THE Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has directed tollway concessionaires and operators to conduct a dry run of contactless toll collection at selected toll plazas starting Sept. 1.
The two-month long dry run is intended to comply with a resolution passed by the House of Representatives calling for the re-implementation of contactless tolls.
“The dry run is necessary to ascertain the readiness of the tollway concessionaires and operators for the smooth and efficient re-implementation of the contactless program,” the TRB said in an advisory on Tuesday.
“As agreed between TRB and the Toll concessionaires and operators, a first batch of qualified toll plazas will initially form part of the dry run to ensure smooth and efficient implementation. Other qualified toll plazas will gradually be included during the dry run period,” it added.
The first batch of toll plazas to join the trials includes NAIA Main A of NAIA Expressway, Nichols Entry and Exit on South Metro Manila Skyway Stage 1 & 2, Del Monte Northbound A on the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, and Mamplasan Northbound and Silangan Southbound on the South Luzon Expressway.
The first batch also includes users of the Autosweep system like Tanauan Northbound Entry on the STAR Tollway, the Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway, and the Rosario Toll Plaza on the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.
EasyTrip system users in the first batch are Ciudad de Victoria, Sta. Rita, Pulilan, San Simon, Mexico and Dau on the North Luzon Expressway, Dolores and SFEX on Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway, Technopark Toll Plaza and Laguna Boulevard A Toll Plaza on the Cavite-Laguna Expressway, and the Taguig and Merville Toll Plazas on the Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway.
“Additional toll plazas will be gradually included in the dry run for smooth and efficient implementation,” the regulator said in a separate advisory on Wednesday.
In 2020, the Department of Transportation (DoTr) issued Department Order No. 2020-12 which required cashless transactions for all vehicles traveling on toll expressways during the pandemic.
The TRB said numerous complaints were received during the order’s implementation, including malfunctioning electronic toll collection systems.
As a result, the DoTr issued an Addendum dated Jan. 29, 2021 which allowed vehicles with no RFID (radio frequency identification) stickers and requiring cash lanes in all toll plazas. — Justine Irish D. Tabile
