MANILA, Philippines — The Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) is eyeing to implement beginning on February 22 a three-strike policy against motorists who enter RFID-only lanes on expressways without sufficient load.
Department of Transportation (DOTr) Undersecretary Garry de Guzman, who has been appointed as alternate TRB chair, told the House transportation panel on Wednesday that they target to implement the new policy in two weeks after they launch a “massive” information drive for motorists.
“There seems to be a lot of those who repeatedly abuse [the current system,]” De Guzman said in Filipino. “Imagine, just one of them gets delayed during rush hour, that would cause a huge effect.”
But some lawmakers said that the implementation of the new rule, which would see motorists getting penalized on the third time that they pass through tollways without sufficient load on their RFID accounts, should only come if the TRB also imposes stiffer penalties on erring toll operators.
“If we are going to impose penalties on our motorists, there should be heavier penalties for toll operators,” Deputy Speaker Wes Gatchalian (Valenzuela City) said.
But DOTr officials allayed concerns of lawmakers as they said that they would only implement the three-strike rule if toll operators would be able to comply with minimum performance standards and key performance indicators.
Among these standards and indicators is the obligation of toll operators to inform motorists of their available balance through text message or email. — Xave Gregorio