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For the first time on Monday, some New York City families and educators commuting to school by car faced a $9 toll upon entering a swath of Manhattan.

The toll 鈥� a result of the congestion pricing program 鈥� charges drivers who enter Manhattan at or below 60th Street in order to help finance public transit improvements. (Most drivers must pay the $9 toll during 鈥減eak鈥� hours 鈥� between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekdays, as well as between 9 a.m. and 9 p.m. on weekends 鈥� and a reduced $2.25 during all other hours).

That program, which has been in the works for years, went into effect on Sunday.

For decades, environmental and transit advocates have sought to enact a congestion pricing program, looking to it as a means of reducing gridlock and pollution while raising revenue for the Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

But the program has also sparked concerns from some, including the city鈥檚 teachers union.

Last year, the union against the plan in partnership with the Staten Island borough president, seeking to halt its implementation. Some pro-congestion pricing teachers bristled at the legal action, but on Monday, union officials noted the lawsuit remained ongoing.

鈥淥ur lawsuit continues because the congestion pricing plan that is now in effect puts the financial and environmental burden on communities least able to pay, and the last to see improved air quality or less congestion,鈥� said Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers, in a statement.

Josh Millis, a parent at The Neighborhood School in Manhattan, said he supports public transportation and the broader aims of the congestion pricing plan, but takes issue with the lack of exemption for public school parents. Millis, who lives in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, about a mile from the nearest subway station, said it鈥檚 not always feasible to take his three kids to school on public transit.

鈥淚 don鈥檛 mind walking a mile,鈥� he said. 鈥淏ut my kindergartner is not going to do that in December, at 6:30 in the morning, when it鈥檚 13 degrees out. That鈥檚 just an impossibility.鈥�

Some school districts fear long-term effects of congestion pricing

Robert Murtfeld, a member of the Community Education Council for District 1 in Manhattan, said about 25% of families in his district commute from upper Manhattan or another borough. He worries that congestion pricing could threaten the district鈥檚 ability to retain teachers, with educators who currently drive to school potentially looking to transfer. Meanwhile, families who live in public transportation 鈥渄eserts鈥� outside of the district could be burdened by the high cost of the tolls, he said.

Families and educators who choose to drive into Manhattan would pay more than $1,600 in tolls across the 180 school days in each academic year, Murtfeld said.

The District 1 CEC has called on state officials to carve out exemptions or reduced tolls for students traveling to and from schools within the congestion pricing zone, as well as teachers and other school staff commuting into the district.

鈥淲e don鈥檛 make a commentary on whether congestion pricing is good or bad,鈥� Murtfeld said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e just saying, if this thing gets implemented 鈥� which is a fact, as of midnight [on Sunday] 鈥� we will be affected.鈥�

Millis, the parent at The Neighborhood School, said his family has been looking into other options to cut down on costs, like carpooling with others at the school, as well as reconsidering at what age his children can start taking public transit on their own. But in the meantime, he鈥檒l keep driving them to school, he said.

鈥淭hat $9 a day is a big hit,鈥� Millis said. 鈥淭o make an exemption for our families for the purpose of public school education is not even pennies in the couch of the MTA. It would not even be missed. But it makes all the difference to us. All the difference.鈥�

Toll鈥檚 impact on Manhattan school commutes remains unclear

MTA officials estimate the toll will result in entering the zone every day. And though fewer drivers on the road could in theory help some school buses 鈥� which are exempt from the toll 鈥� arrive earlier, the broader effects of congestion pricing on school commutes for now remain unclear.

Sara Catalinotto, founder of Parents to Improve School Transportation, said the possibility of shorter bus routes 鈥渨ould be a welcome positive side effect,鈥� but added that the Monday snowfall made it difficult to gauge the immediate impact of congestion pricing on school commutes.

To Catalinotto, the longer-term impacts on students with disabilities could be complicated. Though many students with disabilities rely on school bus services, parents and advocates have for years issued complaints about delayed, overcrowded, or missing buses.

Individuals with disabilities can from the congestion pricing toll, but Catalinotto worries families could still face financial hardships.

鈥淲hen the school bus or paraprofessional is out for the day or longer, and families of students with specialized busing have to use the so-called 鈥榬ideshare alternative鈥� to get the student to school in a car which is not exempt, tolls will be charged,鈥� she said.

In some cases, the city offers families prepaid rideshare vouchers when school buses aren鈥檛 available 鈥� including when specialized staff aren鈥檛 available to accompany a student with a disability who requires them. But Catalinotto noted not all families are registered for such services, and others will be 鈥渃ompelled to pay for a cab out of pocket or use their own vehicle, at higher cost if in the congestion relief zone.鈥�

And though parents can seek reimbursement for transportation costs when school buses fail to arrive, , leaving families shouldering the cost in the meantime.

鈥淭here are varying views in the disability community on the Congestion Relief issue but I think everyone agrees that the MTA has to become fully accessible by some means,鈥� Catalinotto said. 鈥淧erhaps taxing the billionaires or Wall Street transactions to achieve that would have been less stressful than this.鈥�

Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news site covering educational change in public schools.

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