A program to bring in more truck traffic along one toll route has accomplished its goal of getting some traffic off Interstate 35 in Central Texas but is ending earlier than planned.

The Texas Department of Transportation has announced a discount program for trucks along Texas 130 that began on April 1 is ending Dec. 1, according to the Austin American-Statesman newspaper, due to lost revenue. The program was orginally set to last for one-year.

For a five-axle truck driving the entire 89 miles of Texas 130 from north of Georgetown to Seguin, the program decreased what had been a $56.64 toll to $13.24, the same as four-wheels, resulting in transactions involving trucks on the northern 49 miles increasing by 44% over the past seven months. However, due to an unexpectedly high number of trucks using Texas 130, $11 million set aside by Texas DOT to absorb the difference between the regular truck tolls and the lower amounts charged now will be depleted by early 2014. 

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