Skyway Stage 3 testing ETC before collecting toll

TRB, SMC testing Skyway Stage 3’s toll collection system

Soon, Skyway Stage 3 – the elevated expressway that connects South Luzon Expressway to the North Luzon Expressway – may start collecting toll fees.

Before it does, the Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), SMC Tollways, as well as an independent consulting firm, recently accomplished the Site Acceptance Test (SAT) of the Electronic Toll Collection System (ETCS) of the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3, to ensure the system’s functionality and readiness.

The SAT covers the inventory and maintenance of the ETCS equipment, Lane Computer System protocols, and Plaza Computer System protocols, in which different test case scenarios are tested, including the processing of exempted vehicle and towed vehicle, as well as the processing of low balance and invalid RFID transactions, among others.

“Mahalaga po ang tinatawag na SAT dahil para po masiguro namin na tatakbo ang ating Electronic Toll Collection System ng maayos, mabilis, matiwasay at ligtas para sa ating lahat, specially sa mga toll road users (SAT is very important to ensure that the ETCS will run smoothly, fast and safe for all toll road users),” said TRB’s newly-appointed executive director, Atty. Alvin Carullo.

In essence, Carullo added, the SAT will make sure that the toll being collected will be accurate, and that the RFID readers will read the tags as fast as possible to avoid the build-up of vehicles in toll plazas.