Dry-Run for Cashless Toll Collection to Begin on Sept. 1

MANILA: The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) announced that the two-month dry-run for cashless toll collection in select toll plazas will start on September 1.

The TRB, stated in Facebook post on Tuesday that the dry-run is a “necessary procedure” to guarantee that tollway concessionaires and expressway operators are prepared for the program's seamless and successful reimplementation.

As agreed upon by TRB and the tollway concessionaires and operators, the dry-run will initially include a first batch of qualified toll plazas. Throughout the dry-run period, more qualifying toll plazas will gradually be added.

The TRB urges tollway users to make the switch from cash to RFID. For those who already have an RFID sticker, it is recommended that they have it checked to see if it needs to be replaced and that they have enough load before entering the expressway.

In August 2020, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) issued Department Order No. 2020-12, which mandated that all vehicles using toll expressways must use contactless or cashless transactions. The main objective was to reduce the spread of COVID-19, and to establish a more efficient traffic flow on the expressways.

However, the DOTr issued an addendum dated January 29, 2021 allowing vehicles without RFID stickers and mandating cash lanes in all toll plazas as a result of several complaints received during the first phase of the said program caused by various constraints and glitches in the ETC Systems. As of now, this addendum is still in effect.

Between February 23, 2023, and June 22, 2023, the TRB performed special performance audits on the ETCs of the expressways. The TRB's audit team evaluated 717 of 852 operational toll lanes. The 135 remaining toll lanes, which are currently operating as cash lanes, will undergo assessment once they are converted to ETC lanes.

Based on the results, the TRB's audit team suggested conducting a two-month dry-run on the qualified toll plazas. The multi-agency members of the TRB approved this in their regular meeting last July.

The following toll plazas are qualified to take part in the dry-run:

Easytrip Subscribers

• North Luzon Expressway
• Subic Clark Tarlac Expressway
• Cavite-Laguna Expressway
• Manila-Cavite Toll Expressway-C5 Southlink
  • Taguig Toll Plaza
  • Merville Toll Plaza

Autosweep Subscribers

• NAIA Expressway
• South Metro Manila Skyway, Stages 1 and 2
  • Skyway Elevated Alpha and Bravo
  • C5 Exit and Entry
  • Nichols Entry
  • Nichols Exit 
  • Merville Exit
  • Bicutan Entry Southbound and Northbound 
  • Sucat Exit Southbound and Northbound
  • Alabang Southbound Exit
• South Luzon Expressway
  • Filinvest Exit and Entry
  • Alabang Northbound and Southbound
  • Mamplasan Northbound
  • Sta. Rosa Northbound
  • ABI Southbound and Northbound
  • Cabuyao Southbound
  • Silangan Southbound
  • Batino Southbound Exit
  • Calamba-Turbina Southbound Exit
  • Calamba Northbound Exit
  • Canlubang Southbound Entry
  • Calamba Southbound Entry
  • Calamba-Real Northbound Entry
  • Calamba-Turbina A Northbound Entry
• Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway
• Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3
  • Buendia Northbound Entry
  • Buendia Southbound Exit
  • Plaza Dilao Southbound Entry
  • G. Araneta Northbound Entry
  • Quezon Avenue Northbound Entry
  • Quezon Avenue Northbound Exit
  • Quezon Avenue Northbound Entry
  • Del Monte Northbound Alpha
• Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway
  • Victoria Toll Plaza
  • Pura Toll Plaza
  • Anao Toll Plaza
  • Pozorrubio Toll Plaza
  • Rosario Toll Plaza
• STAR Tollway
  • Sto. Tomas Southbound Entry
  • Sto. Tomas Northbound Entry
  • Tanauan Northbound Entry

Photos from Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation and San Miguel Corporation

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