Poe on deferment of full cashless payment
February 22, 2025
Poe on deferment of full cashless payment
The new DOTr secretary is heading in the right direction when he suspended the roll out of the full cashless payment on expressways.
The no-cash scheme is ideal, but it cannot be imposed until operators can guarantee that all defects in the system are fixed, such as malfunctioning booms, unreadable stickers and broken RFIDs.
There should also be an option for motorists to pay in cash for unforeseen circumstances.
With the remaining issues regarding the electronic toll collection and operation unaddressed, the no-cash system might just unduly punish motorists.
We also laud the planned efforts to sit down and discuss the matter with the expressway operators.
Relevant stakeholders should be included in the dialogue to fully know the realities on the ground.
For the fee they pay in expressways, motorists deserve a flawless toll collection system and improved road services.
