 2019, to limit toll schedule increases once receipts of
all tolls total one billion dollars.
Section 4. Amends Subdivision 12-a of section 553 of the public authori-
ties' law, as added by section 4 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59
of the laws of 2019, to reiterate that such toll schedules, as author-
ized by that subdivision, are not increase after the receipts of all
tolls total one billion dollars.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
This program, as it stands, provides little to no exemptions to commu-
ters - undermining the economic impact a levy on New Yorkers could have,
particularly our industrial and commercial enterprises. To sustain this
program, and protect industries in and around New York City, this bill
will exempt trucks who frequently enter Manhattan to conduct business
multiple times in a single day from being tolled more than once for
entering that district.
 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New Bill
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
Yet to be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This legislation will take effect on the sixtieth day after it becomes
law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9569
IN ASSEMBLY
March 20, 2024
___________
Introduced by M. of A. CUNNINGHAM -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Corporations, Authorities and Commissions
AN ACT to amend the vehicle and traffic law and the public authorities
law, in relation to limiting the number of tolls charged on trucks and
limiting the Triborough bridge and tunnel authority's power to raise
its toll schedule
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Subdivision 1 of section 1704-a of the vehicle and traffic
2 law, as added by section 1 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59 of the
3 laws of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
4 1. Consistent with the goals of reducing traffic congestion within the
5 central business district and funding capital projects the Triborough
6 bridge and tunnel authority shall have the power, subject to agreements
7 with its bondholders, and applicable federal law to establish and charge
8 variable tolls and fees for vehicles entering or remaining in the
9 central business district at any time and shall have the power, subject
10 to agreements with bondholders, and applicable federal law to make rules
11 and regulations for the establishment and collection of central business
12 district tolls, fees, and other charges. For purposes of establishing a
13 central business district toll or tolls the board shall, at minimum,
14 ensure annual revenues and fees collected under such program, less costs
15 of operation of the same, provide for sufficient revenues into the
16 central business district tolling capital lockbox fund, established
17 pursuant to section five hundred fifty-three-j of the public authorities
18 law necessary to fund fifteen billion dollars for capital projects for
19 the 2020 to 2024 MTA capital program, and any additional revenues above
20 that amount to be available for any successor programs. Additionally, no
21 toll may be established and charged on passenger vehicles registered
22 pursuant to subdivision six of section four hundred one of this chapter
23 and trucks as defined in section one hundred fifty-eight of this chapter
24 more than once per day for purposes of entering the central business
25 district.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD14676-01-4
A. 9569 2
1 § 2. The vehicle and traffic law is amended by adding a new section
2 1704-b to read as follows:
3 § 1704-b. Limitation on toll increases in relation to the central
4 business tolling program. The toll schedule authorized for entry into
5 or remaining in the central business district pursuant to section seven-
6 teen hundred four-a of this article shall not be increased after the
7 receipts of all tolls total one billion dollars.
8 § 3. Subdivision 4 of section 1630 of the vehicle and traffic law, as
9 amended by section 2 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59 of the laws
10 of 2019, is amended to read as follows:
11 4. Charging of tolls, taxes, fees, licenses or permits for the use of
12 the highway or any of its parts or entry into or remaining within the
13 central business district established by article forty-four-C of this
14 chapter, where the imposition thereof is authorized by law. Such toll
15 schedule shall not be increased after the receipt of all tolls total one
16 billion dollars.
17 § 4. Subdivision 12-a of section 553 of the public authorities law, as
18 added by section 4 of subpart A of part ZZZ of chapter 59 of the laws of
19 2019, is amended to read as follows:
20 12-a. To establish and charge variable tolls, fees and other charges
21 for vehicles entering or remaining within the central business district
22 and to make rules and regulations for the collection of such tolls, fees
23 and other charges, subject to and in accordance with such agreement with
24 bondholders and applicable federal law as may be made as hereinafter
25 provided. Subject to agreements with bondholders and applicable federal
26 law, all tolls, fees and other revenues derived from the central busi-
27 ness district tolling program shall be applied to the payment of operat-
28 ing, administration, and other necessary expenses of the authority prop-
29 erly allocable to such program, including the capital costs of such
30 program, and to the payment of interest or principal of bonds, notes or
31 other obligations of the authority or the metropolitan transportation
32 authority issued for transit and commuter projects as provided in
33 section five hundred fifty-three-j of this title, and shall not be
34 subject to distribution under section five hundred sixty-nine-c of this
35 title or section twelve hundred nineteen-a of this chapter. The
36 provisions of section twenty-eight hundred four of this chapter shall
37 not be applicable to the tolls and fees established by the authority
38 pursuant to this subdivision. Any such fares, tolls, and other charges
39 shall be established and changed only if approved by resolution of the
40 authority adopted by not less than a majority vote of the whole number
41 of members of the authority then in office, with the chairman having one
42 additional vote in the event of a tie vote, and only after a public
43 hearing. Such toll schedule authorized pursuant to this subdivision
44 shall not be increased after the receipts of all tolls total one billion
45 dollars.
46 § 5. This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall
47 have become a law.