The RFID (Radio-Frequency IDentification) initiative for electronic toll payment started off as a pilot programme 18 months ago. During the period, to encourage motorists to adopt the RFID tag, Touch ‘n Go (the company managing the system), offered it for free.
One million motorists have taken up the offer, having the tiny tag with an embedded chip installed on their vehicle’s windscreen or headlamp. According to the company, the tags have been used for 55 million toll payment transactions and the failure rate (for a transaction) has been just 1%.
Concessionaires managing 22 highways allocated lanes for Class 1 vehicles at their toll plazas which allow the RFID system to be used, providing quick passage through without having to stop. These include 10 toll plazas on PLUS-managed highways (since January 1, 2020) with toll payments using the RFID tag at the remaining 83 PLUS toll plazas being accepted from April 1, 2020.
Price inclusive of one replacement
The pilot programme will end on February 14, 2020 and thereafter, those who want to install the RFID tags will have to pay RM35 for each tag. This payment covers a free replacement on the same vehicle when users need to get a new RFID tag (on a one-time basis).
The company has also announced plans to expand the usage of the RFID tag to pay for other services (eg parking and refueling), as well as enable linking with bank accounts and credit/debit cards so that users can reload and pay more easily. The system currently works with the TnG eWallet which is a requirement to use the RFID tag.
PLUS to accept TnG RFID system on its highways, also addressing reload issues
