NYC congestion pricing starts Sunday: What drivers need to know

New York’s Staten Island — New York City finally implemented congestion pricing at midnight on Sunday.

When it is put into practice, the toll is lower than initially suggested.Drivers would have been billed $15 to enter the zone at first. Governor Kathy Hochul stated that the program’s high cost for working New Yorkers was the reason she first opposed it. Most automobiles enter the Congestion Relief Zone (CRZ), which is any surface street in Manhattan south of 60th Street, by paying a $9 toll under the new version.

The program’s proceeds will be used to finance approximately $15 billion in capital projects for the city’s deteriorating transit infrastructure.

Depending on the type of vehicle and the time of day, drivers must pay a fee to enter the CRZ.

Drivers with E-ZPass pay the following during the day, which is defined as 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on weekends:

• 
  Passenger vehicles (once per day): $9
  
• 
  Motorcycles (once per day): $4.50
  
• 
  Small trucks and non-commuter buses: $14.40
  
• 
  Large trucks and sightseeing buses: $21.60
  

E-ZPass-less drivers will pay even more. If a driver utilizes Tolls by Mail, motorbikes must pay $6.75 and passenger cars must pay $13.50.

Overnight hours

Overnight hours, which are Monday through Friday from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. and on weekends from 9 p.m. to 9 a.m., are when toll charges are reduced.

Hochul also stated that in order to promote more deliveries in the city at night, she intends to reduce tolls by 75% overnight.

As a result, motorbikes will pay $1.05 and passenger cars with E-ZPass will pay $2.25 to enter the CRZ overnight.

Crossing credits

Crossing credits against the toll are available to drivers that enter the CRZ through the Queens-Midtown, Hugh L. Carey, Holland, or Lincoln tunnels.

Drivers who enter the CRZ through the Brooklyn-Battery Tunnel or Queens-Midtown Tunnel are credited $1.50, while drivers who enter through the Holland and Lincoln tunnels are credited $3.

Discounts, exemptions

After their first ten monthly travels, drivers earning less than $50,000 annually are eligible for a 50% reduction on the regular toll for all crossings.

Emergency vehicles and those transporting individuals with disabilities are exempt from the scheme, as previously mandated by state law. Residents who live in the CRZ and make less than $60,000 are eligible for tax credits.

For those who are unable to use transit due to a disability or other medical condition, the MTA also provides discounts.You may get more details about discounts online.

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