The Maryland Transportation Authority has approved a plan to raise truck tolls its seven toll facilities, a 50 percent increase for vehicles with three or more axles, despite objections from the state trucking association.

The plan raises toll rates for multi-axle vehicles, including trucks with three or more axles and vehicles towing trailers. Toll increases for large trucks and other multi-axle vehicles will range from $2 to $13. E-ZPass users also will pay a $1.50 monthly service fee starting in July and will have to buy transponders.

At a public hearing on Jan. 29 where the Maryland Transportation Authority approved the toll hike proposal, a number of Maryland Motor Truck Association member business owners and representatives "spoke eloquently about the problems that would ensue from the hike," says Louis Campion, MMTA senior vice president. Their comments resulted in only two minor modifications:
1. A frequency discount for E-ZPass commercial users who in a single vehicle pay a Maryland toll 100 or more times per month; this discount would be 10 percent over and above the current post-usage discount plan.
2. In order to implement the programming for the frequency discount, the entire toll hike on three or more axle vehicles will take place on May 1, 2009 instead of April 15.

"MMTA is extremely disappointed about this outcome," Campion says, and the association is seeking legislation to reverse the Authority's action.

The agency called the plan "a cost-recovery initiative expected to generate approximately $60 million annually for the self-supported agency that operates Maryland's seven toll facilities." Tolls were last increased in 2003.

See "Maryland Proposes Toll Hike for Trucks," Truckinginfo.com, Jan. 7, 2009.