The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has deferred until October 1 the implementation of the revised guidelines on toll expressways to allow for further adjustments to operator operations.
In a Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001, which was signed last August 1, 2024, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) will enforce the prohibitions/restrictions against motorists entering dedicated ETC lanes with “No Valid ETC Device”, and with “No Sufficient Load”.
“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,” Transportation Secretary Jaime Bautista said.
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 Radio Frequency Identification Device (RFID), as well as strengthens the deputization by LTO of tollway enforcers of the two groups of tollway operators, among others.
Penalties for violations include:
• No valid ETC device: P1,000 (first offense), P2,000 (second offense), P5,000 (subsequent);
• Insufficient load: P500 (first offense), P1,000 (second offense), P2,500 (subsequent);
• Fraudulent ETC: P1,000 (first offense), P2,000 (second offense), P5,000 (subsequent);
“These revised guidelines should significantly improve traffic along expressways through cashless or contactless toll plazas,” Bautista said.
In 2021, TRB moved closer to cashless expressways by designating only one exit lane for cash transactions at toll plazas (all other lanes for ETC) in compliance to a Department Order of DOTr.
Bautista is soliciting the support of tollway users by complying with provisions of the JMC that covers expressways under TRB’s jurisdiction.
San Miguel Corp., which operates Skyway, South Luzon Expressway, STAR Tollway and NAIAx, uses AutoSweep RFID tag, while Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., which operates Manila Cavite Expressway, C5 Link Expressway and Cavite Laguna Expressway, uses EasyTrip RFID tag for electronic toll collection.
