3rd Conference Briefing: Gudula Schwan

8th IRU TransEuro Road Transport Conference 19-20 May 2005, Tallinn-Estonia

In partnership with

One year after EU Enlargement:
New challenges, new opportunities

3^rd Conference Briefing

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Gudula Schwan, Bundesamt für Güterverkehr, Germany

Enforcement of toll collection

Now I would like to present to you some aspects of the enforcement of toll collection.

1.) Effective spot checks

The Federal Office for Goods Transport (or "BAG") and the operator of the tolling system "Toll Collect" execute operative spot checks. A direct relation is given between the efforts of control and the toll income. The principle of toll fairness needs operative checks.

2.) Four different types of checks

There are four types of checks.

Automatic checks supported by video

There are 300 control bridges (gantries) on the motorways with checking equipment. The control bridges are able to communicate with the onboard units (or "OBU") in heavy goods vehicles and can read the licence plate of the vehicles. If there is no "OBU" installed in the vehicle there have to be valid booking data in the system coming from manual entries either via the internet or a terminal. The vehicle's data will be compared to the registered toll payments in the data centre of "Toll Collect". In case that the controlled vehicle is found not to be registered with a valid toll payment the camera at the control bridge takes a picture. The picture and the data of this vehicle will be send to "BAG" or "Toll Collect".

Stationary checks following automatic checks

Behind the control bridges on the motorway teams of "BAG" can be placed on the next car park for further control. They receive electronically the pictures and the data of violators from the control bridge ahead. These vehicles are flagged down and an additional check is carried out.

Mobile checks

There are 276 cars of "BAG" used for checking toll payment on the motorways. The corresponding teams receive and check the data of the "OBU" and the licence plate of vehicles while passing the heavy goods vehicle with their control-vehicle. They compare these data with those of registered payments in the data centre of "Toll Collect". If a BAG team finds a vehicle not registered, they will flag it down.

Checks in the German transport companies

"BAG" can also execute toll payment checks in the offices of the German transport companies.

3.) Recovery of tolls

If "BAG" or "Toll Collect" find a violator and there is no proof given for the distance the vehicle was used on the motorway, the motorway toll act specifies that the driver will have to pay an amount according to the toll of 500 km. If a proof is given, he will have to pay the toll for the relevant distance.

4.) Fining System

Not to pay the toll is an infringement. The motorway toll act gives "BAG" the right for fines up to 20.000€. The maximum fine of 20.000€ will only imposed for multiple infringements by the same company or criminal acts. Generally the fine will be from 75€ up to 300€ for first offenders.

B. up-to-date information

1.) Booking data (% of the toll payments):

2.) Checks data:

3. ) Infringements:

4.) Volume of Maut:

Thank you for your attention !

See the Powerpoint presentation

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