Authorities and the concessionaire for the Skyway Stage 3 on Monday tested its electronic toll collection system ahead of launch, the Department of Transportation said.
The test covered the inventory and maintenance of the toll collection equipment, Lane Computer System protocols, and Plaza Computer System protocols, the DOTr said.
Different scenarios were tested, such as the processing of exempted vehicle and towed vehicle, as well as the processing of low balance and invalid RFID transactions, among others, it said.
Since the Skyway Stage 3 opened in December 2020, San Miguel Corp. President and CEO Ramon Ang said passage to motorists would be free. The 18.83-kilometer elevated expressway connected Buendia, Makati City to the North Luzon Expressway in Balintawak, Quezon City, cutting travel time from 2 hours to just 15 to 20 minutes.
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"Mahalaga po ang tinatawag na SAT dahil para po masiguro namin na tatakbo ang ating Electronic Toll Collection System ng maayos, mabilis, matiwasay at ligtas para sa ating lahat, specially sa mga toll road users," Toll Regulatory Board Executive Director Alvin A Carullo said.
"Ibig sabihin po, dapat tama po 'yung mga toll rate, tapos po dapat mabilis ang pagbasa sa RFID tag kasi importante ito para maiwasan po 'yung paghaba ng pila sa mga toll plaza at tsaka ang pagkumpul-kumpol ng mga sasakyan," he added.
Officials have yet to release final toll rate for the Skyway Stage 3.
During the second half of 2020, the government mandated all expressways to accept toll payments only via RFID to minimize contact as a precaution against COVID-19. This move also aimed to reduce traffic and make travel more convenient to motorists.
However, there have been complaints of faulty sensors, limited registration sites, interoperability, and too short of a time to get an RFID tag.
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