Inspecting ETC automatic toll collection projects nationwide

The inspection team is responsible for inspecting non-stop automatic toll collection (ETC) and vehicle load control projects nationwide. Phase 1 applies to National Highway 1 and Ho Chi Minh Road through the Central Highlands, with Tasco Joint Stock Company and VETC Joint Stock Company as investors, and VETC Automatic Toll Collection Company Limited as the project enterprise.

In the phase 2 of the non-stop automatic toll collection project, the inspection team is responsible for inspecting non-stop automatic toll collection projects invested by the Military Telecommunications - Technology Group (Viettel), Vietin Infrastructure Technology Investment Joint Stock Company, Tien Phong Technology Joint Stock Company, and Vietnam Digital Traffic Joint Stock Company as the project enterprise.

According to the leader of the Ministry of Transport, the non-stop automatic toll collection project is divided into two phases; in which phase 1 (BOO1) is implemented by VETC Non-stop Automatic Toll Collection Company Limited. Phase 2 (BOO2) is implemented by Vietnam Digital Traffic Joint Stock Company.

According to the latest data from the Vietnam Road Administration, the country has 155 non-stop toll stations with 893 toll lanes. Currently, 4.97 million cars (accounting for 96%) have been tagged and have non-stop toll accounts.

However, in recent times, some BOT stations implementing non-stop toll collection have encountered problems due to system errors. Typically, in early April, two non-stop toll stations Ben Thuy and Ben Thuy 2 in Nghe An lost connection, causing the system to be unable to automatically deduct money when vehicles passed through the station.

The staff at this station must manually enter the license plate number and open the barrier for the vehicle to pass, while deducting money from the system. The vehicles stopping to wait for the license plate number to be entered causes congestion at the station and potentially risks losing revenue for the BOT investor.

Previously, to have a legal basis for implementing non-stop toll collection, on June 17, 2020, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 19/2020/QD-TTg regulating the collection of road use service fees in the form of non-stop electronic tolls.

In this decision, the Prime Minister requires that the non-stop electronic toll collection system must be designed, installed, and built synchronously nationwide, ensuring continuous, fast, accurate, efficient, and safe operation.

According to economic experts, non-stop automatic toll collection brings many benefits. Firstly, it demonstrates the development of Vietnam's transport industry by applying advanced technologies to organization and management, putting smart systems into operation, civilized and convenient. Secondly, it brings convenience to people in terms of time, convenience when stopping at stations, and good environmental issues. The next benefit is saving time, avoiding traffic jams on the routes.

In particular, when implementing non-stop toll collection technology, revenue will be public and transparent, and agencies will monitor each other such as investors, service providers, banks, and state management agencies.

In a related development, the Ministry of Transport has just issued a document requesting the pilot implementation of the design model of a non-stop electronic toll collection system (ETC) for the North-South Expressway component projects, phase 1 (2017-2020) for 3 component projects invested in the form of PPP (public-private partnership), namely Dien Chau - Bai Vot, Nha Trang - Cam Lam and Cam Lam - Vinh Hao.

Accordingly, based on the proposal of the Vietnam Road Administration, the Ministry of Transport approved in principle to continue piloting the model for the above projects according to the model of no barriers at the input, barriers at the output, and no mixed toll lanes approved by the Ministry of Transport for the Nha Trang - Cam Lam component project.

From the benefits of ETC toll collection, the Ministry of Transport has also sent a document to the Prime Minister requesting permission to expand the non-stop toll collection service at airport toll stations. Initially, it will be implemented at airports with high traffic volume and frequent congestion.

The Ministry of Transport said that the number of vehicles entering and leaving airports is very large, with an average of 16,000 - 20,000 vehicles passing through the toll stations at Noi Bai and Tan Son Nhat international airports every day, more than twice the number of vehicles passing through a road toll station. Meanwhile, manual toll collection often causes congestion and frustration for drivers and passengers, affecting the national image as airport toll stations are the first gateway to welcome international visitors.

“The expansion of non-stop toll collection services at airport and seaport toll stations helps modernize aviation infrastructure, in line with development trends, creating convenience for people and businesses, saving costs, reducing congestion and environmental pollution, increasing transparency, and in line with the State's policy of limiting the use of cash,” said the leader of the Ministry of Transport.