The solution to eliminating the "bottleneck" in electronic toll collecting without halting the process

The challenge of finding a solution to the infrastructure "bottleneck" falls within the duty of the management agency and the obligation of the investor.

 In reality, alternatives to eliminate the electronic toll collecting "bottleneck" have been proposed. For the toll collection service system to be smooth and convenient, as expected by National Assembly deputies, the Government's drastic direction and administration, and the Ministry of Transport's strong implementation commitment, it is necessary to clarify the responsibilities, rights, and obligations of the 5 houses, based on the operating bases of relevant agencies, functional units, and businesses. Manager, Investor in BOTs, Service Provider, Credit House, and Garage. At that time, the policy of non-stop electronic toll collection will be accomplished and traffic will be swift, convenient, synchronized, seamless, and efficient.

 The challenge of finding a solution to the infrastructure "bottleneck" falls within the duty of the management agency and the obligation of the investor. The challenging circumstance, the existence of a few firms, cannot hinder the ETC toll collecting process. As soon as Resolution 11 of the Government is announced, this is also the direction of the government. Deputy- Prime Minister Le Van Thanh issued Document No. 2173 on April 8, 2022, demanding that the Vietnam Expressway Development Investment Corporation (VEC) complete the installation by June 2022. Put an end to delays that hinder the advancement and quality of services.

 Mr Nguyen Van Nhi, Deputy General Director of VEC stated: “The bid documents are released in April, and the contractor must be selected in June to continue installing the service and collecting money. Following the decision of 19 members of the Vietnam Expressway Development Investment Corporation, the Prime Minister tasked the Ministry of Transport and the State Financial Management Committee with identifying the implementation's capital source. We have also just established the source of funds and the installation would be finished and formally placed into service within the next 60 to 90 days.”

 With the assistance of two service providers, the electronic toll collecting system has continued to function. The Ministry of Transport has requested that the Directorate for Roads of Vietnam work with enterprises to assess the process of coordinating, adhering, linking, and running these two systems. In addition, it is the responsibility of the General Department to constantly monitor the execution of this work by two businesses (VETC and VDTC).

 Ms Bui Thi Quynh, Deputy Director of Hanoi - Hai Phong Expressway Service Company anticipated that the implementation will begin at the start of June, and the evaluation of the pilot project will be completed at that time. To achieve success, it is vital to have the attention and guidance of competent state agencies, as well as the promotion of competent state agencies and service providers to clients. Second is the coordination of service providers, such as VETC and VDTC, to implement jointly.

 Payment utilities must function in tandem with synchronized infrastructure and interconnected technologies. Consequently, the roles and obligations of the banking system - credit providers (for BOT projects, for ETC services) should also be specified. Mr Nguyen Van Thanh, former chairman of the Vietnam Automobile Transport Association, stated: We have a solution, but we need to apply it aggressively, particularly regarding payment technology.

 Mr Thanh recommended: "For specifics, the issue is that individuals create traffic accounts. These accounts need to be connected. The bank gains since millions of money in automobiles are stored there. How should hence traffic accounts be linked to individual and company accounts? Thus, people will agree quickly".

 The regrettable occurrence of a fibre optic cable failure on the Hanoi-Hai Phong highway on April 24 is an important "chasing exercise" for BOT investors and service providers to properly establish payment plans. The experimental application of ETC toll collection on the Hanoi - Hai Phong highway began on June 1. Mr Bui Trinh, General Director of Vietnam Digital Traffic Joint Stock Company (VDTC), describes the rights and responsibilities of this service provider sincerely and professionally.

 Mr Trinh stated: "At now, the specific data have shifted in a favourable direction. Immediately after receiving notification of the Prime Minister's telegraph, the project firm called the provincial People's Committees. Almost 63/63 provinces and cities have issued formal documents requiring departments, agencies, public vehicles, and private cars driven by cadres and government employees to adopt the tagging policy. When driving through toll stations around the nation, we have worked with provincial Departments of Transport as well as other departments, agencies, and sectors to deploy vehicles and give services to units."

