Rochester, N.Y. - William Silvarole of Silvarole Trucking in Henrietta hauls waste across Western New York. He says he remembers when truckers paid a thruway toll of 13 cents per mile. Now it's up to about 18 cents per mile.
Silvarole says if the Thruway's 45 percent increase goes through, that will be hard on business.
“This big of a jump, it hurts, it does," said Silvarole. “It's a little excessive."
A trip from Rochester to Albany on the Thruway is about 216 miles.
At 18 cents per mile, a one-way trip cost just under $40.
Factor in that 45 percent increase with a fleet of 36 trucks making round trips at least twice a day, and costs add up.
Silvarole Trucking says it can only pass on so much of those costs to clients in order to stay competitive.
“We're just going to have to take the hit on our profits; it's just going to go down,” Silvarole said.
The increase could also impact food prices.
Palmer Food Services C.F.O., Jack Whittier says the company has about 55 trucks traveling from Syracuse and Rochester.
Whittier says he expects the hike to increase expenses in Rochester by at least $1,000 per month.
Whittier says the company will most likely absorb those costs.
The Food Industry Alliance, which spoke on behalf of Wegmans, says it's hard to say how much any grocery item will go up because there are several factors that impact cost.
