NEWS
MPTC leads cashless transformation Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (“MPTC”) has been a prime mover in implementing cashless payments on its tollways.
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he company is set to have all its tollways, namely the North Luzon Expressway (“NLEX”), SubicClark-Tarlac Expressway (“SCTEX”), Manila-Cavite Expressway (“CAVITEX”) and Cavite-Laguna Expressway (“CALAX”) on radio frequency identification (“RFID”) technology by November 2020, with drive-through sites in various locations for easy installation of RFID stickers on vehicles and reloading. The Department of Transportation issued D.O. 2020-12 on 13 August that mandated cashless transactions at tollways starting 2 November 2020.
Roberto V Bontia, concurrently heading CAVITEX and CALAX and Head of MPTC’s RFID 100 Task Force, outlined MPTC’s preparations into four key elements: infrastructure readiness, operational and visibility improvements, motorist assistance, and manpower re-equipping and retooling.
MPTC will be implementing the cashless payment plan in three phases. The first phase is 100% of its toll lanes on RFID; second phase would be the interoperability with the other expressways in the next 12 months; and third phase would be open-road tolling in the next twothree years. J Luigi Bautista, President and General Manager of NLEX Corporation emphasized, “Minimizing physical contact and going cashless in our toll roads became an urgent priority because public health has taken on a whole new level of significance with COVID-19. Although we have launched the RFID as a payment option in our expressways for quite some time already, it has become more relevant with this global health crisis.” <<
CCLEX CONSERVES THE ENVIRONMENT This beautiful video by National Geographic Asia shows how MPTC’s Cebu-Cordova Link Expressway (“CCLEX”) found the balance between transformation and conservation.
MPTC groupwide RFID roll out is on track to comply with D.O. 2020-12 and we will be ready to implement contactless toll payments consistent with the timeline,” says MPTC President and CEO Rodrigo Franco. MPTC’s RFID system, brought by its electronic toll collection subsidiary Easytrip, has more than 950,000 subscribers to date, and more than 40 % of all vehicles on MPTC tollways using RFID transactions, compared to 32 % in May. The tollway company also readied RFID Assist Squads at the toll plazas to help motorists who need immediate help with the use of their RFID stickers.
Bridge of tomorrow
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THE VIEW 9
