The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway, which connects mainland Cebu and Mactan Island, postpones the full implementation of the cashless system which was supposed to start on Saturday, October 1, 2022. (DALE ISRAEL / INQUIRER VISAYAS)
CEBU CITY — The Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (CCLEX) has postponed its full implementation of the cashless system after a clamor from motorists who were still unable to install RFID stickers in their vehicles.
The tollway bridge, also known as Cebu’s third bridge, was supposed to implement the cashless system beginning Saturday, October 1.
“Because of clamor, and then calls, requests from a lot of motorists from all over, then we decided just this morning or late yesterday to extend the ongoing dry-run (of the cashless system),” said CCLEX President and General Manager Allan Alfon in a press conference on Friday, September 30.
Alfon said they are still assessing and are yet to decide as to the new date for the implementation of the cashless system at the CCLEX.
READ: CCLEC: 90,000 vehicles now registered for cashless payment
CCLEX, however, continued to put just one of the four lanes for cash transactions while the rest are for vehicles with RFID stickers.
This means that motorists who will still be using cash may be encountering long queues since the majority of the toll booth lanes are for cashless systems.
“In a few days, we will be coming up with a new date as to the full implementation of the cashless system. It could be a month or two, it depends,” Alfon explained.
About 90,000 motorists have already installed RFID with top-up cards and more than half of them have already been using the toll bridge after the registration.
In a week, some 10,000 vehicles use the toll bridge with the highest numbers during the weekends.
Some 60 percent of that number are still using cash in paying the toll.
READ: Cebu-Cordova expressway to go cashless, says exec
Alfon said that many motorists still do not know about the cashless transaction and many of them are non-frequent users. He added there are others who are “deadline beaters.”
The iconic bridge is the country’s longest bridge that spanned 8.9 kilometers, connecting Cebu City directly to Cordova town on Mactan Island.
The bridge is an alternative to the two other older bridges which are located in Mandaue City.
Mactan Island is the home of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport and numerous resorts in Cebu.