The Ohio Turnpike Commission Gets an Earful

The consensus was “we don’t support toll increases no matter how minor” at the first of three public hearings on the Ohio Turnpike Commission’s proposed toll rate increases .

For truckers, the proposed increases are fairly small- $2.50 increase across the board for the trucking classes. Class 8 and 9 trucks (65,001-90,000 lbs) currently pay $31.00 to travel the length of the Ohio toll road. Class 6 and 7 trucks (42,001-65,000 lbs) currently pay $25.75. But no trucker wants to pay more.

This first public hearing was held at the Government Center in Toledo, Ohio, at 7 pm on Tuesday, August 29, 2006. The hearing lasted approximately 30 minutes, most of which was spent listening to the statements of those who wished to make their opinions on the proposed toll rates known. In attendance were 18 concerned citizens and 5 media members. The representatives of the Ohio Turnpike Commission did very little talking. There was no attempt to convince those present that the proposed increases were necessary. After reading some general information and the statute requiring the public hearings, the floor was given to those in the hearing room who wished to speak.

7 attendees spoke as witnesses to have their opinions placed in the official record. One witness explained her concerns about toll rate increases influencing truckers to abandon the toll roads and travel instead on secondary roads. She said it was safer for everyone if the truckers use the interstate and if the speed limits remain the same for cars and truckers alike. The representative for an Ohio Congresswoman stated concerns that traffic may route away from toll road areas which could potentially cause economic problems for those areas.

Lewie Pugh, a trucker and OOIDA Board of Directors member, stated his objection to the toll rate increase and pointed out that the truckers are essentially being double-taxed because they are paying both road taxes and tolls on the same roadways. He asked if the Commission had considered offering truckers a road tax rebate for miles run on the toll roads, to which the Commission stated that they were not currently considering a rebate.

Ed Nagle, of the Nagle Companies, spoke about the difficulty truckers have making a profit. He said trucking companies have to answer to shippers and receivers for the rates they charge and that there his company operates on a very slim profit margin. The proposed toll rate increases may cause him to direct his drivers to route on secondary roads to avoid paying tolls.

Michael Farrell, of Driver Networks and coopsareopen.com, had a letter read into the official record that pointed out that the seemingly insignificant toll rate increases for truckers would add up and that truckers are already paying a hefty bill to travel the Ohio turnpike. Read Michael’s letter below.

The Ohio Turnpike Commission is required by law to hold 3 public hearings on the proposed toll rate increases. The second meeting will be held at 7 pm on September 7, 2006, in Boardman, Ohio (Youngstown Area), at the Boardman Administration Building (8299 Market Street). If you have questions about the public hearing, you can call Noelle Tsevdos at 440-234-2081 ext. 1021 for information.

If you wish to submit your comments to the Ohio Turnpike Commission, you may send correspondence to:
The Ohio Turnpike Commission
682 Prospect Street
Berea, Ohio 44017
Or email toll.comments@ohioturnpike.org.
Place the words “Comments for Toll Adjustments” in the subject line.

Michael Farrell’s Statement to the Ohio Turnpike Commission
Public Hearing August 29, 2006

To Whom It May Concern:

Truckers pay enough.

Fuel prices are sky high. We pay fuel taxes. We pay road taxes. We pay Heavy Highway Use Taxes. We pay Federal Excise Taxes. We pay fuel taxes to states for fuel we did not buy in that state, but that the state says we should have bought there through the IFTA agreement.

And after all that, we pay an additional tax to drive on toll roads.

Now, we understand that we are not required to route across Ohio on the I80/I76 toll roads. However, the interstate is certainly the quickest way to cross the state- even before the increased truck speed limit. But if the Ohio Turnpike Commission insists on increasing tolls- which we know is just the first increase of many to come- we will, once again, route on the state routes.

We also understand that the toll rate increases for class 7, 8, and 9 vehicles is fairly small- a cross-state increase of $2.50 for class 7, 8, and 9 vehicles. But that $2.50 is on top of a $31 or $25.75 bill.

And $2.50 adds up. A trucker who travels the length of the toll road once per week will end up paying an additional $130 per year. That same trucker is already paying $1339.00 to $1,612.00 depending on which class he falls into. So, the extra $130 may not seem like much to you, but to the trucker who has already paid out the equivalent of 10 oil changes, 530 gallons of diesel, or 2 sets of high-quality steer tires… that’s insulting.

We understand and appreciate the efforts the Ohio Turnpike Commission has made to accommodate truckers. Certainly increasing the speed limit from 55 mph to 65 mph was a positive change. And the service plazas which mostly have ample parking, traveler services and trucker’s areas are nice. But there are truck stops all across Ohio that provide these same services without charging an additional $31 for the privilege.

We have read the Ohio Turnpike Commission’s 2006 Operating Budget. We understand that the Commission views the reduction in toll rates and volume discounts as “loss of revenue.” Shifting the focus from increasing rates to loss of revenue doesn’t mean much to the trucker who is currently paying out $31 each time he travels the length of the turnpike.

On behalf of the truckers, we are protesting the proposed increases in toll rates.

Sincerely,
Michael Farrell
Driver Networks, LLC

Tags: Ohio, Turnpike, Tolls, Truckers, Truck Driving, Trucking