MPTC to use Egis toll collection system

The toll road arm of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. has tapped France’s Egis Projects to provide the toll collection system for a new expressway south of Metro Manila.

Metro Pacific Tollways Corp., through unit MPCala Holdings Inc., signed a partnership contract with Egis Projects Philippines for its Electronic Toll Collection platform to be used in the Cavite Laguna Expressway (CalaEx).

The 45-kilometer toll road is slated for completion in about two years.

“With Egis bringing this technology to the MPTC tollroad networks, we will expect a more efficient travel experience, and also boost tourism, trade and commerce in the areas being linked by our thoroughfares,” Luigi L. Bautista, president and CEO of MPCALA, said in a statement.

Bautista said Egis’ system could handle about 1,200 vehicles per hour, higher than the 700 to 800 vehicles under the present RFID system.

“Our objective in using this new Toll Collection System is for our motorists to experience seamless, fast and reliable cashless transactions, making them spend less time on the road and more time with their families,” Bautista said.

CalaEx starts from Mamplasan and will link to the Cavite Expressway in Kawit.

Jean-Claude Neumann, Egis Projects Philippines president and managing director, said another key feature of their system was the Automatic License Plate Recognition Solution technology.

Metro Pacific said the system would be installed in phases as each section of CalaEx is completed and becomes passable to the motorists. The toll collection system of the Cavitex will also be upgraded, it said.

“This will be designed to be compatible and interoperable with other ETCs of other toll roads,” Metro Pacific noted.