Looks like America has a new king. The Trump Administration passed an order to roll back Biden-approved Congestion pricing policy for New York. Trump went on his Truth Social platform to celebrate this move and proclaimed, “Long live the King.” According to Trump, “the death of congestion pricing” has “saved” Manhattan and New York from some imaginary threat.
Trump calling himself the “king” was celebrated by his sycophants. White House’s youngest press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared the post on her X account, while deputy chief of staff Taylor Budowich took it one step further. Budowich posted a screenshot of Trump’s statement alongside a caricature of Trump wearing a crown. The other White House staff had no qualms about resharing the caricature among their millions of fans.
Trump and his cronies are branding congestion pricing as “a slap to the working class.” Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy repeated the sentiment in her official letter to New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Hochul wrote that every American should be able to enter New York City regardless of their economic means.
What is Congestion Pricing And Is It Actually The Villian?
Congestion pricing is a simple solution that aims to lower traffic congestion and air pollution. Under a congestion pricing policy, a fee is levied on drivers who want to enter a city during a high traffic time. According to the US DoT, congestion pricing is a way of using the free market to save time wasted stuck in traffic.
The main aim is to make transportation better for everyone. Green transportation advocates that congestion prices work best when the revenue from congestion pricing is used to invest in public transport systems.
In New York, passenger vehicles pay a $9 toll to access Manhattan below 60th Street during peak hours. New York has benefitted massively from the congestion pricing. Low-income people that earn hourly wages or pay for child care or elder care, save both time and money. Studies show that it has reduced traffic by 7.5% during peak hours while reducing buses’ travel time by 28%.
Major choke points like the George Washington Bridge, Lincoln Tunnel, and Holland Tunnel now take 30-40% less time. It also helps New Yorkers save $20 billion in productivity loss while increasing footfall at local businesses.
Trump’s Toll Tantrum Halted by Court
Despite claiming to be a “King,” a Manhattan Federal Judge ruined Donald Trump’s fun by blocking his removal of the Congestion Pricing Policy. After a petition by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a federal judge made a declaratory judgment to prevent Donald Trump from ending the program.
The matter is now in court, and no changes will be made to the congestion pricing policy before the court’s ruling. NY Mayor Hochul stated that “tolls will continue” and took a jab at Trump, saying, “New York hasn’t labored under a king in over 250 years, and we sure as hell are not going to start now.”
Read Next: Stephen King, Jimmy Kimmel, Mark Ruffalo, and Other Celebs EXPOSE Musk’s Hostile Takeover