SMC Tollways will offer free installation of RFID stickers to all types of vehicles that are using San Miguel Corporation (SMC)’s toll roads as the conglomerate transitions to cashless transactions in a bid to prevent the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
According to SMC president and chief operating officer Ramon S. Ang, SMC Tollways will offer free installation of RFID stickers on private vehicles and public utility vehicles that are traversing the Skyway, NAIA Expressway, South Luzon Expressway, Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR Tollways), and the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway.
The move to go cashless with the use of RFID stickers came on the heels of the recommendation of the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB) through the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB).
The LTFRB earlier directed all toll operators to provide free installation of RFID stickers on vehicles traversing expressways in a bid to limit direct hand contact during payments at toll plazas.
The first phase of the implementation will take effect starting October 15 this year and will cover the elevated section of the Skyway, NAIAX and SLEX. The second phase, meanwhile, will cover the at-grade sections of the three tollways and include STAR Tollways in southern Luzon and TPLEX in northern Luzon starting January 2021.
Although the LTFRB directive only covers public utility vehicles such as buses, jeepneys and utility vans, SMC has also included all vehicles in all categories as part of its initiatives in curbing the spread of the dreaded virus.
“We are committed to protecting motorists and our tollway operators and ensuring that everyone’s health is safeguarded by limiting personal contact and going 100% RFID on tollroads that we operate,” Ang said.
Under the ‘RFID To Go’ scheme, motorists may avail of the free installation of RFID at the lanes with a minimum of P200 load for Class 1 vehicles and an amount equivalent to farthest toll for Class 2 and 3.
Meanwhile, public utility vehicles and fleet accounts may visit www.autosweeprfid.com and follow the steps listed at the website. The SMC said that supporting documents are not required for all applications, including ‘RFID To Go’ and website-based.
As of June 11, 2020, the RFID installation areas in Skyway are in Bicutan CSC, C5 CSC Southbound, Petron Commerce Ave., Petron C5, Petron Dasmarinas, Petron NAIAX, Shell Magallanes, C5 Toll Northbound, NAIAX Main Toll Plaza A&B, Old NAIAX- Drive Thru, and Skyway Main Toll Plaza (Northbound).
Motorists can avail of RFID stickers at the following SLEX locations: Ayala Greenfield, Silangan CSC,Southwoods (Northbound and Southbound), Sta. Rosa (Northbound), Cabuyao Toll Plaza (Southbound), Susana Heights, Petron San Pedro, Shell Mamplasan, Shell Putatan, Petron Evia, Eton (Northbound), Filinvest, and Mamplasan (Northbound and Southbound).
Meanwhile, RFID applications are also accepted at STAR Tollways locations at Star Toll Lipa CSC, Petron Lipa, and Petron Malvar. For TPLEX, motorists can go to Tarlac CSC; Petron Pura NB; Petron Pura SB; Carmen Toll Plaza; Pozorrubio Toll Plaza; and Tarlac Toll Plaza.
On the other hand, those who are already using RFID can also reload conveniently at several reloading stations including online facilities such as G-cash and JustPay.To. Motorists can also pay online through select banks including: Bank of Commerce, Union Bank, Maybank, Chinabank, BPI, and EON by Union Bank.