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P162-million electronic toll system upgrade of SCTEX will be completed this year
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Begun in 2020, the project includes upgrading of the RFID system and network switches, automatic license plate recognition, and contactless card readers
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All toll lanes on SCTEX will get new toll system equipment this year once the replacement of 46 units of old equipment for 33 toll lanes is done
The P162-million Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX) electronic toll system upgrade is set for completion this year, operator NLEX Corp said in a statement.
Began in 2020, the project includes upgrading of the radio frequency identification (RFID) system and network switches, installation of a RFID early detection feature, automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) and contactless card readers.
It will also involve replacement of toll system equipment such as toll fare indicators, lane status indicators, traffic control gates (TCGs), automatic vehicle classification (AVC) devices, and loop detectors.
“These comprehensive and integrated enhancements are part of our goal to serve our motorists more efficiently. We always ensure that we continually upgrade our system and equipment to deliver convenient and reliable service to our motorists,” NLEX Corp. president and general manager J. Luigi L. Bautista said in a statement.
This year, all toll lanes on SCTEX will have with new toll system equipment once the replacement of 46 units of old equipment for 33 toll lanes is completed.
To facilitate faster and more accurate transactions, 10 loop detectors and eight TCGs in Clark South A, Tipo, and SFEX, and eight AVC devices in Clark North A (Dolores), San Miguel, Dinalupihan, Floridablanca, and Tipo will be upgraded.
Ten toll fare indicators in SFEX, Tipo, Clark South A and Tarlac will also be replaced for better viewing of tollway fees, while 10 lane status indicators in Clark South B, Tarlac, and SFEX will be changed for greater visibility, especially for those driving at night.
In 2021, the company replaced 76 units of the said lane equipment covering 39 lanes of the entire expressway system and finished the network switch upgrade on all lanes. NLEX Corp. said the project has since led to quicker processing of transactions due to the improved network latency and increased bandwidth.
The RFID lanes on SCTEX have been equipped with upgraded RFID early detection feature and contactless card readers since 2020. Initial implementation of the ALPR was done at Tarlac Toll Plaza.
Aside from the technological enhancements, the tollway company is undertaking infrastructure improvements along SCTEX, such as the annual pavement repair program, the ongoing repair and strengthening of Pasig Potrero Bridge, and the road-raising project at Dinalupihan for motorists’ safety.
Earlier, the Toll Regulatory Board approved the toll rate adjustment and authorized the implementation of an additional P0.78 per kilometer charge on SCTEX. The toll increase took effect on June 1.
