Motorists without RFID in tollways to get citations after Dec. 1

FILE: Bocaue Toll Plaza in Bulacan (Photo by Adkranz at English Wikipedia, CC BY 3.0)

MANILA – Motorists who fail to install a radio-frequency identification (RFID) sticker in their vehicles before entering an expressway or a toll road would be issued citations and fined after the December 1 deadline for mandatory cashless transactions in toll roads.

In a message to reporters Wednesday, Department of Transportation (DOTr) Assistant Secretary Goddes Hope Libiran said the Land Transportation Office (LTO) is looking at issuing citations to these drivers based on Republic Act No. 4136 and DOTr Joint Administrative Order (JAO) No. 2014-01.

Disobedient drivers, she said, can be issued a ticket for “disregarding traffic signs,” a violation under JAO No. 2014-01 with a PHP1,000 fine.

“Since may nakalagay na RFID-only lane pero pumasok pa rin ‘yung sasakyan (Since there’s a sign saying ‘RFID-only’ lane but the vehicle still tried to enter),” Libiran said.

She said an obstruction violation, with a corresponding PHP1,000 fine, can also be issued to a driver who attempts to enter a toll road since they will get stuck behind a toll barrier and obstruct the flow of traffic.

Following the DOTr’s decision to push the deadline for mandatory cashless transactions in tollways to December 1, she said motorists have now been given four months to comply with the directive.

“Iniiwasan nga natin na last minute sila kukuha (We’re trying to discourage last-minute installations of RFIDs), that’s why we extended for another month. Whatever the reason, kung wala silang (if they don’t have an) RFID by December 1, a citation ticket will be issued,” Libiran said.

The full implementation of cashless transactions in toll roads was scheduled to take effect on November 2 but was reset to December 1.

The DOTr said the deadline for the measure would no longer be extended.