Dry run for contactless toll collections starts Sept. 1

The two-month dry run for contactless toll collections on selected toll plazas will begin on Sept. 1, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) said.
The TRB, an attached agency of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), in a statement posted on its Facebook page Tuesday, said the dry run is a “necessary procedure” to ensure the readiness of tollway concessionaires and operators of expressways for the smooth and efficient reimplementation of the contactless program.
“A first batch of qualified toll plazas will initially form part of the dry-run. Other qualified toll plazas will gradually be included during the dry-run period,” the statement read.
The TRB also “strongly encourages” tollway users to switch from cash to radio frequency identification (RFID).
“For those with existing RFID sticker, they are advised to have their RFID sticker checked if it needs replacement, and that they have sufficient load before they enter the expressway,” it said.
Earlier, the DOTr issued Department Order 2020-12 requiring cashless transactions for all vehicles traveling on toll expressways, initially as a measure to mitigate the transmission of the coronavirus and at the same time ensure an efficient traffic flow.
However, due to complaints about constraints and glitches in the electronic toll collection (ETC) systems received during the program implementation in November 2020, the DOTr issued an addendum in January 2021 allowing vehicles with no RFID stickers and requiring cash lanes in all toll plazas, which remains in effect.
In the TRB’s special performance audits on ETCs of expressways from Feb. 23 to June 22, it assessed a total of 717 out of 852 or 84 percent operated toll lanes.
The remaining 135 toll lanes or 16 percent are currently being operated as cash lanes and will be tested once converted to ETC lanes.
Based on the audit results, the TRB’s audit team recommended a two-month dry run on the selected qualified toll plazas, which was approved by the multi-agency members of the TRB in its regular meeting on July 28.
The toll plazas that are qualified to participate in the dry run are:
Easytrip subscribers:
A. North Luzon Expressway – all toll plazas
B. Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway – all toll plazas
C. Cavite-Laguna Expressway – all toll plazas
D. Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway-C5 Southlink
Taguig Toll Plaza
Merville Toll Plaza
Autosweep subscribers:
A. NAIA Expressway – all toll plazas
B. South Metro Manila Skyway, Stages 1 and 2
Skyway Elevated Alpha and Bravo
C5 Exit and Entry
Nichols Entry
– Nichols Exit
Merville Exit
Bicutan Entry Southbound (SB) and Northbound (NB)
Sucat Exit SB and NB
Alabang SB Exit
C. South Luzon Expressway
Filinvest Exit and Entry
Alabang NB and SB
Mamplasan NB
Sta. Rosa NB
ABI SB and NB
Cabuyao SB
Silangan SB
Batino SB Exit
Calamba-Turbina SB Exit
Calamba NB Exit
Canlubang SB Entry
Calamba SB Entry
Calamba-Real NB Entry
Calamba-Turbina A NB Entry
D. Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway – all toll plazas
E. Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3
Buendia NB Entry
Buendia SB Exit
Plaza Dilao SB Entry
G. Araneta NB Entry
Quezon Ave. NB Entry
Quezon Ave. NB Exit
Quezon Ave. SB Entry
Del Monte NB Alpha
F. Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway
Victoria Toll Plaza
Pura Toll Plaza
Anao Toll Plaza
Pozzorubio Toll Plaza
Rosario Toll Plaza
G. STAR Tollway
Sto. Tomas SB Entry
Sto. Tomas NB Entry
Tanauan NB Entry

Source: Philippines News Agency