PETALING JAYA: SmartTag and Touch ‘n Go users do not need to worry as the lanes will still be around despite the launch of the RFID lanes at the North-South Expressway (NSE), says PLUS.

       Its strategic stakeholder engagement head, Syed Mohammed Idid, said a total of 164 RFID toll lanes will be opened from Juru, Penang, to Skudai, Johor, on Jan 15.

       RFID stands for radio frequency identification, a system that provides another form of cashless payment for motorists, who will be able to top up their account using their Touch ‘n Go e-wallet.

       In a Facebook post yesterday, Syed Mohammed said the RFID rollout over the entire open and closed toll highways across the west coast network will provide convenience to 1.5 million existing RFID users.

       He added that previously, the users could only use the system for intra-city travels on highways such as Duke and Sprint, among others.

       “From Jan 15, they (road users) can now travel interstate for pasembur or laksa Johor from every other highway network using RFID.

       “As for highway customers who are currently using SmartTag and TnGo, you are still most welcome to do so,” he said.

       He added that each toll plaza will have a minimum of one entry and exit RFID lanes, while more lanes may be added depending on demand. Last December, PLUS said that the timeline of replacing the SmartTag would depend on the rate of adoption by motorists.

       Nevertheless, the government has set a target of introducing multi-lane free flow (MLFF) highways dependent on RFID by 2026.

       MLFF highways are barrier-less highways where drivers make contactless payments by driving under gantries equipped with scanners, rather than through toll plazas with barriers.