Trucking News · Michigan · October 23, 2026

Michigan Resident Dresses as Satan to Protest Bay City Bridge Toll Hike That Could Charge Some Truckers $13.50

Save this to Pinterest

Michigan's latest toll fight just got a visit from Satan. Sort of.

In Bay City, a resident named Jeff Reed walked into a City Commission meeting dressed as the devil himself to protest a proposed toll increase on two city bridges, according to Land Line.

The costume

Reed wore a devil mask and a robe, along with a name tag reading "BCBP" and "Satan," in case anyone was unclear about who he was supposed to be. BCBP stands for Bay City Bridge Partners, the company behind the toll plan.

Speaking in a gravelly voice, Reed shared what he called the "scariest toll story": this Halloween, he said, there would be a new fee of $6.66, "with no arguments." The fee was part of the act, not a real proposal.

What is actually being proposed

The real numbers are not a joke for drivers who cross those bridges. Bay City Bridge Partners maintains and operates the Independence Bridge and the Liberty Bridge in Bay City, and it has proposed raising tolls for 2027.

Under the proposal, as reported by Land Line:

• Non-residents with a BC-Pass or E-ZPass transponder would pay 50 cents more. A transponder is a small electronic device mounted in a vehicle that pays tolls automatically.
• The pay-by-mail toll rate, for drivers billed by mail instead of paying with a transponder, would rise by $2.
• Non-resident commercial drivers, including truckers, would pay $8.50 with a transponder and $13.50 without one.

The last time the company raised toll rates was just last year. The new rates are expected to take effect at the start of 2027. According to the company, the increase is needed to "support the long-term sustainability and maintenance of critical transportation assets."

Not his first costume

Reed has made a habit of memorable appearances. Last December, he showed up at a City Commission meeting dressed as Santa Claus and put the company on the "Naughty List" for tolling residents.

Land Line's reporter wrote that it is unclear whether Reed's protests will change anything, but they were attention-grabbing.

Why it matters to truckers

For professional drivers, tolls are a cost of doing business that can add up quickly, especially for owner-operators, the drivers who own their own trucks and pay their own expenses. A $13.50 charge to cross a single city bridge is the kind of number that gets drivers talking about alternate routes.

For everyone else, the story is a reminder that local toll decisions can draw real public pushback, and sometimes a little theater.

How to weigh in

These rates are still a proposal and are not yet in effect. Bay City Bridge Partners is accepting public comments by email at [email protected], according to Land Line.

A question for readers

How far out of your way would you drive to dodge a $13.50 toll on a city bridge?

Share your thoughts on our Facebook page.