Trucking companies urge lawmakers to sunset the state’s truck tax

HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - There is more pushback against the state’s truck tax.

Trucking companies are urging lawmakers to sunset the tax, saying it’s costing them thousands of dollars.

This tax went into effect at the beginning of the year, and trucking companies are fighting it.

“We are trying to grow our business and it’s hard to grow a business when they are imposing a tax,” said Herb Holden with Herb Holden Trucking.

Herb holden runs a family-owned trucking company in East Windsor.

He said the truck tax, which passed in 2021 and took effect January 1st this year, is hurting business.

Lawmakers heard from a few trucking companies at a public hearing Friday. They told the finance committee they already pay the state a lot in registration fees, plus a tax on diesel.

The new tax is a highway use tax of 17 cents a mile which does add up.

Holden said in January alone it cost his company more than $4,000.

The tax was proposed by Governor Ned Lamont, who said Connecticut doesn’t have tolls, and this money will help repair roads damaged by these heavy tractor trailers.

“Eighty-plus percent are from big, large trucks coming through our state, I think they can pay a little more and give a little more relief to the folks at the pump,” Lamont said.

Trucking companies were unable to stop the tax from happening. Now they’re trying to get lawmakers, to sunset it, which means it would end in June.

If not, they may pass the extra costs onto consumers.

“Our largest customer is the state of Connecticut, so we are going to be turning around and passing those expenses right back to the taxpayers of Connecticut,” said Holden.

The Connecticut Trucking Association said 21 states put a similar tax in place but ended up getting rid of it, because it was a burden on businesses, and it was hard to collect.

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