Malaysia's Electronic Toll Collections; where is it going?

There has been so much written about an efficient toll collection system, and the ensuing confusing messages that we get from the Works Minister, see the news releases... Gantry system to collect Toll? ( Extract ... " We want a system where motorists can pay toll while driving at 110kph and need not stop,” Shaziman told reporters after opening the Sepakat Bestari programme organised by the Information Department here yesterday. Shaziman said the current method of collecting toll was outdated and inefficient.) and Gantry toll system to take effect 2010 (Extract .. " Under the system, the start and end of the journey will be electronically recorded when a motorist passes under a gantry. The toll fee will be automatically deducted via a prepaid card installed in the vehicle....") that I feel it's only right that your newpapers get full details from the Authority so the toll paying public can be clear on what they are facing, once the Gantry system is implemented in the City, and later throughout the country. To aid your enquiries so that we get the clear picture, please be guided by the following:

• By Gantry system, do you mean the vehicles can pass at around 100kph in any lane under the Gantry, or do they have to pass under the gantry but only at designated lanes, just as the present Touch N Go and Smartag systems force the cars to do so? is 110kph a safe speed to do so, if the lanes are restricted, and is it also safe for those who use the Gantry system to speed in the vicinity of those who are paying cash, T &G, and Smartag. At present, we know that even with Smartag, it's dangerous to drive more than 30kph when approaching the toll plaza.
• As reported, under the new Gantry system, cars have to purchase PREpaid cards to be installed in the vehicles, to be sensed eletronically by the Gantry's transponders. Pray tell me, what is the difference with this payment method against the existing T & G and th Smartag systems, which is only an infra red touch n go reader, anyway.. To use the new prepaid cards, which we assume is not Touch n Go, do the car owners have to also buy new readers, which presumably can be accurately read while the vehicle is speeding approximately 100kph under the Gantry.
• Under the Gantry system, which is supposed to allow the dispersal of vehicles speedily at the toll plaza bottle necks, it is then assumed that there are no lane barriers to stop the vehicles with expired prepaid cards, or prepaid cards with insufficient balances. How do the authorities prevent the passage of vehicles with invalid prepaid cards, and more pertinent to ask is, how will the authorities prevent those vehicles to go through without any prepaid card at all... Are the Gantries to be installed for Open or Closed Toll collections? The present Touch N Go is flexible, as it can be used for both modes of collection.
  
• When the new Gantry system is implemented, will the Touch N Go and Smartag systems still be in place? If so, won't the public have another problem to face at the toll plazas, when these 3 systems "fight" for the right of way? Will the concessionaires be burdened with additional infrastructure costs, and finally will the public be asked to purchase another 'reader' on top of the Smartag?
  

In countries where the Gantry type of toll collections are in force, like in Singapore, Australia and in Europe, it is based on the premise that non collection of such tolls can be kept at a minimum, and the most important fact is that non payment is minimised by strict enforcement. There is also a strong culture of trustworthiness too, and car owners are allowed to pay those fees on a monthly basis, like as in a telephone bill. In Malaysia, neither of those conditions exist, and that is why even though this was supposed to be a Gantry system, the authorities have suggested a prepaid card and reader, thus negating the effects of non stop non cash toll collections.If the new Gantry system is implemented only with prepaid cards, I feel that we are just going to be burdened with another touch nGo/smartag system, which will not be helpful at all. Remember, the only reason why we use lane barriers in all Malaysian toll plazas, is , without, those lane barriers, unpaid tolls would easliy rise to 50% of all collections. And having lane barriers with Gantry type systems and prepaid cards is just like NOT having non-stop tolling at all. YOu may ask, what about Post paid payment of Tolls with the Gantry system, ie the tolls can be paid like a monthly telephone bill. Unlike telephone bills which are paid, as users cannot allow their lines ot be cut off, who is to go after and enforce penaties for non payment of tolls? the police? That is not the solution, as millions of tickets issued by the Police have remained upaid to date..

I think we harrassed users of the expressway need a good explanation, dont you think so Editors?