Proposing the Ministry to invest in an automatic toll collection system

Tasco Joint Stock Company has just submitted a proposal to the Ministry of Transport to become the investor in the project of automatic non-stop toll collection and vehicle weight control nationwide - phase 1 applied to National Highway 1 and Ho Chi Minh Road through the Central Highlands under the form of a BOO contract (build-own-operate).

Currently, Tasco is managing and operating two toll stations, Tan De (Thai Binh) and My Loc (Nam Dinh). This unit realizes that the current manual toll collection using one-stop technology is quite outdated, has many disadvantages and requires more human resources to maintain operations at the station, while the non-stop automatic toll collection technology does not require stopping at the toll station and integrates many features such as vehicle load control, vehicle inspection, and traffic violation penalties.

Non-stop automatic toll stations save a lot of costs and bring socio-economic benefits. (Photo: Viet Hung/Vietnam+)

Previously, Tasco proposed and was approved by the Ministry of Transport to pilot the non-stop automatic toll collection system. On March 13, Tasco successfully organized a trial run of the non-stop toll collection and vehicle weight control system at the Km 604+700 station (Quang Binh) and is ready for practical implementation.

Mr. Vu Quang Lam, General Director of Tasco Joint Stock Company, acknowledged that with more than 100 toll stations that have been and will be built nationwide, the application of non-stop automatic toll collection technology and vehicle load control will bring enormous economic and social benefits.

According to the investor's preliminary calculation, this technology can help save at least 3,400 billion VND/year, including saving 70 billion VND in ticket printing costs, about 233 billion VND in fuel costs, about 2,800 billion VND in time costs for passengers participating in traffic, saving the State budget for the operation of mobile weighing stations about 240 billion VND, reducing the State administrative apparatus about 120 billion VND.

In addition, the automatic toll collection system also has other benefits such as reducing environmental pollution, increasing engine life, shortening the time of goods circulation on the road, helping authorities manage vehicle registration, handle traffic violations, monitor and investigate stolen vehicles...

In order to be able to widely deploy the non-stop automatic toll collection technology and vehicle load control nationwide, Tasco proposed that the Ministry of Transport assign the unit as the investor to implement the above project - phase 1 applies to National Highway 1 and Ho Chi Minh Road through the Central Highlands under the BOO form.

Regarding the implementation plan, Tasco Joint Stock Company organizes the preparation of an investment project to submit to the Ministry of Transport for appraisal and approval, invests in the construction and operation of the system and organizes toll collection for all toll stations nationwide. All costs of project investment, system operation and toll collection organization are reimbursed by toll collection management costs from BOT projects.

Previously, at the press conference announcing the technology of non-stop toll collection and vehicle load control on National Highway 1 and Ho Chi Minh Road through the Central Highlands on March 10, according to Deputy Minister of Transport Nguyen Hong Truong, in the long term, non-stop stations have lower construction costs than fixed stations because fixed stations also have to build houses for workers while non-stop stations only need a small operator, no operator is needed, so it does not increase the total investment.

“The direct beneficiaries of this service are drivers because the toll does not increase and time is saved. Investors in BOT projects are also more secure because the amount of toll collected through the station will be transmitted to the Bank and can be controlled. State management agencies can also prevent loss and negativity,” Deputy Minister Nguyen Hong Truong emphasized.

Faced with concerns that the application of new technology will increase the road fees that people have to pay, Deputy Minister Nguyen Hong Truong affirmed that the fees that vehicle owners have to pay will remain the same as the current toll collection system./.

According to VNA