The first free passage toll in the state of Sao Paulo, called the “modelfree flow“, recorded around 12 thousand evasions in the first month of activity. This means that the drivers passed through the place without paying the ticket and are now subject to fines. The concessionaire EcoNortheastwhich manages the highway, reported that evasions represented 8.4% of the 143,000 total vehicles that traveled on the route between September 4 and October 4, resulting in a 7% reduction in expected revenue.
The toll booth, located at km 179 of the SP-333 (Laurentino Mascari motorway), in Itápolisin the north-west of Sao Paulo, applies a flat rate of R$ 8.90, without discounts. The technology of the system”free flow” uses portals with cameras that identify the license plates of moving vehicles or detect tag signals – electronic devices already used in conventional toll booths and open access car parks.
How does free flow payment work?
For vehicles with active tags, charging occurs automatically. Those who do not have the device have up to 30 days to make the payment using the means that must be made available by the dealership, such as apps, websites or physical points. This extended period was regulated by the National Traffic Council (Contran) on October 14, doubling the previous payment period, which was 15 days.
If payment is not made within this deadline, a serious fine is imposed, set at R$ 195.23, in addition to the addition of 5 points to the National Driving License (CNH) of the vehicle owner.
The default rate observed at the Itápolis toll booth is higher than that recorded in June on the BR-101, in Rio de Janeiro, which reached 6.1%, according to data from the National Land Transport Agency (ANTT). In March 2023, the free passage model on the same federal highway had already recorded an 8.4% punctuality rate, similar to what is observed today in the interior of São Paulo. Already inside Minas Geraisthe EPR concessionaire Sul de Minas reported a non-compliance rate of 2.9% on the portal installed on the MG-459, among Precious gold AND Mount Zion.
Luiz Roberto TavaresEcoNoroeste’s user service manager, explained to Folha that non-compliance is within expectations and should decrease over time, especially considering the fact that the toll is on a daily route for many drivers. According to him, the arrival of fines at the address of violators will help raise public awareness of the accusation.
High adherence to the tag system is also a factor that should help reduce dropouts. In the toll booths managed by EcoNoroeste in the interior of São Paulo, 83% of vehicles in circulation already use electronic devices for payment. “The portal was installed in March, with clear communication, to give people time to understand that it is not a radar but a motorway toll booth“, underlined Tavares.
In October, a second free toll booth came into operation in the city of Jaboticabalalso in the interior of São Paulo. At both points there is a 5% discount for those who use the tags, as well as a progressive reduction in the value of the fare based on the number of trips made by the same vehicle during the month.
Another excerpt with system “free flow” is expected to begin operating on the southern contour of the Tamoios Highway, which will connect Caraguatatuba THE Saint Sebastianon the north coast of Sao Paulo, is scheduled to open on November 17. In this case no discount will be applied and the fare will be applied in both directions of the motorway.
The governor of Sao Paulo, Tarcisio de Freitas (Republicans), declared their intention to extend the free pass model to all state highways. The Ministry of Transport reported that, over time, the tendency is for concessionaires to replace traditional toll booths with the “free flow“, which involves fewer structures and operating costs, such as surveillance and maintenance, as it is more autonomous and based on advanced technologies.
We will withdraw the traditional motorway toll booths in the northern section of the Rodoanel with technology and innovation in favor of the user, on the basis of free flow, which means fair + tariff per kilometer travelled. System that will be implemented on other highways granted to the private sector. pic.twitter.com/VQwVB8b8LY
— Tarcisio Gomes de Freitas (@tarcisiogdf) April 24, 2023
Source: Terra
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