Okinawa Expressway Tolls Increase April 1st, 2024 For Cash Paying Customers

Be prepared! Okinawa’s expressway tolls to increase in April - STARS & STRIPES

 Attention All Okinawa Customers: Get ETC Card Today Before April!

Starting (April 1, 2024): Non ETC Card Customers Will See Increase of 35.5% On Toll Prices Paying Cash on Okinawa Expressway!

If you pay with a toll ticket & cash, expect up to a 35.5% increase.

A 35.5% fare discount was implemented for all vehicles on the Okinawa Expressway in Year 1999, and NEXCO West Japan has decided to apply only to vehicles with ETC.

Any Customers Paying With Cash Will Not Receive Discounts.

 

On Monday, March 18, 2024, 17 new tollgates were converted to ETC-only tollgates.
https://www.w-nexco.co.jp/etc/etc-only/
Every month more and more toll gates are switching to ETC-Only lanes.

 

How to deal with ETC-only toll booths. What if I forget to insert my card and I don't have it?

How to deal with ETC-only toll booths. What if I forget to insert my card and I don't have it?

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has announced plans to make expressway toll gates dedicated to ETC by 2030.
ETC-only toll gates nationwide are accelerating their move.
However, there are a certain number of drivers who are unfamiliar with using ETC-only toll gates, such as forgetting to insert their ETC card or not having a card in the first place.

What should I do if I accidentally enter an ETC toll booth?

Dedicated ETC toll booths nationwide by 2030

Twenty years have passed since ETC, which allows non-stop payment of tolls, was put into full-scale operation. According to a survey by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, the usage rate has reached 94.1% nationwide, and if you narrow it down to the Metropolitan Expressway , it will jump to 97.9% (both data are as of September 2022). It can be assumed that most expressway tolls are now settled by ETC.

Based on this situation, on September 25, 2020, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism presented a plan to promote ETC-dedicated tollgates by around FY2030. In response to this, each expressway company has begun to move toward ETC exclusive use, and the fastest movement was the Metropolitan Expressway.

As of December 2022, 35 toll gates have already been set up as "ETC-only" toll gates, where only ETC wireless traffic is possible. If the usage rate is so high, it seems that it was judged possible to promote ETC dedication.

Here, I would like to report on how to deal with ETC-only tollgates, using the Shuto Expressway as an example. Then, what is the reason for promoting ETC specialization?

The reasons announced by the Metropolitan Expressway are as follows.

Reason 1: Flexible pricing such as discounts for available time slots and routes can be easily set, reducing congestion and improving the productivity of customers (users).
In fact, from April 2022, the upper limit of the toll on the Metropolitan Expressway will be raised. However, this is the toll applied when driving the longest distance on the Metropolitan Expressway, and there is no increase in the price when driving a short distance. On the other hand, new discounts were also introduced on this occasion.

That is the "midnight discount", which is a 20% discount on all routes from midnight to 4 am, and this is the Tomei Expressway

You can think of it as the same discount system as intercity highways. The introduction of ETC will make it easier to set such tolls.

Reason 2: As it becomes difficult to secure personnel, the function of the toll gate can be maintained even without the staff.
Securing the number of toll collectors is a major problem for the Metropolitan Expressway. It is said that the collection workers have been recruiting mainly on the condition that they can work as silver employees even after retirement, but even so, they had a strong impression that work at the toll gate that operates 24 hours a day was harsh, so they secured personnel as they wanted. seems difficult to do.

Based on this situation, it was essential to develop a dedicated ETC system that could operate unmanned.

Reason 3: It can reduce the risk of infectious diseases for customers (users) and toll collectors.

In particular, although cash collection is short-term, there is a risk of infection from contact with the driver and the cash received.

There was even a time when some toll gates were operating only ETC due to this effect. If this is dedicated to ETC, the impact can be virtually zero.

What can you do in the support lane?

Under such circumstances, "ETC-only lanes" and "support lanes" appeared at the ETC-only tollgates on the Metropolitan Expressway.

In the past, it was divided into "ETC" and "general", so many people misunderstand this support lane as a conventional general lane and try to pay with cash or credit card.

However, here, only cash or credit card payment is not allowed at all, only instructed to pay later through the intercom.

Specifically, when you enter the support lane, the staff will ask you about the situation through the speaker, so you will answer with the intercom.

If a communication error occurs even though the ETC card is inserted, basically it is possible to process ETC wireless passage on the spot, but at some toll gates, the phone number of the contact point will be communicated (toll (Sometimes leaflets are placed at places), so if you contact them at a later date, you will be able to pay for ETC wireless passage.

People who were planning to pay by cash, credit card, or ETC card will pay later, but in some cases, they may check the driver's license.

"ETC-only lanes" and "support lanes" have appeared at the ETC-only toll booths on the Shuto Expressway.

In the past, it was divided into "ETC" and "general", so many people misunderstand this support lane as a conventional general lane and try to pay with cash or credit card.

