THE country’s shift to full cashless transactions at toll expressways is targeted to be implemented by the end of October this year, according to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).
The TRB has issued the draft revised implementing rules and regulations of Department Order 2020-012, “Requiring Cashless or Contactless Transaction for All Vehicles Traveling on Toll Expressways.”
Once approved, the cash payment option at toll plazas will no longer be available.
Based on the draft rules, existing toll facilities that feature “Cash Only” transactions willl be converted to accommodate the electronic toll collection (ETC) system such as the radio frequency identification (RFID) stickers, and the transaction is processed electronically without cash payment.
Alvin Carullo, TRB executive director, said full migration to a cashless toll collection system is targeted on October 31.
Recently, the TRB asked the public to send their comments and inputs as part of its public consultation for the draft rules.
For motor vehicles with two or more ETC devices/RFID stickers, subscribers are encouraged to remove old, inactive stickers to avoid slow ETC/RFID antenna reading/detection as authorized by ETC providers.
Meanwhile, in case of non-payment at payment toll lanes, motor vehicles without the prescribed or valid ETC device shall be penalized under Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001, the “Revised guidelines for all vehicles traveling on toll expressway.”
The joint circular is set to take effect on August 31, 2024.
The penalty for entering a limited access highway without the required valid ETC device is P1,000 and P2,000 for the first and second offense, respectively. Subsequent offenses have a fine of P5,000 per offense.
For insufficient account balance, the penalty for the first offense is P500; second offense, P1,000; and for subsequent offenses, P2,500 per offense.
For public, road safety and security purposes, the use of fraudulent, tampered or fake ETC device and e-card upon entry and exit on toll expressways shall also be penalized for the first offense of P1,000, for the second offense P2,000 and P5,000 for subsequent offenses.
