TRENTON, New Jersey: New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy has asked President Donald Trump to review the federal approval of New York City's new congestion pricing program, which started on January 5.

Murphy, a Democrat, called the program a "disaster" for New Jersey commuters and said the federal government needs to carefully reconsider it.

Under the program, drivers of passenger cars pay US$9 during peak hours to enter Manhattan below 60th Street. Trucks and buses pay up to $21.60, while fees are reduced by 75 percent at night. The goal of the program is to reduce traffic and raise money for public transportation upgrades, especially for New York City's subway and bus systems.

The White House has not commented yet, but a Trump spokesperson criticized the plan in November. During the first week of the program, traffic in Manhattan's central business district dropped by 7.5 percent.

New Jersey had tried to block the program in court but was unsuccessful. Drivers are charged once daily through electronic license plate readers, regardless of how many trips they make into the area. Taxis pay 75 cents per trip, while rideshare vehicles like Uber and Lyft pay $1.50 per trip.

Other cities like London, Singapore, and Stockholm already have similar congestion pricing systems. London has charged fees since 2003, currently 15 Pounds (about $18.49).

Before the program started, over 700,000 vehicles entered Manhattan's central business district each day, slowing traffic to an average speed of 7 miles per hour, which is 23 percent slower than in 2010. New York City expects the fees to raise $500 million in the first year. According to New York Governor Kathy Hochul, the revenue will support $15 billion in loans for mass transit improvements, with 80 percent going to subways and buses and 20 percent to commuter rail systems.