Congestion Pricing Increases in 2028 and 2031

In short: The MTA's toll schedule raises congestion charges twice. In 2028 the per-trip charge on taxi, green cab and regular FHV trips goes from $0.75 to $1.00, and on Uber and Lyft trips from $1.50 to $2.00. In 2031 they become $1.25 and $2.50. A private car with E-ZPass goes from $9 at peak to $12 in 2028 and $15 in 2031.

The passenger still pays the per-trip charge. The schedule does not give an exact start day in 2028 or 2031, and the amounts can still change. Rates below are as of October 12, 2026, from the TBTA toll schedule.

The phase table

The MTA calls the three steps "phases". Its FAQ says tolls started on January 5, 2025 at 60% of their full value, rise to 80% in 2028, and reach 100% in 2031 (MTA FAQ). The schedule turns that into dollar amounts for every vehicle type:

Two more lines in the same schedule matter to drivers who also use a personal car:

What the change means per trip

For a TLC trip, the increase is small per ride but adds up for the passenger:

• Yellow taxi, green cab, black car, livery or luxury limo trip: +$0.25 in 2028, another +$0.25 in 2031.
• Uber or Lyft trip: +$0.50 in 2028, another +$0.50 in 2031.

The per-trip charge is the same at every hour of the day; it has no peak or overnight rate (MTA: About the toll). It is also separate from the New York State congestion surcharge ($2.50 taxi, $2.75 FHV, $0.75 shared, below 96th Street). The state surcharge is not part of this phase-in. See congestion surcharge.

Adaptive ±10% in the first year

The schedule allowed one more kind of change: entry charges, per-trip charges and tunnel credits were "subject to a variable percentage increase/decrease of up to 10% for up to one year after implementation", under the adaptive management commitments in the Final Environmental Assessment. Tolling began January 5, 2025, so that window covered roughly the program's first year.

What the trip records show: in TLC trip data from September 2025 to August 2026, the average charge on every charged weekday trip was $0.75 for yellow taxis and $1.50 for app trips, at every pickup hour. In that window, nothing moved.

Gridlock Alert Days

The schedule also says the MTA "reserves the right to charge a 25% higher CBD charge" on NYC DOT Gridlock Alert Days (around the UN General Assembly and the holiday season). That is a reserved right, not an automatic surcharge. Before a Gridlock Alert Day, check whether the MTA has announced a higher charge. Our toll changes timeline tracks announced changes.

Low-Income Discount Plan: a five-year commitment

The schedule says the Low-Income Discount Plan shall continue for five years, as committed in the Final Environmental Assessment. Under the plan, an enrolled low-income car owner pays 50% of the peak toll from the 11th peak trip in a calendar month: $4.50 now, $6.00 in Phase 2 and $7.50 in Phase 3. The schedule does not say what happens after the five years. If you rely on it for your personal car, read the Low-Income Discount Plan and recertify every year.

Timeline

What could change before 2028

These are scheduled amounts. Three things could change them:

1. The MTA can amend its schedule. The per-trip charge is set in the MTA's toll rules (21 NYCRR §1021.4), which the MTA's own base plan agreement describes as applying "as may be amended from time to time".
2. The federal case. On March 3, 2026, a federal judge in Manhattan ruled that the U.S. Department of Transportation's attempt to end the program was unlawful. The federal government filed a notice of appeal to the Second Circuit (amNY, May 1, 2026). As of October 12, 2026, the MTA says it is "still collecting Congestion Relief Zone tolls until further notice" (MTA FAQ). We have not seen an appeals court decision. Details: Is congestion pricing still in effect?
3. The plan terms for bases and meters. The per-trip rate is available "subject to full execution of and in compliance with plan agreement by FHV bases and taxi technology system providers". A vehicle outside the plan is charged like a regular vehicle. See how the per-trip charge plan works.

What it means for a driver's own car

Car tolls rise much more than per-trip charges. A peak entry with E-ZPass goes up $3 in 2028 and another $3 in 2031. At peak, paying by mail costs 50% more than E-ZPass in every phase, so linking your plate to an E-ZPass account matters more each year. Cars still pay at most once per calendar day, at the rate of the first entry that day.

Will higher charges hurt trips?

Nobody can say yet. The MTA's first evaluation compared January–September 2025 with the same months of 2024: average daily trips to, from and within the zone fell 4.5% for Uber and Lyft and rose 17.3% for yellow taxis (MTA evaluation, Table 3-2). The same table shows these trends started earlier: yellow taxi CRZ trips already rose 7.0% in 2024, and app trips fell 1.8% that year after peaking in 2023. Read the full picture in did congestion pricing reduce Uber trips? and our trip statistics for the zone.

Step by step: getting ready

1. Taxi and green cab drivers: the charge must be added by the meter, through the technology system provider. Don't add the new amount by hand. If the meter shows the old amount after an announced change, tell your garage.
2. App drivers: the charge is collected from the rider and should not reduce your pay. After a change, compare a few trips on your statement. See congestion charges on pay statements.
3. Base owners: make sure your plan agreement stays in good standing before 2028, so your vehicles keep the per-trip rate.
4. Your own car: budget for $12 peak entries from 2028. At one peak entry on 22 workdays a month, that is $264 a month instead of $198 now. Try your own numbers in the congestion fee calculator.
5. Check the official schedule in late 2027. Our Congestion Relief Zone toll page will show the rates in force.

More context: congestion pricing for TLC drivers, how many taxis and FHVs enter the zone, Manhattan traffic speeds and the tolls hub.