New rules for electronic toll payment on Brazilian highways are approved

Last Monday (14), the National Traffic Council (Contran) approved the new rules for implementing the system called free-flow (free flow in English), which revises regulations from 2022 and will replace the traditional toll plazas on the country's highways.

The new type of electronic toll is not yet in force, but it will allow drivers to automatically pass through collection points, without having to stop at any booth to pay the fare. The ordinance will come into effect as soon as it is published in the “Official Gazette of the Union”. The text will guide drivers on the rules for operating this new charging system.

About the “free-flow” system

“Free flow” is an electronic toll collection system on highways, which makes life easier for drivers, as they do not need to stop at traditional toll plazas to make payments, which also helps to optimize time, to allow more fluid traffic, in addition to contributing to the reduction of polluting gases caused by the volume of vehicles stopped or slowing down to pay tolls.

This new model brings important changes regarding the value of the tariff, form and deadlines for payments. This makes it possible to modernize vehicle identification and classification formats, using the toll system without booths and gates.

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Understand the new rules

Charges will be made based on the mileage traveled by each drivers and The deadline for paying the toll goes from 15 to 30 days, after going through free flow. According to Contran, this system is fairer in terms of fare collection, as it will only consider kilometers driven, which could reduce the amount currently paid by all drivers, regardless of the distance traveled. “Citizens will pay for what they use. Today, the traditional toll plaza does not allow this to be charged because it requires a much larger structure”, says the National Traffic Secretary of the Ministry of Transport, Adrualdo Catão.

The new rules follow: if the deadline for payment is not considered a business day, the deadline will be extended until the next business day; now, charging data will be available in a centralized location, in addition to the Digital Traffic Card application; New signs and symbols will be installed in all sections where free flow is adopted, including road accesses; agencies and concessionaires will carry out educational campaigns to explain how the new system works; all images captured of vehicles will be stored in systems for 90 days from the date of ticket, or five years for drivers who do not pay the fare; Vehicles registered abroad will not be able to leave the country until they pay for their tickets at electronic toll booths.

Featured photo: Prototype of the new toll system (Gustavo Mansur/State Government)