Truckers: “We’ll Go Out Of Our Way To Avoid Rhode Island Tolls”

In response to Governor Gina Raimondo’s highly controversial plan to toll only trucks and not other vehicles, a survey found that the majority of truckers plan to change their routes to avoid tolls — even if that means refusing to enter the state of Rhode Island.

According to the proposed plan, 6 tolls would be placed on I-95. Another 3 tolls would be placed on I-295 while 2 tolls would be placed on Route 146 and 2 more tolls would be placed on Route 6.

When OOIDA surveyed their members, they found that truckers who regularly roll through Rhode Island were overwhelmingly against Raimondo’s toll plan.

• 77% said that they would always alter their route to avoid paying the toll.
• 22% said that they would sometimes change their route to avoid a toll
• 1.5% said that they would never change their route to avoid a toll.
• 79 % said that they would choose to avoid Rhode Island completely rather than pay the truck-only tolls.
• 60% of truckers already alter their route to avoid tolls in other states.

Governor Raimondo called alternate plans to generate funds for the state’s roads and bridges by raising diesel tax and the cost of truck registration “almost laughable.”

Christopher Maxwell of the Rhode Island Trucking Association says that in the end, the state’s businesses will suffer if truckers choose not to drive in Rhode Island anymore.

ABC6 – Providence, RI and New Bedford, MA News, Weather

Sources:
ABC 6
Providence Journal
WPRI
RI NPR