No RFID? Prepare to Be Fined at Toll Gates by October 1

(SPOT.ph) Has your Autosweep or Easytrip been faulty or running low on balance in your recent trips? Consider this a heads-up: Starting October 1, motorists will be fined if they enter or exit expressways without a properly functioning RFID.

According to the Toll Regulatory Board, the implementation "intends to achieve a smoother and faster flow of traffic at the toll plazas, thereby saving time, money and resources." 

Penalties for insufficient balance, no RFID sticker

Having no RFID sticker when passing through a non-cash pay toll gate will result in the following fines as outlined in Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001 by the Department of Transportation (DOTr), the Land Transportation Office (LTO), and the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB):

• First offense: P1,000
• Second offense: P2,000
• Subsequent offenses: P5,000 per offense

For those who exit tollways with an insufficient balance, the penalties are slightly lower but still substantial:

• First offense: P500
• Second offense: P1,000.
• Subsequent offenses: P2,500 per offense

“In the event that the driver refuses to have his/her RFID sticker replaced despite that he/she had already been notified by the RFID provider to make such replacement, the driver’s license and his/her motor vehicle shall be put on alarm until such had already been compiled with,” it said in the memo.

This new rule is also part of the government’s effort to enforce stricter compliance on cashless toll systems. The initial push for contactless transactions was driven by the DOTr's Department Order No. 2020-12 as a measure to combat the transmission of COVID-19 in 2020. It has since evolved into a strategy to enhance the flow of traffic on expressways.

Prior to this, motorists blocking the flow of traffic at the RFID lane caused by insufficient load were only issued a traffic violation ticket for “obstruction.”

Also read: Here's How to Check Your Autosweep and EasyTrip RFID Balance

How to load funds into Easytrip and Autosweep RFID

A quick refresher: There are two RFIDs in use right now—Autosweep and Easytrip—for various expressways in the country. Both are linked to prepaid accounts, which require sufficient funds to pay for toll fees. 

To top up, visit an authorized reloading center or partner retail outlets. The only thing you’ll need is your RFID account number or plate number.

For Easytrip users:

For Autosweep users:

How to load EasyTrip and Autosweep online 

No time to make a trip to a physical reloading station? You can also top up your EasyTrip and Autosweep RFIDs on mobile wallets and banking apps as well.

Log in to your chosen mobile wallet or banking app. In the app, look for an option related to “Bills Payment” or “RFID Reload.” Select the appropriate service—EasyTrip or AutoSweep—and enter the necessary details.

Specify the amount you wish to load to your RFID account. Review the details to ensure accuracy, then confirm the transaction. Your RFID balance should be updated in real time.

Also read: GUIDE: How to Replace Easytrip Cards and RFID Stickers

UPDATED (August 27, 2024): This article has been updated to reflect the DOTr's deferred implementation of Joint Memorandum Circular No. 2024-001 to October 1, 2024.