MOTORISTS WITH NO RFID STICKER AND LOAD AT EXPRESSWAYS TO BE PENALIZED

To ease the traffic flow at toll gates, the TRB released a memorandum to penalize drivers without RFID stickers and insufficient loads (Photo courtesy of Russell Palma/Philippine Star)

Starting August 31, 2024, motorists who have no RFID stickers or do not have enough RFID load entering expressways at toll gates will be fined up to P5,000 as part of efforts to speed up traffic flow according to the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB).

In a statement released by the TRB, the Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001 with the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) was signed on August 01 for the imposition of penalties on motorists using tollways without an ETC device.

Under the memorandum, motorists must apply for an electronic toll collection device like an RFID tag, attach it to their vehicles, and ensure that their accounts have enough balance to pay for their toll fees. 

Fine for penalizing the entry of a vehicle on a toll road without an ETC device or RFID sticker: P1,000 for the initial offense, P2,000 for the second offense and P5,000 for succeeding offenses.

While, motorists leaving the toll expressway with not enough balance to pay your fees shall be fined P500 for the first offense, P1,000 for the second offense, and P2,500 for the succeeding offenses. 

The memo aims to improve traffic flow at toll plazas, thereby helping motorists save time, money, and resources. 9% of the total number of motorists passing through tollways don't have RFID tags or sufficient load balance according to the TRB. 

“Sometimes motorists enter electronic toll collection lanes without sufficient load in their RFID. Some even don’t have RFID. So it slows down and bothers those who have enough load on their RFID and are responsible,” TRB spokesperson Julius Corpuz stated.

“Our objective is to promote responsible use and encourage the proper use of RFID along our expressways. We want to implement cashless transactions by October 31. Motorists who have no RFID tags or do not have enough load will still be allowed to pass through expressways.”

“But if there is a marshal or deputized traffic enforcer there, right there and then they will be issued a show-cause order. We will see if they can be given a chance to refute their violation—so this can be changed but he might be issued a citation ticket or show-cause order.”

Source: ABS-CBN News 

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