During the next year, the congestion tax in New York, more precisely in Manhattan, likely to be raised to US$23corresponding to SEK 235 per passage.
Does not affect everyone
The sky-high fee may apply to the most central parts of Manhattan, but there are several exceptions.
Motorists earning under half a million per year will receive a 25 percent discount.
As for taxi drivers, they will only be charged once per day.
However, there is no maximum amount per day as there is in Stockholm.
During periods of lower traffic flow, the rate will be reduced to SEK 173.
Trucks will also receive a lower rate at night, something that is done to encourage them to choose more direct routes, instead of taking detours to avoid being charged.
Cursed drivers
In New York, it is common for drivers to hide their license plates to avoid paying the astronomical congestion charges.
They have led to US authorities making efforts to catch these eco-criminals.
Between December 12 and 15 this year, the city of New York impounded a whopping 44 cars for failing to pay over a million dollars, over 10 million kroner, in congestion taxes.
The biggest culprit was the owner of a Range Rover Sport who had SEK 530,000 in unpaid congestion charges.
Increased use of the subway
The idea behind raising the congestion tax is to persuade more people to choose public transport instead of the car. When the pandemic made its way into New York, it was only natural that more and more people chose the car.
Currently, public transport use has only reached 70 percent of the levels experienced before the pandemic.
More and more cities in the world have introduced congestion taxes with the aim of increasing air quality. In London, for example, the congestion tax is 200 kroner per day, which has been done so that people will increasingly opt out of the car.
Exactly when the new congestion tax will be introduced in New York has not yet been determined, but it is estimated to be in the spring of 2024.