New Thruway toll collection fee sparks pushback from trucking industry, billing firms

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Trucking firms across the state are up in arms over a new state Thruway Authority policy covering collection and billing for commercial accounts with Thruway tolls.

2 On Your Side spoke with a local trucking company executive and the Thruway Authority about this issue which the companies say amounts to a “surcharge” could end up costing them more in the long run.

Local companies which run big rigs on the state Thruway feel it’s another costly blow as Speed Global Services President Joe Berti told us  “It’s just another tax right?  it’s another way that they’re going after the commercial vehicles.”

Berti is referring to the Thruway Authority’s updated change in its toll management service provider program which relates to the companies like Best Pass and Pre-Pass which handle the toll billing to the trucking companies.

Specifically the Thruway Authority say it will start charging a one percent administrative fee to those toll collection billing firms with the claim it will open up that billing business to more competition and provide more transparency to the trucking firm clients of those billing companies.

But it is possible those billing firms could eventually just pass along the extra cost of that fee to the trucking companies

A spokesman for one of those companies called Best Pass by Fleetworthy did issue a statement: “While the Thruway argues about what we’re calling it, they’re not denying it’s a cost increase for commercial drivers using the New York Thruway.”

Overall trucking firms dispute the Authority’s further claims that its commercial vehicle rate is among the lowest in the country at 19 cents a mile compared to other states like New Jersey at 43 cents a mile.

Of course they are also including all the other truck operation fees from New York state. Berti says: “You put all our taxes together and what you pay for New York State and all the compliances that we pay and fees that we pay to just operate a truck in New York state it would be a pretty hard argument I would think to put against any other state.”

And the trucking firms say any potential extra cost passed to them could eventually be passed on to to all consumers since their trucks carry to the stores many of the products we all buy.

Berti points out: “We are what makes the country work and it’s just, we feel like we’re continuing to be penalized for being a carrier since they want to continue to add costs to our operations.”

Berti added: “Those who drive cars know what they pay in fees. Quadruple that for each truck that we have. For what you would pay for your car we pay quadruple for that, just for a truck.”

The Thruway Authority released issued a lengthy statement from Executive Director Frank Hoare. It reads in part: “We understand that change can sometimes be difficult but I want to be clear about portions of the program and misinformation that’s flying around.

The new program has a one percent administrative fee charged to the Toll Management Service Provider, not the commercial trucking industry, which offsets the costs we incur to administer this program and allows them access our information that they use to operate and generate profits, considerable profits, for their business. Without access to this system, paid for by New York State tolling authorities, service providers would not be able to make the tens of millions of dollars they currently enjoy.

To be clear, this is not a toll increase or a change in the discounts we offer commercial drivers. If someone is saying otherwise they are not telling the truth.

Again, toll rates and applicable discounts are not changing for commercial fleets as a result of this new program. In fact, this new program protects the fleet owners and ensures they receive the 20 percent volume discount and ultimately they will benefit from increased competition in this service provider arena.”