FDNY unions say congestion pricing will hurt response times [Video]

NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — Two of New York City’s firefighter unions are criticizing the city’s newly-implemented congestion pricing plan, stating at a press conference on Sunday that the $9 toll will hurt response times and hike overtime fees.

Leaders from the Uniformed Firefighters Association and Uniformed Fire Officers Association said that it has been common practice among members of the FDNY to use their personal vehicles, free of charge to the department, to transport themselves between fire stations, especially when filling in for shortages at different fire houses.

With the congestion pricing toll, which went into effect Sunday, UFA president Andy Ansbro said that these firefighters will now be asking the department to take them to their place of work for the day in a department vehicle.

“They will be putting firefighters on emergency vehicles, transporting them to and from different work locations, as they’re also trying to respond to the many runs that we take in,” Ansbro said. “Thousands of runs a …