“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.
The
way how manual toll collection function is by collecting tolls from the drivers
that passed by the toll station. However, there is a fatal drawback in this method.
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 avoiding
these toll stations, because of the short distances they are traveling and the unequal
distances between toll stations, which means they can drive on the freeway for
free. In contrast, for those people whose residences 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 used
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, a driver
will be charged 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 save up to
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 not
only save billions of budgets but also becomes the first country in the world
to adopt 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 challenge will be
at material and moral aspect.
However,
think for a minute 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 the toll collectors. On the contrary if electronic toll
collection is put to function then we do not have to worry. Moreover, 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
4. 國道收費員 抗議資遣費被吃 2013, China Times, Hsieh, Hsing-En http://news.chinatimes.com/society/11050301/112013121800125.html
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
沒有留言:
張貼留言