Truck Toll: Statehouse Republicans Say It Should Be Repealed

PROVIDENCE, RI — House Minority Leader Patricia Morgan (R-District 26 Coventry, Warwick, West Warwick) and members of the House Republican Caucus are making a bid to repeal the 2016 truck toll law. The law collects tolls from big commercial truck drivers. But the taxpayers will not see any gains, due to give-backs and rebates aimed at sweetening the situation for the truckers, the Republicans say.

"In an attempt to quiet the justified alarm of our in-state trucking companies, a provision to reduce in-state registration fees and allow a rebate for the use of Clean Diesel fuel was added," Morgan said. These provisions reduce the net worth of the toll collections by $8,825,000. Effectively, out of the projected $45 million annual toll charges, only $7,397,500 or less than 17% will be available to repair bridges. Eighty-three percent will evaporate in avoidable costs.”

Her bill (H-6109) would repeal the provisions of the general laws that created the Rhode Island Bridge Replacement, Reconstruction, and Maintenance Fund Act of 2016 (RhodeWorks). The hearing is scheduled in the House Finance Committee for Thursday, May 25.

“It is irresponsible for our state's leaders to pursue tolls for such a paltry end result," Morgan said. "A net profit of less than $7.5 million cannot justify the harm tolls will do to our consumers, our small business community, our trucking companies, and to our overall economic vitality. No decision makers, who profess to be working to bring good companies with good jobs to Rhode Island, can look at these numbers and charge ahead. The toll law must be repealed.”

She went on to suggest the tolls will be extended to other types of vehicles.

The President of the American Trucking Association (ATA), John Lynch and President of the Rhode Island Trucking Association (RITA), Chris Maxwell also attended the press conference on Tuesday.