Possible higher toll for truckers

BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) - Because of a potential hike in Thruway tolls for truckers, you may eventually be paying more for the next food item or article of clothing that you buy.

Gary Hartman from Springdale, Arkansas said, "Just everything they're trying to get from us, they're trying to get from us somewhere."

On Thursday Mike Durant, New York State Director of the National Federation of Independent Business, put it this way:

"In an economy that is languishing, really stagnant, this is just something that is an asinine idea coming from the State Thruway Authority. I really hope that the governor will step up to the plate and cease this chatter."

The 45 percent increase will undoubtedly be passed down to the consumer.

"I see a 45 percent increase in tolls as something that will not only raise the cost of doing business in a state that already leads the nation as one of the most anti-business states in the country, but consumers are going to be negatively impacted," Durant argued.

New York State already ranks as one of the more costly states for truckers, though commercial tolls per mile are 49 percent higher in Pennsylvania. The increasing cost of doing business is prompting truckers to seek alternative routes off toll-imposed highways or discontinue routes into the state.

We caught up with a few truckers on the road Thursday.

According to Mike Webb, from China Grove, North Carolina, "I know a lot of guys, if they're going to raise the tolls again, they're going to quit coming to New York. They're going to quit going to a lot of places."

"It's going to raise the price of everything that you buy, you know if those tolls go up 45 percent. If it costs $150 versus $100 to run across loaded, they're going to raise the freight rates," said Rocko Doto, from Landers, New Jersey.

"Fuel has gone up how many dollars a gallon? Tolls have gone up. Freight hasn't gone up in years," commented Gary Hartman.

There is no timetable for this increase as it still has to go through public hearings. We contacted the State Thruway Authority and their representatives declined comment.