TRB pursues toll integration

MANILA, Philippines - The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) is set to pursue the integration of the toll collection systems in the expressways in Southern Luzon within the year after operators in North Luzon agreed to simplify toll collections.

TRB executive director Edmund Reyes Jr. said the government would push for the toll collection integration of the South Luzon expressway (SLEX), the Metro Manila Skyway, and the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR) Tollway as suggested by Senate President Franklin Drilon.

 “We want to do this as soon as possible,” Reyes said.

Skyway Operation and Maintenance Corp. (SOMCO) operates the 44.5-km Skyway while South Luzon Tollways Corp. (SLTC) owns the 60-km SLEX that is being operated and maintained by Manila Toll Expressway Systems Inc. (MATES). Diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corp. (SMC) has interest in both toll road through the Citra Group.

On the other hand, the 42-km STAR Tollway is operated by STAR Infrastructure Development Corp.

Last Thursday, Drilon encouraged the TRB to issue an order directing the operators of toll roads in Southern Luzon to integrate their collection systems to ease queues particularly in toll plazas.

 “I would like to see a toll collection integration between the Skyway and SLEX by June and the Star Tollway before the end of the year,” Drilon said.

Manila North Tollways Corp. (MNTC), a unit of infrastructure giant Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), signed a toll integration agreement with state-owned Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) to speed up the queues on the exit plazas of the 86.7-km North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) and the 94-km Subic-Clark Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX).

MNTC president Rodrigo Franco said the company would spend P650 million for the integration of the 86.7-kilometer NLEX and 94-km SCTEX to provide motorists with more continuous travel experience.

“The toll collection technology that is available to NLEX motorists will now be used along the SCTEX, making travel faster and more efficient,” he said.

Franco pointed out that MNTC is expected to take over the SCTEX concession this year after no bidders showed up during the price challenge conducted by BCDA last Jan. 30.

The toll collection system integration would feature a common transit ticket system for both NLEX and SCTEX. These include the use of dedicated short-range communication tags, contactless and magnetic cards as well as radio frequency identification (RFID) sticker tags as means of paying toll.

As such toll barriers at NLEX Dau and SCTEX Mabalacat would be removed while new toll plazas would be constructed at the existing entry and exit ramps in Dau and Sta. Ines along NLEX as well as in Tarlac along SCTEX.

Construction is expected to start next month after the completion of the design and would be completed this year.