A new report from the Mineta Transportation Institute, Using Toll Revenues for Transit: It Can and Should Be Done, reinforces a long-held view in transportation circles: congestion pricing programs only succeed when paired with strong public transit. The report, according to Windels Marx Transportation Practice Group makes a clear case that toll revenue should be reinvested into transit options that are fast, frequent, convenient, and safe – giving commuters a true alternative to driving, as theory echoed by the UK’s Local Transport Minister, Simon Lightwood, in last week’s episode of Highways Voices.

At a recent panel hosted by the MIT Mobility Initiative, transportation leaders weighed in on New York City’s early results with congestion pricing, including:

• Sam Schwartz, former NYC Traffic Commissioner and CEO of Sam Schwartz Engineering, who emphasized the foundational need for both “serious congestion” and “good transit” for any congestion pricing program to succeed.
• Will Carry, Assistant Commissioner for Policy at NYC DOT, who shared that NYC has already seen 60,000 fewer cars per day entering the Manhattan congestion zone since implementation — a 10% reduction in traffic.
• Matt Daus, former NYC Taxi & Limousine Commission Chair and Partner of the Windels Marx Transportation Practice Group, who cautioned against leading with the revenue narrative. “We shouldn’t be calling it ‘congestion pricing.’ We should have called it ‘Move New York,’ or something like that. This should be about metrics to reduce congestion. Put the environment first, and the money second.”

The panel underscored that public trust and policy success hinge on delivering better bus and subway service – without it, charging drivers is a tough sell. As Matt noted: “You can’t legitimately tell people to get out of their cars if you don’t have a public transit system that’s safe, affordable, and works on time.”

These insights come at a critical time, as other cities across the US – including Los Angeles, Seattle, and San Francisco – continue exploring their own congestion pricing frameworks. The Mineta report points to successful models in Northern Virginia and the Bay Area, where tolling revenue has supported new bus routes and ferry service. With New York City serving as the first large-scale test case in the US, its progress will likely shape how other regions approach road pricing, equity considerations, and sustainable funding for transit over the next decade.

Read the Mineta Institute report HERE. 

(Pic: Mykyta Starychenko/Dreamstime.com)