© 2025
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Farm Bureau Against Thruway Toll Hike

The New York Farm Bureau is criticizing the Thruway Authority’s plan to raise tolls for larger commercial trucks.  The bureau argues that farmers are struggling in the weak economy, and shouldn't be shouldered with another financial burden... Hudson Valley Bureau Chief Dave Lucas reports.

The Farm Bureau is worried... the price of food could well be affected in New York State if the thruway authority has it's way and raises tolls for larger commercial trucks by a whopping 50 per cent, a move the bureau says will force farmers to pay hundreds if not thousands of dollars more per year just to conduct normal business.

New YorkFarm Bureau Spokesman Steve Ammerman warns that bureau members depend on the Thruway for safe, convenient access to large markets.   But if rural roads will make the trip cheaper, some farmers will have no choice but to send large, commercial vehicles through small communities and neighborhoods.

Upstate Niagara Cooperative hauls milk throughout the state and says that if the propsed increase is allowed, its largest operation out of Cortland County would spend $16,000 more per month to send its 75 trucks down the Thruway.  Another in Genesee County which operates 35 trucks could pay close to $7,000 more a month bringing fresh dairy to Albany and New York City.

The Farm Bureau says consumers will feel the bite at the dinner table. According to the USDA, any rise in transportation costs ultimately gets passed on to the people who buy the food.  Thruway spokesman R.W. Groneman refused to go on tape, but affirms the Authority will consider comments of the Farm Bureau along with any other comments received through August 24th. Information on how to submit a comment can be found on the webpage www.thruway.ny.gov
 

Dave Lucas is WAMC’s Capital Region Bureau Chief. Born and raised in Albany, he’s been involved in nearly every aspect of local radio since 1981. Before joining WAMC, Dave was a reporter and anchor at WGY in Schenectady. Prior to that he hosted talk shows on WYJB and WROW, including the 1999 series of overnight radio broadcasts tracking the JonBenet Ramsey murder case with a cast of callers and characters from all over the world via the internet. In 2012, Dave received a Communicator Award of Distinction for his WAMC news story "Fail: The NYS Flood Panel," which explores whether the damage from Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee could have been prevented or at least curbed. Dave began his radio career as a “morning personality” at WABY in Albany.