N.J. Tolls Plan Could Cut Trucking, Warehouse Business

Trucking companies and warehouses in New Jersey that are bracing for higher tolls may exit the state altogether to avoid what could be 800% increases in toll costs by 2020, the New York Times reported Thursday.

Gov. Jon Corzine’s (D) plan for steep toll increases on the New Jersey Turnpike, Garden State Parkway and the Atlantic City Expressway are prompting warehouses to renegotiate their contracts with truckers faced with the prospect of higher tolls in addition to soaring fuel costs, the Times said.

Under the plan, tolls for a truck running the length of the turnpike would rise to $186 in 2022 — up from the current $23, the Times reported.

If transportation costs continue to swell, more businesses could exit the state for cheaper locales in New York state and Pennsylvania, the Times reported, citing business and transportation experts.

New Jersey’s warehouse and distribution industry is the state’s largest single employer, the paper said.