“For the purpose
that freeway road users can pay tolls more effectively and safely neither
stopping cars, nor using cash, we programmed a BOT case which is called
"Private Sector Involvement in Development of Electronic Toll Collection
System" in order to promote using ETC on the freeway, increase passing
volume of toll stations, save payment time, improve convenience and safety, and
reduce air pollution. Furthermore, with the development of intelligent freeway
in the future, ETC system will be operated and integrated into Electronic Toll
& Transportation Management, ETTM, as the base of Intelligent
Transportation System, ITS”. It is proclaimed by the Taiwan Area National Freeway
Bureau, MOTC, which intended to replace the old manual toll collection with electronic
toll collection and to make an avant-garde step forward in the 30 years of
Taiwan Freeway history.
There
are in total of 23 toll stations scattered on the Taiwan national freeways, the
function of these toll stations was to collect toll from those who used the freeways,
however, there is a big problem in this concept. According to the statistics
provided by the Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau that two thirds of
automobiles using the freeways now have the chance of not getting through the
toll stations, because of the short distances they are traveling and also the unequal
distances between toll stations, which means that they do not have to pay for
the use. In contrast, for those people whose residence are close to the toll
stations it would be unfair for them because they have to pay the same amount
of money as driving from one toll station to another, even though they only use
a short distance of the freeway. For example people living in Taishan may have
to pay toll not long after they drive their car on the freeway passing by the Taishan
Toll Station.
As a result, the
Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau came up with the solution that instead of
collecting toll at each toll stations with the same price, we can measure the distances
a driver made on the highway and charge him with the length he used. Therefore,
in order to make it possible we rely on prevail of the electronic toll
collection. Moreover, after switching completely from manual toll collection
our government can gain about 19 billion NTD and use it into social expenses. The
vice minister of the Taiwan Area National Freeway Bureau happily announced that
Taiwan could save up to billions of budgets and would become the first country
in the world to adopt to such system.
Yet, many people
question the actuality of such a huge profit. Besides, in order to fulfill the
plan the government still have to spend a lot of money to build up the system,
which seems like a great risk. Also replacing the manual toll collection will make
974 toll collectors’ loss their job. The cost is at the material and moral
aspect.
However, think
this way if you do not have to lose your precious time waiting at a toll
station to pay toll manually. Isn’t that a significant benefit you earned
especially when you are in a hurry? Furthermore the rules about toll collecting
are restricted in many ways which the government would lose some money. For
example the present rules indicates that if there is any natural disasters like
typhoon happening the toll stations would stop working and let users passing
through without paying toll. This is simply because of concerning about the
life security of these toll collectors. On the contrary if electronic toll
collection is put to function we do not have to worry. As for those who lose
their job due to the system, it is our government’s duty to help them transfer
to another job.
In
conclusion, the benefit and convenience of electronic toll collection may not
appear in the blink of an eye because of the current moral and popularity of
the ETC device. However, if we think wide and far it is without doubt a
profiting machine in the near future.
References
1.
Special Report on Electronic
Toll Collection --「Public Participation in Build and Operate
Project for Electronic Toll Collection System on Freeways」Toll&Service Div. 2013/11/04 http://www.freeway.gov.tw/English/Publish.aspx?cnid=1112&p=503
2.
Development, Toll&Service
Div., 2013/11/04 http://www.freeway.gov.tw/English/Publish.aspx?cnid=1622&p=1743
3.
國道計程 先做到相對公平http://www.cna.com.tw/news/aHEL/201310270048-1.aspx
5.
計程收費政策說明
6.
人工收費車道注意事項
7.
國道全面計程收費 台灣領先全球
You explain clearly about the benefits electronic toll collection can bring, but there are still many problems behind the benefits. It is not a real benefit unless the government have a good way to solve the problems.
回覆刪除Correction-
In the first paragraph:
ITS”.→ITS.”
In the second paragraph:
1.the function of these toll stations was to collect toll from those who used the freeways→the function of which is to collect tolls from those who use the freeways
2.National Freeway Bureau that two thirds...→National Freeway Bureau, two thirds...
3.have the chance of not getting→have no chance of getting
4.for those people whose residence are close to the toll stations it would be unfair for them→it would be unfair for those people whose residence are close to the toll stations
5.pay toll→pay tolls
6.they drive their car→they drive their cars
In the third paragraph:
at each toll stations→at each toll station