SMC Infrastructure – the operator of South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), Skyway, Skyway Stage 3, NAIAX, Southern Tagalog Arterial Road (STAR), and Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway (TPLEX) – has announced that they will be implementing “Seamless Southern Tollways” program starting this month.
Under the Seamless Southern Tollways program, motorists will just have to pay upon exit from the tollway.
For example, if you’re coming from NLEX and will have to travel to Batangas City through Skyway Stage 3, you’ll encounter toll barriers at Del Monte, Calamba, Greenfield, and finally to your point of exit. In the Seamless Southern Tollways program, you’ll only need to stop at the toll barrier of your point entry and exit.
Using the same example above, your toll stop will be at Del Monte, and then at the point of exit.
To avoid the impression of being overcharged at the exit, SMC Infrastructure explains fees that used to be collected at the eliminated toll stops will be added to the total fees to be collected at the exit point.
Again, using the example above, toll fees for Skyway Stage 3 to Buendia (PHP 264.00); Buendia to Calamba (PHP 260.00); Greenfield to Sto. Tomas (PHP 25.00) and Sto. Tomas to Batangas City (PHP 104.00), will all be debited only at the exit point (PHP 653.00).
SMC President Ramon Ang is also asking for the cooperation of motorists to help minimize traffic buildup, by ensuring their Autosweep accounts have sufficient balance and to use the cash lanes if they have insufficient balance.
“At the end of the day, what we want to achieve is to minimize traffic and the time our countrymen spend on the road. That is why we constantly invest to improve our infrastructure and the systems that help run them--so we can make sure trips are efficient, seamless, and as safe as possible for the public” said Ang.
For now, southbound motorists will be the first to experience the new Seamless Southern Tollways program, while northbound traffic will benefit from the same setup by December 15. Integration of the NAIA Expressway is set for Q1 of 2023.
