Business & Tech

Eastside Taxi Driver Feels the Pinch of the 520 Tolls

A Kirkland taxi driver says that the State Route 520 toll will stretch his business budget in a bad economy.

Sam Yazdi of Kirkland purchased his Good to Go pass for his taxi cab on Tuesday, but for this taxi driver, the tolls may hurt his bottom line .

Yazdi estimates his business costs to rise $200 to $250 when tolling starts.

“I think it’s a lot of money, especially in this bad economy,” he said. “I used to busy at this time,” he said as he bought his pass in Bellevue at noon, “but not now.”

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Commercial drivers are not exempt from the toll, which is set to start at 5 a.m. Thursday. Vehicles with more than two axles, such as a logging truck or a trailer, or a construction vehicles, must pay more than the general toll.

The bulk of the drivers will be regular commuters, including Matt Olson of Kirkland, who says he has mixed emotions about the toll.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

While paying more to commute is a negative, there are some positives to the new toll, he said.

“It’s going to ease the congestion into Seattle,” he said. “But it’s a change, so that’s a little bit of an adjustment.”

Some .

But people with businesses like Yazdi’s that depend on being on the road may find themselves crossing the State Route 520 bridge multiple times a day.

Yazdi’s biggest business is in Queen Anne, Ballard and Magnolia, so that accounts for two times a day he needs to cross the lake, whether across 520 or an alternative route.

“The business is in Seattle, not Kirkland,” he said.

The city of Seattle has allowed taxis to charge their customers for the toll and toll rates are posted by law in each cab.

But Yazdi points out that the toll on his return trip to Seattle when he’s not carrying a fare will be on him.

“That’s my responsibility. Or I choose another way,” he said.

For Yazdi, the toll is adding onto what he considers increasing businesses taxes, including increased fees that he will have to pay to the Department of Labor and Industry and increases to sales tax.

“It’s really a lot extra for us,” he said. “The government should find ways to help businesses, instead of pushing for an extra tax.”

Yazdi also has to register his car in Seattle because his business is based there – which he says is an $80 RTA fee for him, which will help pay for Sound Transit’s light rail projects.

“Why should I pay for light rail? They take business from me. That’s my rival,” he said. “I pay that fee, and I help my rival. Isn’t that funny.”


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Bellevue