Potack Pens Letter on NYC Congestion Pricing

TRSA Chairman David Potack, president of Unitex, Elmsford, NY, recently wrote a letter to the editor on congestion pricing in New York City that was published in Crain’s New York Business. In the letter, Potack cautions against penalizing delivery trucks to ease the city’s traffic problems.

Potack writes, “Delivery trucks are not the cause of increased congestion in New York City. As opposed to the recent influx of ride-sharing services, which are constantly on the move, our trucks park at a single location while making multiple deliveries, removing them from the roads altogether for much of each day.

“Deliveries are not elective trips that can take place at alternative times and thus be incentivized by a congestion charge. TRSA, which I chair, represents companies that supply, launder and maintain linens and uniforms, many of which are hospitals, healthcare facilities and first responders. Therefore, a congestion charge on trucks would not change behavior, but only add to the already high cost of doing business in New York.”

Potack concluded the letter with these thoughts, “With respect to delivery trucks, congestion pricing would have negative economic consequences for consumers and for jobs, and little impact on the problem that we are trying to solve.”

To read the full letter, click here. To read more about this issue, click here and here.