NYC Teamsters Back Congestion-Pricing Plan

Teamsters union leaders representing thousands of New York City truck drivers said they support the city’s plan to charge new tolls on vehicles entering Manhattan during weekday business hours, Bloomberg News reported.

Teamsters officials made the announcement Wednesday night after Mayor Bloomberg (R) decided to offer a two-thirds to $7 from $21 for fleet owners and owner-operators who enter Manhattan in new or retrofitted fuel-efficient trucks. Automobiles would pay $8.

With the endorsement, made at a press conference hosted by the mayor, the Teamsters joined a coalition of more than 80 civic, business, labor and environmentalist groups who support the proposed plan, Bloomberg News reported.

New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer (D) gave tentative support to the plan, though he said there were still questions concerning implementation, as well as technical and financial issues, the new York Times reported last week.

(Click here for previous coverage.)