New York has commenced a congestion charge scheme that compels car drivers to pay up to $9 per day, with rates varied for other vehicles.

Speaking to journalists, the CEO of the Metropolitan Transit Authority, Janno Lieber, said the scheme, the first to be introduced in the United States, took effect on Sunday.

According to the BBC, most drivers intending to access the congestion zone at peak hours will pay $9 once daily and $2.25 at other times. Small trucks and non-commuter buses will be charged $14.40 to enter Manhattan at peak times, while larger trucks and tourist buses will pay $21.60.

“The system has been in operation since midnight [05:00 GMT Sunday],” said Mr Lieber. “Drivers are going to start to see the toll charges appearing on their E-Z Pass bills in a few days.”

He also stated that 400 traffic lanes are now covered by over 1,400 cameras, with over 110 detection points and over 800 signs.

The Empire State Building, Times Square, and the financial district around Wall Street are in the congestion zone, which covers an area south of Central Park.

The scheme is aimed at easing the city’s traffic challenges and raising billions for the public transport network. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to stop the scheme when he returns to office. Local Republicans have also pleaded for his intervention.

Mr Leiber is, however, hopeful that agreements would be reached with the government to make them “stand up to changes of administration.” 

The development comes two years after Governor Kathy Hochul advocated for a congestion charge, but was delayed and revised after complaints from commuters and businesses.

Traffic data analyst firm INRIX ranked New York as the world’s most-congested urban area in 2023 and 2024.