Commercial Truck Drivers Could See 45% rise in Thruway Tolls

7/29/2012 (Updated 10:48:40 PM)

Commercial truck drivers traveling on the New York State Thruway could be facing a 45 percent increase in the tolls they pay to use the roads.
 
Officials at the State Thruway Authority say its costs have increased substantially while at the same time the number of those using the thruway has dropped ten percent.

An average trip from Albany to Buffalo would increase from about 62 dollars o 90 dollars.  But Brian Sampson from the organization Unshackle Upstate says the increase will impact New Yorkers in the pocket book.

He says 90 percent of what we consume on a daily basis comes to us by truck, so  everything from fruits and vegetable to gasoline will cost more. 

He says the Thruway Authority is inefficient when it comes to handling taxpayer's money and he wants the agency to be audited.

"We want the Thruway Authority to go through a forensic audit, which is a top to bottom complete evaluation of where the money is coming from and where its being spent. And where its being inefficiently spent, how can they make it more efficient so they're using the money the way it should be which is to keep the roads and bridges the way they are." said Brian Sampson, Executive Director of Unshackle Upstate.

Sampson wants the Governor's Office to step in and stop the increase.  A series of public hearings are scheduled next month.