TOareaFan
Superstar
What would that be?something happens?
What would that be?something happens?
I have to say - I am pretty stunned at those rates. A 50km drive - 25 mins one way. There and back. $250 a week. $1000 / month. $12,000 per year. Do people really spend this kind of money on a highway? Or rather - who can spend this kind of money on this?
I have to say - I am pretty stunned at those rates. A 50km drive - 25 mins one way. There and back. $250 a week. $1000 / month. $12,000 per year. Do people really spend this kind of money on a highway? Or rather - who can spend this kind of money on this?
But Dalton McGuinty promised to reduce the tolls back in 2003.Plenty of people do, because the only alternatives are the 401 or surface streets; which is to say, there aren't alternatives for lots of people, as a lot of 25 minute drives would turn into 2 hour drives during rush hour and that's not doable for most 9-to-5 workers.
It's simple math. Every time you raise prices, a few people stop taking the highway. However, the price increase typically brings in more revenue than the lost customers took with them - and traffic volumes get a bit lighter. If, say, they suddenly doubled prices, they would probably lose so many customers that the price increase wouldn't cover it, and they'd need to bring it back down.
There are lots of jobs in which $12K/year for tolls alone would not make sense, because it would be more profitable just to work a minimum wage job somewhere in town. However for someone making 100K it's the cost of doing business if you get a good offer that's across the GTA, and for someone making 200K+ it would barely register. Also, if you're using it to commute or travelling on business (as long as you pay for it or are getting reimbursed, not if your company pays it directly) you can claim it against your taxes, which helps a bit. A lot of 407 drivers barely look at the cost of their statements because it's just a reality of life for them, like gas.
That said, the rates are absolutely egregious, and I curse Mike Harris for them on a regular basis.
Plenty of people do, because the only alternatives are the 401 or surface streets; which is to say, there aren't alternatives for lots of people, as a lot of 25 minute drives would turn into 2 hour drives during rush hour and that's not doable for most 9-to-5 workers.
It's simple math. Every time you raise prices, a few people stop taking the highway. However, the price increase typically brings in more revenue than the lost customers took with them - and traffic volumes get a bit lighter. If, say, they suddenly doubled prices, they would probably lose so many customers that the price increase wouldn't cover it, and they'd need to bring it back down.
There are lots of jobs in which $12K/year for tolls alone would not make sense, because it would be more profitable just to work a minimum wage job somewhere in town. However for someone making 100K it's the cost of doing business if you get a good offer that's across the GTA, and for someone making 200K+ it would barely register. Also, if you're using it to commute or travelling on business (as long as you pay for it or are getting reimbursed, not if your company pays it directly) you can claim it against your taxes, which helps a bit. A lot of 407 drivers barely look at the cost of their statements because it's just a reality of life for them, like gas.
That said, the rates are absolutely egregious, and I curse Mike Harris for them on a regular basis.
If you earn a salary of $200k you are likely bringing home about $120k.......so I would suspect paying 10% of that for one aspect of your commute (ie does not include gas and other costs) wiould most definitely “register”.There are lots of jobs in which $12K/year for tolls alone would not make sense, because it would be more profitable just to work a minimum wage job somewhere in town. However for someone making 100K it's the cost of doing business if you get a good offer that's across the GTA, and for someone making 200K+ it would barely register.
Couple of things wrong here.....salaried employees cannot claim the cost of commuting by car against their income for tax purposes. Commissioned or business for self people can but if it is reimbursed by a company even they cannot claim it.....you can’t claim any expense that someone reimbursed you for.Also, if you're using it to commute or travelling on business (as long as you pay for it or are getting reimbursed, not if your company pays it directly) you can claim it against your taxes, which helps a bit.
Would you curse the NDP if they had not lost power?That said, the rates are absolutely egregious, and I curse Mike Harris for them on a regular basis.
Just a thought, technically it takes an hour to travel 100km on the 407 (going 100km/h). The cost of doing that trip is roughly 3 times the current minimum wage. Something doesn't add up..Thankfully, the $15 per hour minimum wage starting in 2019 will be of some help. Oh, wait!! Never mind.
I don't know, renationalization, a lawsuit, something.What would that be?
they widen the highway regularly though. The just completed adding a lane from York Durham Line to Brock Road a few months ago, and are now working on widening York Durham Line to Markham Road. They widen a different part of the highway almost every year..My problem with the 407 is that there is no incentive to widen the highway if they notice congestion is becoming a frequent problem. They'll just simply raise the tolls and that will help reduce the congestion without hurting their bottom line.
I don't know the exact legal agreement, but somehow they are obliged to widen when traffic volumes get too high. I believe it is also linked to the 401 traffic volumes (the differential) since the 407 role is supposed to be relieving 401.they widen the highway regularly though. The just completed adding a lane from York Durham Line to Brock Road a few months ago, and are now working on widening York Durham Line to Markham Road. They widen a different part of the highway almost every year..