THE implementation of the revised tollways guidelines has been moved from Aug. 31 to Oct. 1, 2024, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) announced on Tuesday.
Under the revised guidelines, vehicles with Radio Frequency Identification Devices (RFID) having insufficient funds or those without the RFID will be penalized.
Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista, Land Transportation Office (LTO) chief Vigor Mendoza II, and Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) Executive Director Alvin Carullo signed on August 1 the revised guidelines, which are contained in Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2024-01.
“Apart from updating the responsibilities of LTO, TRB, DOTr, tollway concessionaires and users, the JMC also imposes the penalties for lack of installed electronic toll collection (ETC) device or insufficient load balance of the RFID, as well as strengthens the deputization by LTO of tollway enforcers of the two groups of operators, among others,” the DOTr said.
“We hope the concerned agencies and tollway operators would use the 30-day deferment to fine-tune expressway operations and further intensify the public information campaign to enable tollway users to comply with the new guidelines,” Bautista said in a statement.
“These revised guidelines should significantly improve traffic along expressways through cashless or contactless toll plazas,” he added.
Under the new law, those without a valid or dilapidated ETC device or those entering the limited access highway would be penalized from P1,000 to P5,000 per offense, while those exiting expressways with an insufficient account balance required to pay toll fees would be penalized between P500 and P2,500 per offense.
Postponement lauded
The former spokesman for the DOTr and officer in charge of the Maritime Industry Authority lauded the DOTr’s move to defer the implementation of the revised guidelines on tollways.
“I commend Secretary Bautista for his decision to defer the implementation of the new tollway guidelines. This extension allows for a more comprehensive review and enhancement of our toll collection systems, ensuring that motorists are not unduly penalized due to the shortcomings of the current RFID technology,” said Nicasio Conti, convener of the Click Party-list and CEO of Capstone-Intel Corp.
“The persistent congestion on our toll roads, especially in Metro Manila, is largely due to defective RFID readers and the lack of a uniform payment system across various tollway concessionaires,” Conti said.
“A unified system will benefit all road users, ensuring a smoother and more consistent travel experience,” he added.
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