Cash lanes will return to North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) toll booths amid woes brought by glitches on the RFID system.
Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC) chief communication officer, Romulo Quimbo, on Friday said NLEX Corporation will bring back cash payment systems, especially at its major toll plazas, while the company is still addressing the public's concerns on its cashless system.
"Maglalagay na po tayo ng mga cash lane… In other words, magbubukas ulit ng cash lanes, halimbawa sa Balintawak Toll Plaza, ‘yun pong malalaki, maglalagay ulit tayo ng cash doon (We will put cash lanes. In other words, cash lanes will open again, for example at Balintawak Toll Plaza and other major toll plazas)," Quimbo said over DZBB interview.
"So para matugunan na rin yung mga hinaing ng mga motorista… na yung mga di naman masyadong bumabyahe, talaga namang, cash lang (It is also to meet other motorists' call, especially those who do not frequently pass through NLEX, to have a cash payment system)," he added, noting that it was also even suggested by the Office of the President and the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority.
MPTC's move came after the League of Municipalities of Bulacan, which is composed of Bulacan town mayors, released a manifesto calling for the return of cash lanes while there are still issues on the implementation of the RFID system.
The decision was also made after Sen. Grace Poe, chairperson of the Senate Public Services Committee, called on the Department of Transportation (DOTr) Thursday to hold off the full implementation of the cashless payments on toll roads and filed a resolution asking the DOTr to revisit the order and suspend its full implementation.
On the other hand, Quimbo also said that reloading sites previously installed at toll gates will be transferred to other areas to avoid traffic congestion there.
"Yun pong reloading na ginagawa ng mga customer natin… so yung loading po sa toll gate, ililipat na po natin sa ibang lugar (We will also transfer the loading stations at toll gates to other locations)," Quimbo said, adding that they are eyeing to relocate reloading stations at gasoline stations on NLEX.
"Para yung mga tao, hindi na po targetin 'yung toll gate para mag reload. We will put back the cash lanes at yung mga reloading lanes, aalisin, ililipat na natin at wala na pong installation ng sticker sa toll gates (So motorists will no longer have to go to toll gates just to reload. We will put back cash lanes and transfer reloading sites. There will be no more installation of RFID sticker at toll gates as well)," he added.
Quimbo added that NLEX Corp. will also no longer require motorists a minimum amount of load to be purchased.
On December 1, cashless transactions started to be implemented on expressways in a bid to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). However, the move caused massive gridlocks on toll booths reportedly due to glitches on the RFID system.
The "atrocious traffic situation" caused by it then prompted Valenzuela City Mayor Rex Gatchalian to suspend NLEX's business permit in the city while the company is still finding ways to address the problem.