Truckers racking up tolls in Rhode Island despite industry’s legal challenge

Despite legal challenges from the American Trucking Associations over truck-only tolling in Rhode Island, truck drivers don’t appear to be avoiding driving through the state, according to numbers reported by the Providence Journal. The state’s trucks-only tolling, which only charges Class 8 and larger vehicles, has pulled in more revenue so far than initially projected.

The Providence Journal reports that, through the first six months of tolling on I-95, the tolls have averaged 186,698 trucks per month and $617,805 in billable charges each month. These numbers are higher than the Rhode Island Department of Transportation projected for that time frame.

The total amount billed through the first six months is a little more than $3.7 million, the report adds.

RIDOT’s projections estimated 177,292 trucks would pass under the two operational toll gantries each month for a total of $598,667 per month.

Another 10 toll gantries have been approved by the U.S. DOT, and RIDOT says they will be built on at a time with all 10 being completed by May 2020.