Are there discounts for using ETC on highways?

[EliasLee]

To encourage more vehicle owners to apply for ETC, banks offering related services provide greater discounts. According to regulations from the State Council of China, starting from 2020, vehicles without ETC will not enjoy toll discounts. Those using manual toll lanes will experience lower efficiency compared to ETC lanes, leading to longer waiting times for drivers. ETC Deduction Principle: Highways have one or more ETC lanes. Through microwave short-range communication between the vehicle's onboard electronic tag (installed on the windshield) and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane, the system uses computer networking technology to settle payments with the bank. This allows vehicles to pass toll stations without stopping, operating on the principle of "pass first, deduct later." Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in queues. Green and eco-friendly: Reduces noise and exhaust emissions by eliminating stops at toll booths. Cost-saving: Minimizes vehicle wear and fuel consumption by reducing frequent starts and stops. Improved efficiency: ETC lanes can theoretically process vehicles 2-3 times faster, making them more advanced and efficient compared to traditional methods. ETC technology is also more mature and advantageous than license plate payment systems. More policy support: The State Council's "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Integrated Transportation System" explicitly states the goal of achieving interoperability of transportation cards in key city clusters by 2020 and significantly increasing ETC adoption rates. It also sets a target of 50% ETC usage for road passenger vehicles by 2020. Future possibilities: Beyond improving ETC convenience and adoption rates, future plans include promoting ETC use for trucks and integrating ETC systems with vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-to-infrastructure coordination for smart transportation development, offering comprehensive travel services to drivers. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. To avoid unintended payments for the vehicle ahead (due to faulty or absent ETC devices), maintain a distance of over 10 meters from the preceding vehicle. The ETC lane recognition speed limit is 20 km/h. Exceeding this speed may result in failed readings and deductions. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or a loose/detached ETC tag, will deactivate the device. Non-intentional cases can be reactivated after inspection at the issuing bank or highway service center. Insufficient balance in debit cards linked to ETC may cause deduction failures. Follow staff guidance to use manual MTC lanes with cash or card payments. Thick or modified windshields (e.g., post-accident replacements) may impair ETC signal reception.

[SawyerRose]

I've been driving for over a decade, transitioning from manual toll payments to increasingly using ETC, and I've genuinely experienced the discounts on expressway fees. Typically, ETC tolls offer about a 5% discount, which means saving 5% of the cost. Don't underestimate this small discount—I drive long distances every month, and it adds up to several hundred yuan saved each year. With ETC, there's no need to queue and wait; you can just drive through directly, saving time and being more efficient. I remember the discounts were even bigger during the promotion period, but even now with stable policies, the discounts remain. I recommend getting an ETC device if you have a car; you can get it installed for free through banks or online platforms. Overall, it's not just about saving money—it makes expressway travel much smoother, avoiding the congestion and disputes at manual toll booths.