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The Toll Regulatory Board issued revised guidelines to enforce contactless toll collection at all expressways starting August 31
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TRB said the implementation of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-01 seeks to achieve a smoother and faster flow of traffic at the toll plazas, thereby saving time, money and resources
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TRB said erring motorists represent 9% of all the motorists using the toll expressways “causing the unnecessary delays and long queues at the toll plazas”
The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) has issued revised guidelines for the uniform enforcement of contactless toll collection at all expressways starting August 31.
Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2024-01 enforces the prohibitions/restrictions against motorists entering dedicated electronic toll collection (ETC) lanes with “No Valid ETC Device,” and with “No Sufficient Load.”
TRB said these erring motorists represent 9% of all the motorists using the toll expressways “who unfortunately are the ones causing the unnecessary delays and long queues at the toll plazas.”
It added: “A vast majority of toll expressway users (91%) are compliant and responsible ETC users and are often greatly inconvenienced by the erring motorists.”
The JMC covers all types of vehicles, whether private, for hire, diplomatic or government, while entering and traveling on all toll expressways, except vehicles defined by laws as exempted from payment of toll fees (but nonetheless still required to install RFID sticker/electronic toll collection device), or those not allowed to enter toll expressways.
TRB said the implementation of the JMC intends to achieve a smoother and faster flow of traffic at the toll plazas, thereby saving time, money and resources.
Under the JMC, entering a limited access highway without the required valid ETC device, including dilapidated ETC device, will be penalized as “No Valid ETC Device” with penalties as follows:
- First offense – P1,000
- Second offense – P2,000
- Subsequent offenses – P5,000 per offense
Exiting the toll expressway with insufficient account balance to pay the required toll fee will be penalized as “Insufficient Load” with a penalty as follows:
- First offense – P500
- Second offense – P1,000
- Subsequent offenses – P2,500 per offense
In the event the owner/operator of the vehicle fails to provide the name of the driver-violator, the motor vehicle will be put on alarm until such time that the name is provided, and will be held liable to pay a fine of P2,000 per violation.
For public and road safety and security purposes, the use of fraudulent, tampered, or fake ETC device and E-card upon entry and exit on toll expressway will be penalized as “Fraudulent or Falsified ETC with a penalty as follows:
- First offense – P1,000
- Second offense – P2,000
- Subsequent offenses – P5,000 per offense
In the event that the owner/operator/driver refuses to replace their ETC device or RFID sticker despite being notified to make such replacement, the driver’s licenses and the motor vehicle involved will be put on alarm until compliance.
If Land Transportation Office (LTO) records show three instances of violations of whatever kind under the JMC have been committed within any 12 month period by the same motor vehicle or driver-violator, the motor vehicle may be put on alarm by the LTO, or the driver-violator’s driver’s license may be confiscated; or upon recommendation of the Law Enforcement Service and approval of the LTO assistant secretary, in his discretion, may suspend the Certificate of Registration for a period not exceeding 90 days and, thereupon, require the immediate surrender of the license plate.
The penalties are exclusive of the required toll fee to be paid to the toll expressway concessionaires/operators.
TRB said it will be issuing subsequent advisories on the JMC to discuss the details of the other provisions thereof, such as the responsibilities of the toll expressway concessionaires/operators, RFID service providers, the toll expressway users, LTO, and the TRB; as well as its salient provisions.
The toll expressway concessionaires/operators and the LTO will also conduct an information campaign pertaining to the JMC.
Meantime, the public may inform TRB of their suggestions and/or clarifications and the board said it will respond “as soon as possible.”
The JMC provides the revised guidelines in relation to Republic Act No. 2000 (Limited Highway Access Act) and its rules and regulations. The JMC also follows the issuance in 2020 of Department of Transportation (DOTr) Department Order No. 2020-12, mandating toll operators to implement cashless or contactless transaction in all expressways.
The JMC was signed by DOTr, TRB and LTO on August 1.
