Electronic toll collection systems to cut costs, traffic jams

The installation of electronic toll collection systems (ETCs) at all toll booths is compulsory, Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong said at a meeting with investors of the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) project on national highways 1 and 14.

The current collection system at toll stations is slow, and it takes at least 30 seconds for a vehicle to pass through a station. It is the main cause of traffic congestion at toll stations, Truong said on March 2.

For example, he said, traffic congestion still occurs on the Phap Van-Cau Gie Highway despite the fact that it has 16 gates.

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Participants at the meeting agreed to the implementation of ETCs at toll booths nationwide for the benefits of people and society.

Vu Quang Lam, a representative of the Tasco Joint Stock Company and the investor of the project to build ETCs, told investors that the money collected will transfer to their accounts on the same day via any bank, he said.

In response to a question raised by Tran Xuan Phu, Director General of Da River Infrastructure Ltd, Lam said Tasco would try its best to repair any problems that occur with the equipment as soon as possible.

Nguyen Manh Thang, Deputy Head of Directorate for Roads of Vietnam, proposed that the Ministry of Transport build an online connection centre between toll stations to ensure transparency.

Deputy Minister Truong has asked investors to install the systems on National Highway 1 and 14 before June 30.

The transport ministry plans to install ETCs at all toll booths nationwide by 2020, he said.

The system is currently operational at three toll stations in Nghe An, Quang Binh and Dak Lak on a trial basis.

Truong urged investors to finish signing the BOT contracts' appendix with the Ministry of Transport no later than this week because it will help establish a plan for the implementation of ETCs in the future. Otherwise, the transport ministry will stop the investors' toll collection, he said.

Experts predicted that the electronic toll system could reduce operating costs by about VND 3.4 trillion (USD 152.4 million) each year compared with the current system.