RI Truck Tolls

Read these articles:

US trucking industry leader calls RI tolls ‘extortion’

Rhode Island proposes truck-only toll

Controversial Rhode Island Truck Tolls Bill Signed Into Law

You can google "RI Truck Tolls" for more articles

I feel like this is an awful idea... And in one article...

  It would cost up to $20 for big-rig trucks to cross through Rhode Island along the East Coast's most-traveled highway under a new plan proposed Thursday by the state's Democratic leaders

If anything the state is hurting themselves because many local companies are saying they will move their companies out of RI...

"When they come through Rhode Island, they don't even stop to get a coffee," said the bill's sponsor, Senate Majority Leader Dominick Ruggiero, a North Providence Democrat, as he closed the debate Thursday, according to a report on NBC 10 WJAR. "They just keep on going and wreck our roads.”

How 'bout - instead of "wrecking your roads" - they just go around - and hey, not bother to deliver your food, fuel, etc - or pick up goods produced in your state for delivery around the country.

I can understand how ancient crumbling infrastructure needs to be repaired and rebuild. Most of the NE states have the same issue.

All this is going to do - is increase the cost of shipping (thereby increasing the cost of goods). It will be absorbed by the trucking companies and passed along.

Saddest part is - bid rigging, no-show union jobs, and all the other crap that the corrupt NE governments are famous for - will drive the cost of the work sky-high, make it take 3X as long, drive the quality of the work down. Then after they discover the "evil trucks" aren't bringing in the $$'s fast enough - and the powers-that-be need to "wet their beaks" a little more, they'll start tolling cars too.

Don't they ALREADY GET REVENUES in the form of DIESEL FUEL TAXES? To the tune of $.24 per gallon (not that you actually have to stop and fuel there). Isn't RI a part of IFTA - where they GET FUNDS based on the # of miles traveled by CMV's? Aren't THESE SUPPOSED TO BE THE HIGHWAY TAX, that's supposed to go towards infrastructure maintenance?

Rick

Don't they ALREADY GET REVENUES in the form of DIESEL FUEL TAXES? To the tune of $.24 per gallon (not that you actually have to stop and fuel there). Isn't RI a part of IFTA - where they GET FUNDS based on the # of miles traveled by CMV's? Aren't THESE SUPPOSED TO BE THE HIGHWAY TAX, that's supposed to go towards infrastructure maintenance?

Rick

They do, but Rhode Island is only like a mile wide!

It's 42 miles top to bottom on 95, with like 400 miles of coastline. Not sure how wide though. But $20 is a lot for 42 miles.

It's 42 miles top to bottom on 95, with like 400 miles of coastline. Not sure how wide though. But $20 is a lot for 42 miles.

It's cheaper than the pa turnpike

It's 42 miles top to bottom on 95, with like 400 miles of coastline. Not sure how wide though. But $20 is a lot for 42 miles.

It's cheaper than the pa turnpike

But the PA turnpike is a lot longer.

Update: Truckers have held a rally at the West Greenwich Truck Stop (it is the only truck stop in RI!)

Trucking Association rallies against tolls