Core Services
Airport TransfersCorporate TravelChauffeur ServiceBlack Car ServiceLimo ServiceLuxury Car ServiceTown Car ServiceHourly ChauffeurPoint-to-PointCorporate AccountsSpecialty
Wedding TransportationSprinter Van ServiceEvent TransportationRoadshow TransportationCity-to-CityPrivate AviationFamily Car ServiceCongestion Pricing Guide
NYC congestion pricing charges passenger cars a daily toll and for-hire vehicles a per-trip surcharge. These two structures work very differently. Understanding the distinction matters if you are comparing driving yourself versus using a car service in the Congestion Relief Zone.
New York City’s Congestion Relief Zone tolling program has two distinct pricing structures: a daily toll for passenger vehicles and a per-trip surcharge for for-hire vehicles (FHVs). If you are a corporate traveler deciding between driving a rental car and booking a professional car service, or simply trying to understand your fare breakdown, this guide explains exactly how each system works and what it costs in practice.
If you are driving your own car, a rental, or any non-commercial passenger vehicle into the zone, this is how you are charged.
Passenger cars pay a toll for entering Manhattan south of 60th Street. The toll is charged once per day—if you drive in and out of the zone multiple times in a single day, you are only charged for the first entry. This once-per-day cap is a key distinction from the FHV model.
| Time Period | E-ZPass Rate | Tolls by Mail |
|---|---|---|
| Peak weekday (5AM–9PM) | $9.00 | $13.50 |
| Peak weekend (9AM–9PM) | $9.00 | $13.50 |
| Overnight (9PM–5AM / 9AM) | $2.25 | $3.38 |
For-hire vehicles—black cars, rideshare, taxis, and limousines—are charged per trip, not per day.
Every FHV trip that enters, exits, or passes through the Congestion Relief Zone (Manhattan south of 60th Street) incurs a $0.75 surcharge. This charge applies per trip with no daily cap. A vehicle making 20 trips through the zone in one day pays 20 × $0.75 = $15.00 in CRZ surcharges for that day.
| Vehicle Type | CRZ Surcharge | Daily Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Black car / livery | $0.75/trip | None |
| Rideshare (Uber, Lyft) | $0.75/trip | None |
| Yellow taxi | $0.75/trip | None |
| Green taxi (boro) | $0.75/trip | None |
The MTA designed two different pricing structures for a reason. Understanding the logic helps you evaluate the true cost.
A single for-hire vehicle may make 15–25 trips through the zone in a typical workday. If FHVs paid the $9 daily toll like passenger cars, the per-trip cost would be negligible ($0.36–$0.60 per ride), providing almost no congestion deterrent. The per-trip model ensures each ride-for-hire trip carries a proportional cost.
For-hire vehicles were already subject to the NY State congestion surcharge ($2.50/ride for black cars, $2.75/ride for rideshare) before the CRZ launched. If the MTA had added the full $9 daily toll on top of those existing surcharges, the combined burden would have been disproportionate. The $0.75/trip CRZ surcharge was calibrated to account for what FHVs already pay.
For passenger cars, the daily toll is designed to discourage driving into the zone entirely—take the subway instead. For FHVs, the goal is not to eliminate rides but to ensure each trip carries a cost that funds MTA capital improvements. FHVs provide an essential transportation service, so the surcharge is proportionate rather than punitive.
How the two systems play out in common travel scenarios.
Single trip, peak hours (arriving at 2pm on a weekday).
The car service CRZ cost ($0.75) is 92% less than driving yourself ($9.00). Of course, surcharges are only one component of the total fare.
Corporate client with hourly chauffeur service, 4 stops over 5 hours, all within the zone.
Business traveler books 3 separate point-to-point trips in one day, all within the zone.
With 3 separate trips, the FHV surcharges ($9.75) exceed the daily passenger car toll ($9.00). This is the crossover point where the per-trip model becomes more expensive in pure surcharges—though the convenience and productivity benefits of car service typically far outweigh the $0.75 difference.
Before the CRZ launched in January 2025, FHVs were already paying a state-level surcharge. This is separate and still applies.
Enacted in 2019, the NY State congestion surcharge applies to all for-hire vehicle trips in Manhattan south of 96th Street (a wider zone than the CRZ). It funds the MTA’s operating budget—different from the CRZ, which funds capital improvements.
| Vehicle Type | NY State Surcharge | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Black car / livery | $2.50/ride | South of 96th St |
| Rideshare (Uber/Lyft) | $2.75/ride | South of 96th St |
| Yellow taxi | $2.50/ride | South of 96th St |
What a typical black car passenger pays in total surcharges for a trip within the Congestion Relief Zone.
