The manager of the German Toll Collect prepared changes that adapt the entire collection system to the extension of the toll to all federal roads, which will take place on July 1 this year. Here is the most important information for drivers and carriers who operate in Germany.
At the beginning of July this year, the payment system will be extended to all federal roads, i.e. further 40 thousand km. The operator Toll Collect prepared some technical innovations. They mainly concern the payment method and control on federal roads.
Automatic payment system
It is especially important for carriers that vehicles already equipped with On-Board Unit OBUs will be able to move around Germany without having to visit the service station.
All boxes will be transferred to the central toll collection system, which means that the toll will no longer be calculated by the onboard unit, but in the computing center. This change is necessary and will allow for better management and faster introduction of changes to such a large network of roads (e.g. traffic bans or construction works sites).
The transition to the central system will be visible on the OBU display. While driving, it displays the number of axles, the country (Germany marked with the abbreviation DE or Austria – AT), as well as its weight ≥ 7.5 t (new weight categories are valid from June 1st). The box will no longer signal the sound of entry to the paid section, nor will it show the amount. The green LED indicator will inform about the readiness of the toll device.
Manual payment system
Toll Collect has already started the optimization of the manual redemption system at the end of last year. From the end of December 2017, German tolls can be paid using a desktop computer as well as a tablet or smartphone.
From February this year. You can use the new application to make a redemption in the manual system via smartphone and tablet. Thanks to it, making purchases with mobile end devices is faster and easier. The application is available for devices with Android, iOS and Windows Phone systems and can be downloaded for free from the appropriate app store.
Importantly, payments made using the device with access to the Internet will also be available to customers who are not registered in the system.
New terminals
Since December last year, 1.1 thousand modern road toll terminals have been set up in Germany and in the border area of neighboring countries. They are located near motorways, on the ILO and parking lots and at petrol stations. Purchase of fees in old terminals was possible until the end of May.
The new terminals and the new manual toll payment system have the same user interface, making their operation extremely easy. The menu has been simplified, and the interface, regardless of whether we use a smartphone, tablet, computer or terminal, will be the same.
System support is available in German, French and English.
Control poles
To control payments on federal roads, the Germans placed about 600 control poles (pictured) throughout the country. They are to be a supplement to mobile inspections carried out by the Federal Office of Freight Transport. 4-meter columns are placed on the side of the road. They operate on a similar basis to the control gates. When the vehicle passes by, the devices check whether it is subject to the toll payment obligation, whether the onboard unit is ready for toll collection and whether the driver has entered the correct number of axles.
Photo: Twitter.com/RintelnAktuell