Big Apple truck travel to cost a lot more cheese

NEW YORK – The NY Port Authority is aiming to climb out of debt on backs of truckers.

Starting next month, crossing the bridges and tunnels between New York City and New Jersey will cost truckers as much as $65 per trip. The cost could rise to over $100 by 2015 for some drivers.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey approved Friday massive hikes to bridge and tunnel tolls.

The tolls apply only to eastbound crossings.

Tolls for trucks using E-Z Pass payment tags will rise $2 per axle in September ($10 for a five-axle vehicle). Tolls will rise an additional $2 per axle each December between 2012 and 2015, resulting in a total increase of $50 per five-axle truck over five years.

Truckers paying cash will pay a penalty of $3 per axle. By 2015 those trucks could pay as much as $105 – a 125 percent increase.

Five-axle trucks with E-Z Pass currently pay a total of $40 during peak hours, $35 during off-peak hours and $27.50 during overnight hours on weekdays.

The port authorities operate New York City-area bridges and tunnels such as the George Washington Bridge, the Lincoln Tunnel, and the Goethals Bridge.

Eventually, those trucks will have to fork over $105 per trip in 2015, a 125% increase, as the Port Authority plans to gradually increases the fee. Cash paying truckers.