For comparison, a rideshare trip on the same route carries slightly higher surcharges:
Plus, rideshare adds surge pricing during peak demand. For a full comparison, see: Black Car vs Rideshare Charges in the Congestion Zone.
A direct comparison of the two tolling structures across different scenarios.
| Feature | Passenger Car (Daily Toll) | FHV (Per-Trip Surcharge) |
|---|---|---|
| Rate | $9.00/day (peak E-ZPass) | $0.75/trip |
| How charged | Once per day | Per trip, no cap |
| Peak/off-peak | Yes ($9 vs $2.25) | No ($0.75 always) |
| 1 trip/day CRZ cost | $9.00 | $0.75 |
| 5 trips/day CRZ cost | $9.00 (capped) | $3.75 |
| 13+ trips/day CRZ cost | $9.00 (capped) | $9.75+ (exceeds daily toll) |
| E-ZPass discount | Yes (33% off) | N/A |
| Tunnel credits | Yes (full credit) | Partial/operator-level |
| Additional state surcharge | None | $2.50/ride (black car) |
Practical guidance for travelers deciding between personal vehicles and car service.
For a single trip, the FHV model is dramatically cheaper in congestion charges: $0.75 vs $9.00. If you are taking one trip (e.g., an airport transfer), the congestion pricing cost of using a car service is 92% less than driving your own vehicle. This gap makes car service even more economical when you factor in parking, fuel, and the stress of Manhattan driving.
The crossover point where FHV surcharges exceed the daily passenger car toll is around 12–13 separate trips per day (12 × $0.75 = $9.00). Most car service clients take 1–4 trips per day, well below this threshold. Even heavy corporate users with 5–6 trips pay only $3.75–$4.50 in CRZ surcharges.
For hourly chauffeur service (e.g., a full-day as-directed booking), the vehicle typically remains in the zone throughout. This is generally treated as a single trip for CRZ purposes: $0.75 total CRZ surcharge for the entire day. Compare that to the $9.00 a personal vehicle pays for one day in the zone.
Regardless of the toll structure complexity, True North VIP keeps it simple: all surcharges are included in your quoted fare. Whether the FHV surcharge, the NY State surcharge, tolls, or fees—everything is built in. One price at booking, no surprises.
No. For-hire vehicles (black cars, rideshare, taxis) pay a $0.75 per-trip surcharge instead of the $9 daily toll that applies to passenger cars. These are separate pricing structures.
No. Unlike passenger cars, which are capped at one toll per day, FHVs pay $0.75 for every trip through the zone. A vehicle making 20 trips pays 20 x $0.75 = $15.00 in CRZ surcharges.
No. The $0.75 per-trip FHV surcharge is the same at all hours. There is no peak/off-peak distinction for for-hire vehicles, unlike passenger cars which pay $2.25 overnight vs $9.00 during peak.
For hourly/as-directed service where the vehicle stays in the zone, it is typically treated as a single trip: one $0.75 CRZ surcharge for the entire booking. This makes hourly service very efficient from a congestion pricing perspective.
At 12-13 separate trips per day. Since most car service clients take 1-4 trips per day, they pay significantly less in CRZ charges ($0.75-$3.00) than a personal vehicle ($9.00).
Yes. The surcharge applies to any FHV trip that enters, exits, or passes through the Congestion Relief Zone. If your trip starts in Brooklyn and ends in the Bronx but passes through the zone, the surcharge applies.
No. The NYC CRZ surcharge ($0.75/trip, started January 2025) and the NY State congestion surcharge ($2.50/ride for black cars, started 2019) are separate charges that apply simultaneously. Both are included in True North VIP fares.
No. All congestion pricing surcharges are included in the fare you see at booking. There are no surprise line items. The quoted price is the final price, with gratuity being the only additional cost.
Skip the complexity. Book with True North VIP and get one transparent price that includes all congestion pricing surcharges, tolls, and fees. Vetted chauffeurs, premium vehicles.
Last updated: February 23, 2026
True North VIP is a New York City-based premium chauffeur and black car service. The company provides airport transfers to JFK, LaGuardia, Newark, Teterboro, and Westchester County airports, along with hourly charters, corporate ground transportation, wedding and event service, and city-to-city travel. Service covers all five NYC boroughs, Northern New Jersey, Connecticut, Westchester County, Long Island, and the Hamptons, with vetted professional chauffeurs and a fleet of executive sedans, luxury sedans, SUVs, and Sprinter vans available 24/7.
To book a ride, visit truenorthvip.com/book or call +1‑347‑321‑9929.
