Monday, August 1, marked the first- day use of automated non-stop toll collection on the Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressway in line with the national government’s direction. Localized congestion occurred at the Tuy Loan Toll Booth located at the beginning of the Da Nang - Quang Ngai expressway as many vehicles moved back into the expressway lane in order to move out of electronic toll collection (ETC) lane. These vehicles have yet to be equipped with e-tag to make them eligible to use the ETC system or their owners have yet to deposit money into the account to pay tolls. Meanwhile, the booth’s staff switched to manually scan radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags as scanning device at this booth failed to operate, making vehicle drivers feel frustrated.

Long queues of waiting vehicles at the toll booth. Photo: PHUONG UYEN.

Scanning device at the toll booth fails to read RFID tags, causing long lines at this venue. Photo: PHUONG UYEN

The booth’s staff find it difficult in reading RFID tags as the scanner sometimes fails to operate. Employees of service providers are on duty to assist drivers as they need help to check their accounts after the ETC system do not allow them to pass the toll booth because of not enough money in their accounts to pay tolls. Photo: PHUONG UYEN.

A vehicle driver asking for help from an employee of the service provider to check his account after the ETC system do not allow him to pass the toll booth because of not enough money in his account to cover road tolls. Photo: PHUONG UYEN.

Long queues of waiting vehicles travelling between Da Nang and Quang Ngai at the toll booth.

The functional forces regulating traffic to help vehicles passing through the toll road in a bid to reduce localised congestion.

Reporting by PHUONG UYEN – translating by H.L