ATA Leaves Rhode Island Toll Case Empty-Handed on Legal Fees

Key Details Both the American Trucking Associations and Rhode Island state defendants sought millions in legal fees after their lengthy court battle over the RhodeWorks truck-only tolling program. A federal judge's recent ruling awarded the ATA nothing, while Rhode Island received a modest amount from the litigation. Why It Matters Though Rhode Island technically prevailed in the case, the state won only partial victories. The split outcomes allowed both parties to claim "prevailing party" status and request fee reimbursement, but the court largely rejected these claims. Implementation Delays Irony abounds: an appellate court decision in December 2024 cleared the way for truck tolls to proceed, but Rhode Island still hasn't launched them. State transportation officials now say the aging toll gantry equipment "is past its life cycle and needs to be rebuilt," pushing implementation to March 2027 at the earliest. Bottom Line Drivers remain in limbo as the infrastructure needed to enforce these tolls undergoes a costly overhaul. Meanwhile, both sides in the legal war paid substantial legal bills with minimal fee recovery from the court.