Motorists to soon face penalties for no ETC device, insufficient load

Motorists who will use tollways without electronic toll collection (ETC) devices or insufficient balance on their accounts are set to face penalties soon should they opt to use toll roads.

Based on the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) 2024-001 of the Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, and Toll Regulatory Board (TRB), the imposition of the punishment shall start on August 31, 2024.

According to TRB, the purpose of JMC 2024-001 is to mitigate the delays along ETC-dedicated lanes by restricting those without the proper device nor with insufficient load in the said portion of the tollways.  

“These erring motorists represent nine of all the motorists using the toll expressways who unfortunately are the ones causing the unnecessary delays and long queues at the toll plazas,” the toll regulator said.

“A vast majority of toll expressway users (91 percent) are compliant and responsible ETC users and are often greatly inconvenienced by the erring motorists,” it added.

Further, the board expressed belief that the implementation of JMC 2024-00 will improve the flow of traffic at the toll plazas— which, in turn, would help save time, money and resources.

Here are the following penalties that will be slapped to motorists who violate the said ruling (signed last August 1):

Entering a highway without the required ETC (including dilapidated ETC device) shall be penalize as “No valid ETC”:

• First offense: P1,000
• Second offense: P2,000
• Subsequent offenses: P5,000 per offense

Entering a toll road with insufficient account balance:

• First offense: P500
• Second offense P1,000
• Subsequent offenses: P2,500 per offense

In addition, motorists who use fraudulent, fake, or tampered ETC devices or E-card will also face a fine of P1,000 for the initial offense; P2,000 on the second; and P5,000 for the third and succeeding occasions.

The vehicle as well as the driver, owner, operator, or driver’s license will be put on alarm (until he or she complies with the new order) should they refuse to have the ETC device replaced despite being notified by the provider.

Additionally, the license of the driver may be confiscated for repetitively violating JMC 2024-001 within a 12-month period. If the same vehicle was used to repetitively commit the error, the vehicle shall be put on alarm until the penalty is settled.

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