Senate Bill S6796

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S6796

SPONSOR: HARCKHAM
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the vehicle and traffic law, in relation to exempting
school buses from central business district tolls

 
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:

To provide a central business district toll exemption for school buses.

 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:

Section 1 of the bill would add a new subdivision 2-a to § 1704-a of the
Vehicle and Traffic Law to provide an exemption from the central busi-
ness district toll for school buses.

Section 2 provides that the bill shall take effect immediately.

 
JUSTIFICATION:
              

On March 27, 2024 the MTA Board voted to approve the toll rates, with
limited exceptions, for the Central Business District Tolling Zone that
will extend from 60th Street in Manhattan to all of the roadways south
of 60th Street. The approved tolls would place a toll of between $24-$36
for "buses and trucks" that enter into the Central Business District
Tolling Zone. The approved tolls included an exemption for yellow school
buses with a contract with the New York City Board of Education, commu-
ter vans, and buses providing scheduled commuter service. However, other
buses such as those that serve private schools, school districts located
outside of New York City, or summer camps and other programs were not
granted an exemption from the toll.

One of the stated purposes of the Central Business District Tolling Zone
is to reduce traffic congestion. Buses can transport upwards of 50
people at a time, thus reducing traffic within the zone.  Therefore,
exempting ALL school buses (not just those with City Board of Education
contracts) from the toll would further the purpose of the tolling
program.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:

To be determined.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This bill would take effect immediately.