 In terms of tagging progress, there are presently roughly 2.6 million vehicle cards, accounting for 57% of all cars. Dak Nong province has the greatest rate of tagging, reaching over 105 per cent, while Ba Ria - Vung Tau has the lowest rate of tagging, reaching 27.18 per cent. As a result, more than 2.3 million automobiles (out of around 5 million now accessible countrywide) must be tagged to utilize the ETC service. This is a critical and demanding sprint task. Only electronic toll collection will be used on the Hanoi-Hai Phong highway beginning in June. 

Mr To Nam Toan, Director of the Department of Science, Technology, Environment and International Cooperation, General Department of Vietnam precisely defines responsibilities: "We instruct suppliers to step up their efforts to reduce account openings for car owners who often use this route. To avoid situations of cars entering the station with insufficient persons, direct the operator to examine the traffic organization to provide nonstop electronic toll-collecting traffic organization and have remote warning solutions. Coordinate with service providers and operators to assess the whole system of equipment on the road to address technical faults while applying non-stop electronic toll collection".

The solution for coordinating counselling, monitoring, and promotion to encourage people to utilize ETC toll lanes when crossing the highway is centred on implementation. 

Lieutenant General Le Xuan Duc, Deputy Director of the Traffic Police Department, Ministry of Public Security stated: "We educate individuals, companies, and respect people's choice to choose, to recognize that travelling on the highway toll ETC is better than alternative forms. As the Traffic Police Department, we will collaborate with the authorities to collect the ETC pilot charge most efficiently with the drastic direction of the Government and the people's expectations."

Continuing to tackle the challenging problem of card stamping speed, the Ministry of Transport leader stated, continuing to direct the operation, urge inspection and supervision to effectively execute this policy under the guidance of the Government. This is both a responsibility and an obligation, as well as displaying the specialized management ministry's responsible management role in carrying out the National Assembly and Government's agenda. Setting out answers from global to micro, strategy to detail, the "bottlenecks" on expressways have now been definitively handled, with managers' thoughts and vision steadily emerging.

Le Dinh Tho, Deputy Minister of Transport, feels that the continuous advancement of establishing and utilizing the electronic toll collecting service would be successful.

Deputy Minister Le Dinh Tho shared: "The answer is to stick tags, organize streams to build a form, and disseminate and mobilize tags all at the same time. When you paste the card, you will see that the utility is too large, and you will not have to wait in line at the toll booths. Toll stations, which are highly practical utilities, reduce congestion and travel proactively in no time. The overarching goal is to make society more orderly, safer, and civilized. To do this, each individual must strive harder to achieve". 

In a recent meeting with the Ministry of Transport on the problems of implementing ETC toll collection and inadequacies in several traffic BOT projects, Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh also asked the Vietnam Expressway Development Investment Corporation to The South (VEC) to be more aggressive in speeding up the implementation of the ETC system at expressway projects managed by VEC; and to seriously handle responsibilities, collectives, and individuals if progress is not made.

Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh said: "From now until June 30, there will be a need to examine leadership accountability if there is no effort to immediately deploy on the field." As a result, must work day and night to accomplish it. I request that the Ministry of Transport promptly encourage and present a solution; Propaganda to the people to mobilize the people; For the sake of the country, the people, and the support of the ministries and branches, it is said that the Government's directives cannot be followed. On June 30, I went down to verify, but the work had not moved; I would examine my responsibilities and explain why".

At the gates of toll stations on the country's contemporary and advanced investment routes, such as the Hanoi-Hai Phong highway, the picture is airy, convenient, and not congested, as of June 1. When Vietnamese-branded firms band together, combine forces, and unify to achieve the Party and State's policies, such as electronic toll collection, there is no reason to wait.

There will be no toll gates, simply a traffic chain on civilized and contemporary highways, saving people and companies time, expenses, and money. "Avenue - Dai Phu" is the goal and message we are working toward so that Vietnam has 5,000 kilometres of roadways by 2030. People will be able to completely enjoy civilized and modern transportation at that time. Contemporary growth on roadways throughout the country - linking the North - To the south – is airy, modern, and civilized, in tandem with the country's socio-economic development.

Ha Nho-Tran Lam-Manh Phuong