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Putting the ETC system to better use on roads

Ken Sakamura (Mainichi)
Ken Sakamura (Mainichi)

While there are arguments for and against free highway tolls, the idea of completely eliminating tolls rarely emerges now in mainstream discussions. Talk on abolishing highway tolls only surfaces in the context of a partially toll-free system in which only routes that are not congested are free. Some say that under such a scheme, most highways in urban areas will remain subject to tolls.

Some complain that according to past promises, tolls were supposed to be eliminated after construction debts had been paid back. In a sense, however, a change of ruling party brings an opportunity to break from the past. We should make use of this chance to lay down a new policy in bringing about the ideal highway system for Japan.

We must take into account two factors that did not exist when highways were first built when designing such a system. One is the high-priority goal of environmental protection. Another is the advancement of information and communications technology that will serve as a means of achieving our goals.

The debate over highway tolls has yet to be settled due to the difficulty of determining whether free tolls are a good thing. The matter has grown more complex after environmental concerns became an important factor in addition to economic and budget concerns. If we are to settle on eliminating tolls on "congestion-free routes," one can only imagine the ensuing arguments as to what constitutes "congestion-free."

Simulations will be run, of course, in making any such decisions, but there is a limit to the accuracy of social simulation models involving great numbers of people. Does this mean there's nothing we can do about the situation? Not quite. Even if we are to abolish highway tolls -- or rather, for the exact purpose of implementing a partially toll-free system -- it would be wise to employ the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system that is already in use in Japan.

The use of the ETC system requires the installment of ETC transponders in all cars. Such a feat is not impossible. Indeed, Singapore has made the installment of transponders for their Electronic Road Pricing (ERP) system -- the equivalent of Japan's ETC -- mandatory for all automobiles.

If all cars are equipped with transponders, gates in toll collection lanes will no longer be necessary, eliminating gate-related accidents and significantly cutting back on the cost of installation and maintenance of toll roads. Drivers who pass through these gate-less lanes without a transponder can be photographed and fined. It works in Singapore, where, incidentally, the system they use is made in Japan.

Today, toll collection areas require a lot of space because of facilities for toll collectors and the path for such personnel to reach their booths. The elimination of such facilities would lower the cost of installing toll "gates." Selecting the locations for entry and exit points of highways would also become easier.

The ETC system could also be used for car-related service payments such as parking and drive-through purchases. Collecting street parking fees would also be easy with the ETC system.

Price flexibility, which the ETC system would bring, is attractive. There could be discounts based on time of use, automobile types or weather, or even free tolls for public service vehicles or for physically-challenged passengers. Implementing a complicated pricing system would be a matter of adjusting a computer program.

We must incorporate a "congestion pricing" rate into such a system. Singapore does not have any highways, and its ERP system is applied to all of its roads. Many countries are now considering adopting Singapore's system as a highly effective method of reducing traffic congestion and protecting the environment.

In an era in which environmental conservation is a top priority, the expectation of free road use is one that needs to be reviewed very hard.

Today, the Autobahn, the world's first highway, has made ERP mandatory for trucks.

Many nations are contemplating adopting the system for ordinary cars and roads. With the ETC system already in use, Japan is in a good position to make such a move.

Even with environmental considerations in mind, a user-based payment system is more rational than a blanket poll tax system. Charge the drivers of cars in traffic jams, pumping out excessive amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, more than those whose cars sit idle in garages. The greater the congestion, the greater the toll. Eventually, only the drivers who are willing to pay the higher bill will remain on the road, and traffic jams will disappear.

By making tolls free when roads are empty, we can meet the goal of partially free tolls. Real-time information on tolls can be made available through car navigation systems and cell phones, and voice guidance systems can inform drivers of toll gates ahead.

The remaining obstacles are the cost of installing ETC systems and the need for a credit card for registration. The cost of transponders can be brought down to several thousand yen per piece through mass production. Wouldn't such a price tag be more attractive than a blanket environmental tax? As for the credit card hurdle, make ETC transponders usable with a pre-paid card like the current SUICA smart cards used for JR East fares. Insufficient funds on smart cards should not be too big of a problem if gates no longer block cars, and a system of fines and pre-toll lane voice warnings are put into place.

The ETC system is the car-version of SUICA, so to speak. As is evidenced by the rush to adopt contact-less smart cards by railway companies, automation is a sure way to bring down fee collection costs. Reduced collection work and fees will mean less involvement of subcontractors, whose overheads are reportedly high. The low cost of the system will benefit users in the long run after all. As Japan faces the challenge of a rapidly aging society, labor-saving and streamlining efforts are all the more important. We need to leave the jobs that can be dealt with by machines to machines, while applying human resources to tasks that require human attention such as providing care for the aged. (By Ken Sakamura, Professor of Applied Computer Science at the University of Tokyo)

(Mainichi Japan) October 31, 2009

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