However, here, only cash or credit card payment is not allowed at all, only instructed to pay later through the intercom.

Specifically, when you enter the support lane, the staff will ask you about the situation through the speaker, so you will answer with the intercom.

If a communication error occurs even though the ETC card is inserted, basically it is possible to process ETC wireless passage on the spot, but at some toll gates, the phone number of the contact point will be communicated (toll (Sometimes leaflets are placed at places), so if you contact them at a later date, you will be able to pay for ETC wireless passage.

People who were planning to pay by cash, credit card, or ETC card will pay later, but in some cases, they may check the driver's license.

What to do if you accidentally enter an ETC-only toll gate

However, when using a borrowed car such as a rental car, there are times when you forget to insert the ETC card.

Furthermore, car navigation systems that are not linked to ETC may guide you to ETC-only toll booths.

What would happen if you headed for the gate in such a state? Toll gates on the Metropolitan Expressway are basically equipped with a retractable bar.

If you follow the car ahead, the bar may be left open, so at first glance it seems that you can pass as it is.

However, if the ETC card is not recognized, the bar will come down at the same time as "STOP stop" is displayed and you will not be able to pass as it is.

Of course, when the bar comes down, it seems that consideration is given so that the car can be stopped safely if the car travels at a speed of 20 km/h or less, which is the recommended speed for passing through the tollgate.

In addition, some people try to back up in a hurry because the opening and closing bar does not open.

However, it is highly likely that there will be a following vehicle, and we would like to recognize that this is an extremely dangerous act.

If the ETC card is not inserted or the bar does not open due to some trouble, be sure to stop calmly and answer the intercom inquiry.

Then, what happens if it passes through without being able to stop? The bar itself is made of a soft material so that it will not be affected by contact with the vehicle, and in the worst case, it can be pushed open as it is.

However, if the payment is not made normally and you do not contact us without payment, it will be treated as unauthorized passage and you will be charged a toll and surcharge using the surveillance camera installed in the lane to prevent unauthorized passage will be.

So, in order not to be charged extra, if you pass through the gate without an ETC card, we recommend that you contact the following as soon as possible and pay the unpaid toll.

At that time, it is essential to convey the ETC card number, the date of passage, the time when the tollgate will pass at each entrance and exit, the vehicle type, license plate information, etc. request for payment Exit window

(03-4564-4503 weekdays 9:00-18:00, 12/29-1/3 excluded) Shutoko Customer Center
(03-6667-5855 Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays all day, weekdays other than the above hours)

However, If such a situation occurs, not only the driver himself/herself will be troubled, but also the following vehicle will be troubled.

In order to avoid such troubles, always check whether the ETC card is inserted when starting the engine and whether the ETC card has expired.

If you really want to pass by cash, credit card, or hand-delivered ETC card, you may need to check in advance whether the tollgate allows that pass.

However, it is also a decision that ETC will be dedicated to ETC by 2030.

In line with this movement, it is also true that more and more automobile manufacturers are making ETC standard equipment for new vehicles.

If you actually use ETC, you can receive a discount according to the distance (if you don't use ETC, the maximum toll will be collected even for short sections), and above all, the convenience of being able to pay cashless is the greatest advantage.

There is no longer any reason not to equip a car with an ETC in-vehicle device.

00 12/29-1/3) Shutoko Customer Center (03-6667-5855 Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays all day, weekdays other than the above hours)

It will also cause trouble for the following vehicle. In order to avoid such troubles, always check whether the ETC card is inserted when starting the engine and whether the ETC card has expired.

If you really want to pass by cash, credit card, or hand-delivered ETC card, you may need to check in advance whether the tollgate allows that pass.

However, it is also a decision that ETC will be dedicated to ETC by 2030.

In line with this movement, it is also true that more and more automobile manufacturers are making ETC standard equipment for new vehicles.

If you actually use ETC, you can receive a discount according to the distance (if you don't use ETC, the maximum toll will be collected even for short sections), and above all, the convenience of being able to pay cashless is the greatest advantage.

There is no longer any reason not to equip a car with an ETC in-vehicle device. 00 12/29-1/3) Shutoko Customer Center (03-6667-5855 Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays all day, weekdays other than the above hours) It will also cause trouble for the following vehicle. In order to avoid such troubles, always check whether the ETC card is inserted when starting the engine and whether the ETC card has expired. If you really want to pass by cash, credit card, or hand-delivered ETC card, you may need to check in advance whether the tollgate allows that pass. However, it is also a decision that ETC will be dedicated to ETC by 2030.

In line with this movement, it is also true that more and more automobile manufacturers are making ETC standard equipment for new vehicles. If you actually use ETC, you can receive a discount according to the distance (if you don't use ETC, the maximum toll will be collected even for short sections), and above all, the convenience of being able to pay cashless is the greatest advantage. There is no longer any reason not to equip a car with an ETC in-vehicle device.