Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) System (2024)

"Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) System"

Electronic toll collection (ETC) is a wireless system to automatically collect the usage fee or toll charged to vehicles using toll roads. It is a faster alternative which is replacing toll booths with a stationed toll teller, where vehicles must stop and the driver manually pays the toll with cash.

In the Philippine setting, vehicles using the ETC system are equipped with an ETC Device or a transponder device such as the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Sticker. Vehicles equipped with the ETC Device passes an ETC Lane, a radio signal from the reader and/or antenna triggers the transponder, which transmits back an identifying number which registers the vehicle's On Board Unit (OBU) identification and subsequently the system charges the user's/subscriber's account the corresponding toll fare.

"Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) Device"

An Electronic toll collection (ETC) Device is a type of an transponder and/or an On Board Unit (OBU) installed at the vehicle (in the case of the Philippines and in its current setting, an RFID Sticker installed either at the Windshield or Headlamp), where its identification and details such as the account number is essential to the ETC System for toll charges.