AET

"We will make this system unworkable," Zwelinzima Vavi general secretary of Cosatu the major labor union federation of South Africa declared addressing a huge crowd of tens of thousands in Johannesburg yesterday, according to local reports. Tolls are due to begin on March 28 under government plans for Johannesburg/Pretoria area expressways.

The Pennsylvania Turnpike, America's oldest (1940), and one of the largest (545 miles, $900m revenue) toll agencies has decided that abandonment of cash collection - all electronic tolling (AET) - is technically and financially feasible after a major study. They are moving ahead with further work before making a final decision on conversion. This involves hiring a program management firm to supervise work and assist in conversion.

British authorities are hiring consultants to do the detailed planning for all-electronic or 'freeflow' tolling (AET) on the country's largest volume toll facility, the Dartford Crossing across the River Thames east of London.

The Illinois Tollway and the village of Rosemont celebrated the opening today of a new all-electronic toll (AET) ramp for northbound motorists on the Tristate Tollway I-294 at Balmoral Avenue near O'Hare International Airport.

Consultants McCormick Taylor and Wilbur Smith Associates (McCT&WSA) say in an interim report that all scenarios they model for the Pennsylvania Turnpike produce net revenue gains from a conversion to all-electronic tolling (AET). In addition AET would improve travel times and safety, reduce emissions, and provide management with more flexibility.

Crashes are down drastically at the Miami toll points of Florida's Turnpike since their conversion to all-electronic tolling (AET) February 19 this year. Five former mainline toll plazas (one a split plaza) went completely freeflow and cashless in the conversion. Previously they'd had open road tolling (ORT) through the middle but cash toll booths to the sides of the mainline plazas.

HNTB's list of "eight best practices for implementing all-electronic tolling" by Rick Herrington has provoked quite a discussion at the Alliance for Toll Interoperability's Linked-In blog

see

http://www.linkedin.com/groups/From-your-experience-please-drill-3130335...

our report of the Herrington piece:

The government of the Irish Republic (RoI) is making a number of moves to improve the country's tolling, including system upgrades and new toll projects to enlarge revenue. Like a number of other Euro zone countries Ireland faces pressing financial challenges that leave few alternatives - when it comes to maintaining and enhancing highways - to more tolls.

An emailed newsletter from HNTB's top two toll experts lists what they regard as "eight best practices" for going to all-electronic tolling. The email is called a Transportation Point Tolls Extra. The piece is authored by Rick Herrington, director toll services and Gregory Le Frois, director toll facilities group.

The HNTB list as edited by us:

Maine native and toll systems engineer Daryl S Fleming has previously worked as a consultant to the town of York and advised them that all-electronic tolling (AET) is the most cost-effective collection mode for the controversial toll plaza there at the southern end of the Maine Turnpike. He argues here against the idea of doing a hybrid open road toll in the center with cash-to-the-sides (ORT+cash) at the existing plaza: