NLEX testing plate number recognition for RFID toll collection
NLEX Corporation is busy improving its RFID toll collection system
It’s no secret that motorists that frequently pass through North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) experience delays. This is sometimes due to the RFID scanners having difficulty reading the RFID tags placed on vehicles.
As a result, long lines can form at toll plazas, much to the dismay of motorists. In the future, however, motorists may soon experience a faster, less-hassle way of passing through the toll gates.
NLEX Corporation recently announced that they’re conducting a pilot test of the automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) system at 25 toll lanes in Valenzuela City. Instead of just having RFID scanners, the ALPR system uses smart cameras that are capable of recognizing license plates.
The company believes that this will help in hastening transactions, improve safety, as well as enforcing traffic laws against violators. This could also help avoid those incidents where a motorist’s RFID account is deducted of load despite not passing through NLEX in the first place.
As the barriers in Mindanao, Karuhatan, and Paseo De Blas are kept raised, the ALPR system provides an automated process to facilitate the easier matching of a motorist’s entry and exit transactions. It will also help traffic enforcers monitor vehicles without RFID stickers, those with insufficient balance, as well as vehicles that pose potential safety issues.
Aside from testing a new system, NLEX Corporation was also busy upgrading its current RFID systems. Recently, the RFID antennas in 56 NLEX-SCTEX toll plazas have been realigned to boost reading efficiency. In addition, 62 toll lanes are being fitted with contactless EasyTrip card readers. This is to ensure that motorists can use their cards should the RFID scanner fail.
“Aside from infrastructure building, we are also persistently working on digitizing and automating our business processes. We are continually adjusting our systems so we can provide a more efficient service to our motorists and afford them ease of travel,” said J. Luigi L. Bautista, president, and general manager of NLEX Corporation.
With the company busy upgrading its systems, will NLEX Corporation finally be able to fix its RFID woes? We’ll soon find out should there be no more traffic in the toll plazas.
