This was announced by the Deputy Minister of Transport, Nguyen Hong Truong on March 10.
Thethree tolls, which are located in the central Quang Binh and Nghe Anprovinces and on the Ho Chi Minh Highway, will use new technology forwhich drivers will no longer have to stop their vehicles and pay fees asin the current practice.
Drivers will also be issued anelectronic tag (E-tag), which will be attached to the inside portion ofthe front windscreen of a vehicle, and denote an account. The tag willtransmit a signal to the computer at the toll gantry as it approaches,and the toll will charge the account automatically, he said.
Duringthe period of trial, the model for manual toll collection, whichrequires a toll collector to sell tickets and make an entry of thevehicles in the system, will also be maintained, Truong added.
TheETC technology will be applied at more than 35 tolls across theNational Highway No1 and the Ho Chi Minh Highway if the pilot project issuccessful. The ministry also plans to replace manual tolls with thenew system.
The ministry had assigned the TASCO Joint StockCompany and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam toimplement the project, Truong added.
He further stated that theETC will use the US Radio Frequency Identification system, which is thelatest technology in the world. It is simple, involves low investmentcosts and has a quick identification speed. It can also save a lot oftime for drivers, curb congestion when vehicles stop to pay the feesmanually, and strengthen the State's management and help avoid losses.
A representative from TASCO JSC said the cost ofbuilding an ETC toll was much lower than the current toll as managementagencies would no longer have to pay for ticket printing and tollcollectors.
According to his estimation, the new systemcould save up to 3.4 trillion VND (159 million USD) each year, comparedwith the current one.
Responding to a question on fees charged under the new system, Truong confirmed that the fees will remain the same.-VNA