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Most people can’t arbitrarily decide to work more billed hours, though. 45min saved from no traffic isn’t 45min of extra work the next day. There’s nowhere you can immediately sign up for 45min of labor providing minimum wage or more. Then you have to consider whether the person is doing something in traffic which they would otherwise do for 45min in the absence of traffic. A lot of people enjoy time zoning out, listening to music or a podcast, talking to someone on the phone or even being alone for a moment. So some portion of the time in traffic isn’t completely written off, but is actually an activity they would otherwise enjoy on the couch at home.
If this is true, then it will only take a very small toll to eliminate congestion.
That's why congestion pricing is a very small toll.
It tends not to be.
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