Toll road operators signed an agreement to unify toll collection systems in the country, paving the way for faster and more seamless travel experience for motorists, the Transportation Department said Wednesday.
Under the agreement, the toll road companies are required to make the necessary tweaks in their toll collection systems to make them interoperable and integrated.
These companies include San Miguel Holdings Corp., Private Infra Development Corp., Skyway O&M Corp., South Luzon Tollways Corp., Vertex Tollways Development Inc., Star Infrastructure Development Corp., NLEX Corp., Tollway Management Corp., Citra Metro Manila Tollways Corp., Manila Toll Expressway Systems Inc., Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., Cavitex Infrastructure Corp., PEA Tollway Corp., MPCala Holdings Inc., Ayala Corp. and MCX Tollway Inc.
The Transportation Department said motorists using electronic tags could seamlessly use their electronic tag from one toll road operator in the toll road of another operator. “For motorists still paying in cash, this means that in connected toll roads operated by different companies, they only have to get a ticket once at entry, and pay once at exit, regardless of which toll road they enter and exit from,” it said.
The agency said that after completion of the NLEx-SLEx connector roads, a motorist would need to have only a ticket once at an NLEx entry, and pay once at an SLEx exit.
“Our expressways are managed by different companies. But they have always demonstrated that they are willing to work together and work with the government if that means giving motorists, their customers, a better travel experience,” Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said.
“Making our toll systems interoperable will definitely bring a new level of convenience to our motorists, especially during peak seasons,” he said.
The first phase of the interoperability agreement will cover electronic toll collection, which will use radio frequency identification technology. The second phase will cover cash collection interoperability. It will take around six months for the first phase and another six months for the second phase.
Apart from the DOTr and Toll Regulatory Board, the Department of Public Works and Highways, Land Transportation Office and Bases Conversion and Development Authority are also parties to the toll collection interoperability agreement.