DOTr moves start of cashless toll collections to December 1

Motorist have their RFID installed at the Balintawak Toll Plaza Customer Service Center parking area on Thursday, August 27, as the DOTr mandates vehicles plying the expressway to install RFID to promote contactless payment to reduce the risk of exposure to the coronavirus.- INQUIRER file photo / GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has moved the start of the mandatory implementation of cashless toll collections on toll roads from November 2 to December 1, in response to clamor of motorists who have yet to attach radio frequency identification (RFID) stickers on their vehicles.

With this extension, the DOTr said the full implementation of the department order mandating only the cashless mode of payment or the 100-percent use of electronic payment systems in expressways will start on the new schedule. It said the deadline will no longer be extended beyond this date.

“Secretary Tugade allowed the extension in order to give motorists, especially infrequent toll road users, more time to comply with the department order, and to prevent the long queues currently being experienced at toll roads in the rush to get the RFID stickers,” Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) Executive Director Abraham Sales said in a statement Wednesday.

“But, mind you, this will be the last time that we will be extending. No more extension beyond December 1,” he added.

To recall, the DOTr, through Department Order 2020-012, has ordered the full implementation of cashless toll collections at expressways and major toll roads, in a bid to reduce physical contact in these areas as a measure against the spread of the new coronavirus, as well as to avoid traffic congestion in toll plazas.

“Motorists who fail to conform to the government mandate will be apprehended and issued a citation ticket,” DOTr warned.

The TRB, an attached agency of the DOTr that has supervision over the operations of toll roads, earlier said the Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation and the San Miguel Corporation are ready to implement the order on cashless toll transactions but have respectively extended the installation of RFID stickers beyond November 2.

Meanwhile, DOTr Assistant Secretary for Road Transport and Infrastructure Mark Steven Pastor reminded motorists to maximize the extended deadline to have RFIDs installed in their vehicles as early as they can.

“Iwasan natin ‘yung kung kailan isang linggo na lang, tsaka tayo magmamadaling magpunta sa installation sites para magpakabit ng RFID (Let us not rush to installation sites to install RFID stickers one week before the deadline). Now, we are extending the deadline to give further consideration. Let us use the extension wisely,” Pastor said.

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JPV