`Lorries pass the Pháp Vân-Cầu Giẽ Tollbooth in Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Ngọc Anh

HÀ NỘI — Ministries and localities have been urged to install ePass systems on vehicles to allow them to use the automatic electronic toll collection (ETC). 

The request was made by Deputy Prime Minister Lê Văn Thành in the Dispatch 155/CĐ-TTg on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Transport (MoT) and provincial and municipal people’s committees have installed ETC systems in all tollbooths on roads around the country following Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính’s decision on June 17, 2020.

But the MoT reported that so far only about 50 per cent of vehicles are fitted with an ePass leading to low effectiveness of the ETC systems.

To promote the efficiency of the ETC system, contributing to reduce traffic congestion and transparency in toll collection, leaders of ministries, provinces and cities were requested to speed up the process of installing the device on vehicles.

The MoT asked suppliers for the ePass services to ensure convenience for the work, and have in place measures to resolve arising technical errors. Individuals and organisations causing errors for the ePass, creating difficulties for vehicles owners will be strictly punished.

The MoT will continue to implement the PM’s direction about applying the ETC systems in a pilot programme on several highways across the country.

The Ministry of Information and Communication must improve education to inform citizens and enterprises in using the ETC systems, and eventually eliminate manual collections.

The MoT will supervise the work and report issues to the PM for quick solutions. — VNS