Lawsuit Against RI Truck Tolls: ATA Files Request for Preliminary Injunction to Shut Down Gantries

The jurisdiction of the truck toll lawsuit was settled on 3/10/20 and the case will be heard in federal, not state, court.  On 3/12/20, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) filed a motion for a preliminary injunction requesting that the Court "should preliminarily enjoin collection of the RhodeWorks tolls" while the lawsuit proceeds.
 
Click Here to View the Filing

6/1/19: Providence Journal – Rhode Island Truck Driving Championships

3/31/19 Letter by Chris Maxwell to the Providence Journal -

"Are Truck Tolls Really Taxes or are They User Fees? "

Lawsuit PRESS CONFERENCE, 7/10/18: Chris Maxwell formally announces the ATA's lawsuit against Rhode Island's truck-only tolls and takes questions.  (Video courtesy Roland Lavallee.)

7/10/18: WPRI 12 - Chris Maxwell about lawsuit against truck-only tolls: "The lawsuit details with great clarity how Gov Raimondo's truck-only toll scheme is a blatant violation of multiple constitutional provisions designed specifically to protect interstate commerce."

11/8/17:GoLocalLIVE with Kate Nagle– Chris Maxwell discusses the delay in the implementation of truck tolls and why there needs to be a full blown environmental study of the first two proposed toll gantry locations.

8/7/18:WGBH - Rhode Island Sued Over Truck Tolls.  Chris Maxwell: “This is a Trojan horse”.

2/16/18: Providence Journal – Chris Maxwell: "The RI Trucking Assoc and the Amer Trucking Assoc's are supremely confident in our position that tolling only trucks is illegal."

1/30/19: NBC 10 –Chris Maxwell about RIDOT's assertion that RI will not lose toll lawsuit: "It's reckless, presumptive and disrespectful to the court to, at this point, pound your chest and espouse you're going to win or you're not going to win".

6/5/18: WPRI 12- Chris Maxwell re activation of first two toll gantries: "We're double dipping.  We're getting our gas tax and our diesel tax but we're adding another layer of funding which is tolls.  What's next?  How much money do you need?"

6/6/2018:Matt Allen Show, WPRO - Chris Maxwell: "No, we haven't backed off.  It's a federation suit."

1/30/2019: Chris Maxwell on the John Depetro Show, WNRI AM 1380.   Chris speaks with John about governor's sharp cut in her truck toll revenue projection. More funny toll math doesn't pan out. (Starts at 1:49:00.)

7/16/19: Chris Maxwell on Dan Yorke State of Mind, FOX Providence.  RIDOT director recently made statements about use of toll revenue that directly contradicts state & federal law.  Law does not restrict toll money to bridge repairs as he claims but allows spending on a wide array of infrastructure projects including non-essential ones.

11/17/2020: ABC6 Providence - Chris Maxwell highlights trucking's broad spectrum fight against human trafficking pushing back on "Big Sky".

Click Here for Press Releases

4/23/2020, Chris Maxwell: Allow All Businesses to Re-Open Immediately Under “Manufacturers’ Pledge Model”

1/27/20: State of the State with Richard August– Chris Maxwell: toll scheme is in trouble; they are buying time by dragging out lawsuit.  RI has chosen activation order of gantry locations "based on cash rich locations", not condition of bridge.

6/5/18: ABC 6– Chris Maxwell about activation of first two gantries: “After decades of malfeasance and poor construction practices and poor const oversight, to tag an industry that was minding its own business delivering RI's goods with the blame for that  ...   there's a certain audacity there.”

12/28/17: Land Line Magazine – Chris Maxwell on FHWA's fast approval of first two gantries: “…it does come as quite a surprise that FHWA found no significant impact as quickly as they did given our testimony and comments submitted which cited many fatal flaws in RIDOT’s environmental assessment”.

5/2/18: Dan Yorke State of Mind - Chris Maxwell on latest delay of tolls: "We do understand that there is a [truck] count problem. ... They're coming up well short."

M & D Transportation's Mike Collins instructs aspiring Eagle Scouts

2/7/19: Chris Maxwell on Dan Yorke State of Mind, FOX Providence.  Status of the toll lawsuit against the state.  Who is actually accountable to whom in the governor's office.  Plus, tolls are wasteful & unnecessary AND proposed toll rates for new gantries would steer interstate trucks THROUGH the heavy traffic of Providence on 95, not around on 295: $11 vs $22.50.

In the Media ~ In the News

6/6/18: GoLocalLIVE with Kate Nagle– Chris Maxwell reacts to activation of first two toll gantries in southern RI: "They were very eager in 2015 to get these [gantries] up.  Now they very mysteriously throttled back and pushed them now to June 11.  That was kind of odd that they took so much time to put them in.  But we've been ready."

4/8/2019:Tara Granahan Show, WPRO - Chris Maxwell: If R.I. bridges are as bad as is claimed, why is R.I. not fixing them worst to first?  Why are precious resources being spent to extensively repair Oxford Street Bridge, which is neither structurally deficient obsolete nor functionally obsolete?

1/5/2019: RITA Participates in 2019 Boy Scout Merit Badge College

11/21/17: RITA's Chris Maxwell testifies about the serious flaws in RIDOT's Environmental Assessment at the environmental hearing for the first two proposed toll gantry locations.  (Video courtesy Roland Lavallee.)

2/12/18: ABC 6 – “Truckers unyielding as DOT workers start installing new tolling system for tractor trailers.”