Maryland Toll Drivers: What You Need to Know

Attention Maryland toll users: Planned increases put on hold

Maryland truckers and other toll-road users will get a temporary reprieve from planned toll increases. The increases have been placed on hold, removing one potential cost increase for carriers already managing higher fuel, equipment, insurance and maintenance expenses.

The pause delays the immediate impact of higher toll charges, but it does not eliminate the possibility that the increases could return. The information available does not identify a new effective date or explain how long the hold will remain in place. For now, drivers can continue using Maryland toll facilities without the planned increase taking effect.

For professional drivers, even a relatively small toll adjustment can affect the cost of a trip. Toll charges are generally paid directly by the carrier or owner-operator, and reimbursement is not always guaranteed. A higher toll bill can therefore reduce the margin on a load, particularly when a route includes multiple toll facilities or repeated trips through the same corridor.

The Maryland development comes as toll costs remain a growing concern for trucking groups in several parts of the country. In Indiana, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association filed a class action lawsuit against the state over a 35% increase in tolls for heavy vehicles traveling the Indiana Toll Road.

The Indiana increase was implemented Oct. 5 by the Indiana Finance Authority with the support of Gov. Eric Holcomb. State officials said the increase is expected to raise $1 billion for the state’s Next Level Connections Program. OOIDA argues that the increase unfairly targets truckers and violates the Constitution’s Commerce Clause.

The association also contends that the higher tolls are being used to subsidize services and facilities unrelated to the Indiana Toll Road. The lawsuit seeks to stop the increased charges and obtain reimbursement for tolls paid by truckers since the increase took effect.

OOIDA said the 35% increase brings the cost for a heavy vehicle to approximately $60 for the 156-mile Indiana Toll Road. The group also noted that tolls have increased since the road was leased by the state to the ITR Concession Co. in 2006.

“Truckers are not rolling piggy banks,” OOIDA President Todd Spencer said in a statement, criticizing the use of out-of-state drivers as a source of revenue.

Toll increases have also drawn opposition in the Philippines. The Alliance of Concerned Truck Owners and Organizations has asked government officials to suspend toll hikes on the North Luzon Expressway and the Manila-Cavite Expressway. The group said the combined effect of toll increases over several years, along with higher diesel prices and local fees, could account for a significant share of trucking operating costs.

ACTOO also called for the suspension of pass-through fees and road-use taxes collected by local government units. The organization said some of those charges had been identified as illegal under government guidelines concerning fees imposed on the transport of goods.

The Toll Regulatory Board later endorsed consideration of a toll-increase exemption for trucks carrying agricultural goods, including vegetables. ACTOO welcomed the action but said the exemption should cover all cargo trucks because they support broader economic activity, not only agricultural shipments.

These disputes reflect the same concern facing drivers in Maryland: tolls are a direct operating expense, and increases can have an immediate effect on route decisions and trip profitability. Carriers may account for tolls when setting rates, but owner-operators do not always have the ability to pass every added cost on to a customer.

Maryland’s decision to place the planned increases on hold gives truckers some short-term cost relief. However, until state officials provide a new timeline or cancel the proposal, the issue remains unresolved. Drivers and fleets planning future routes will need to watch for any announcement about when, or whether, the toll changes will move forward.