The merger of two businesses is typically driven by the desire to improve efficiency, aiming for better customer service and, of course, greater growth potential.

This aspiration has been realized by business stalwarts Ramon “RSA” S. Ang, president and chief executive officer of diversified San Miguel Corp., and Manny V. Pangilinan, Chairman of Metro Pacific Investment Corp., with the merger between Autosweep RFID and Easytrip RFID.

This marriage of Autosweep RFID with Easytrip RFID promises “seamless and efficient” toll payment, eliminating the need to stop or use cash.

Just for clarity: Autosweep is the electronic toll collection system used across the SMC Infrastructure toll road network—the Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX), the Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), the Skyway System, and the NAIA Expressway (NAIAX).

Meanwhile, the Easytrip RFID, a subsidiary of MPT Mobility, the innovations arm of Metro Pacific Tollways Corporation (MPTC), is the electronic collection system for vehicles traveling the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX), Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway (SCTEX), NLEX Connector, C5 Link, Manila-Cavite Expressway (Cavitex), and the Cavite-Laguna Expressway (CALAX).

The wedding of the two is incredibly timely and will be tested with the long weekend coming up as we pay respect to our dearly departed loved ones.

For this footloose writer, the interoperability makes road trips more enjoyable as it enhances and improves traffic flow at the toll payment booth. As RSA puts it, SMC Infrastructure is “committed to connectivity and efficiency” because transportation is “integral to the nation's infrastructure.”

I believe eight years is not that long for this connectivity to come into fruition. Though there are only two major players in the tollways industry, the difficult part lay in how to fuse or blend the different algorithms both systems use. It required extensive work that included “significant upgrades” to existing infrastructure to integrate both systems.

Comparatively, it’s a much shorter timeline than the merger of BancNet and Megalink. Remember, it took nearly two decades for the banking system to have a single, unified ATM network?

The union of BancNet and Megalink was, in fact, the very foundation for the creation of the single national electronic payment platform in the country that we are enjoying right now.

In the same breath, the interoperability of the tollways system is a welcome development for us road users, and specifically for my daughter, Roxanne.

Yes Virginia, the one RFID all tollways program that was launched this past Tuesday will make it easier for Roxanne to load up the tollway card without asking which it should be, whenever she uses my vehicle.

Salute to both RSA and MVP for this milestone and their unwavering support to make road travel more convenient and faster. The interoperability of expressways is expected to reduce traffic congestion at toll plazas, and more importantly for Roxanne, there will no longer be confusion.

Before I go online or drive to my preferred station to get the One All RFID card, I’m confronted with a daunting task of choosing which of the RFID service providers I should let go.

What’s your choice?