NLEX Corp. Tuesday said it will implement several measures to resolve the technical issues caused by EasyTrip RFID system after the Valenzuela City government suspended the toll operator’s business permit.
“We are reviewing the situation and are doing everything necessary to address the issues,” NLEX president J. Luigi Bautista said, including amicable and cooperative initiatives between the tollway company and the city government of Valenzuela.
Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian on Monday served the city government’s suspension of NLEX’s business permit after it the toll operator failed to resolve issues on RFID.
Toll will not be collected at Karuhatan-Mindanao Avenue, Karuhatan-Harbor Link, Karuhatan Harbor Link MacArthur Highway Exit, Mindanao Avenue Toll Plaza, Paso de Blas toll Plaza and Lawang Bato Northbound entry toll booths because of the permit suspension.
Prior to the implementation of 100-percent cashless transactions, NLEX said it undertook consistent monitoring and upgrade to improve its RFID system. Advanced reading of RFID tags was implemented by relocating RFID sensors 10 meters from their original positions and adjusted the system software for faster transaction times.
Overall RFID transactions totaled 291,642m with 98 percent read rate, since Dec. 1, it said.
Bautista earlier said the company was working to eliminate the inconvenience caused to customers by the new compulsory tollway cashless transaction system using RFID as required by the Department of Transportation.
The tollway company said the cashless toll implementation experienced birth pains that unfortunately resulted in technical problems in some instances.
“These glitches that are occurring at the toll booths are simply a result of some adjustments that should be expected because the RFID implementation took effect only eight days ago,” Bautista said.
NLEX assured stakeholders that their concerns raised in various mass and social media channels were being heard and addressed as a top priority.
The company said it was accelerating the solutions to make it more convenient for the public to adjust to the new RFID system.
Bautista said the company would continue to pursue a series of consultations and dialogs with the Valenzuela mayor in good faith.