Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) remains an effective and important measure not only to combat the problems of external cost associated with traffic operation and congestion, and road accidents, but also to ensure smooth operation of traffic.
ERP helps to collect tolls electronically by using sensors and camera with the help of Dedicated Short Range Communication (DSRC) and the charges are billed to the owner of the vehicle by taking a picture of its license plate.
Singapore first adopted the system to manage traffic efficiently by way of road pricing, on usage-based taxation mechanism through the principle of Vehicle Quota system introduced in 1998. When a vehicle designed with an In-Vehicle Unit (IU) placed inside windscreen near the driver passes under an ERP gantry, a road usage charge is subtracted from the CashCard in the IU.
Sensor installed on the gantries communicates with the IU via dedicated short-range communication, and the subtracted amount is displayed to the driver on an LCD screen of the In-Vehicle Unit.
Many cities across the world have implemented the ERP successfully -Ontario in Canada operating on Highway 407, London in 2003, Stockholm in Sweden, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates in 2007, and Milan in Italy.
Similar system is likely to be operational on select roads in Jakarta, Indonesia by early 2019. Hong Kong failed to implement the system in spite of a pilot test between 1983 and 1985 with positive results due to public opposition.
Till July 2016, the NHAI operated 372 toll plazas with passive radio frequency identification technology in which a FASTag mounted on the vehicle’s windscreen with a unique identification number is embedded for transaction. The revenue generated in toll plazas by the NHAI reached to Rs 22,820.58 crore during 2017-18.
The Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system functions with four major components namely Automated Vehicle Identification (AVI), Automated Vehicle Classification (AVC), transaction processing, and violation enforcement. When vehicle approaches at a toll plaza with a valid tag (tag registered with ETC programme) and positive account balance, it is permitted to cross the intersection using AVI.
During the same time, AVC works based on axles, distance between axles, single and double wheels and multiple vehicle heights with the help of infra-red sensors installed at the toll plaza. With the matching of classification of vehicle using AVC, the vehicle is successfully classified. Otherwise, class mismatch is corroborated by looking at video recording captured by lane camera. When a vehicle passes, a unique identification number embedded on the tag is read by a RFID reader for sending information on a transaction processing unit linked with the Central Clearing House for clearing and settlement of toll transactions and debiting appropriate toll fee from the pre-paid account of registered vehicle which is to be credited to a respective toll collection agency.
This subsequently triggers a text message to the vehicle owner for each transaction. Stolen vehicles, vehicles with class mismatch, vehicles with insufficient balance and vehicles crossing without payment are blacklisted and forced to stop at the next crossing of the toll collection point.
Vehicles can also do toll transaction without stopping on dedicated lanes, enabling it to be faster and more efficient. All toll-plazas on national highways across India should be ETC-enabled as envisaged by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways that will result in saving in fuel worth of `86,000 crore in the present context. In order to buy or recharge FASTags online, the NHAI launched two apps called MyFASTag & FASTag Partner that would facilitate the availability of FASTags for electronic toll collection and make it possible to buy or recharge FASTags online.
It is indeed one of the strong initiatives in our country to move into Intelligent Transport System driven transport operation that deserves to be appreciated.