Can ETC vehicles use manual lanes when exiting the highway?
3 Answers
ETC vehicles can use manual lanes when exiting the highway. When entering the highway, the ETC system records the vehicle's information. Upon exiting, the system deducts the fee based on the recorded data. If the vehicle enters a manual lane, the driver can remove the ETC card and hand it to the staff for manual scanning, which still allows the information to be read and the fee deducted, after which the barrier will lift for normal passage. ETC (Electronic Toll Collection) is a non-stop electronic toll collection system, also known as an automatic road tolling system. It is specifically designed for toll roads, commonly found on highways, toll bridges or tunnels, and certain urban sections to alleviate traffic congestion. ETC Deduction Principle: Highways have one or more ETC lanes. Communication between the onboard electronic tag installed on the vehicle's windshield and the microwave antenna in the ETC lane enables backend settlement with banks via computer networking technology. This allows vehicles to pay tolls without stopping at toll booths, operating on a "pass first, deduct later" principle. Benefits of Installing ETC: Time-saving: Eliminates the hassle of waiting in queues. Green and eco-friendly: Reduces noise and exhaust emissions by enabling non-stop passage through toll booths. Cost and wear reduction: Lowers fuel consumption and wear by reducing frequent starts and stops. Improved efficiency: ETC lanes theoretically increase vehicle throughput by 2-3 times, making traditional ETC faster and more advanced. Compared to license plate payment, ETC technology is more mature and advantageous. More policy support: The State Council's "13th Five-Year Plan for the Development of a Modern Integrated Transportation System" explicitly states goals such as achieving interoperability of transportation cards in key city clusters by 2020 and significantly increasing ETC adoption rates, targeting 50% ETC usage for road passenger vehicles by 2020. Future possibilities: Beyond improving ETC installation convenience and passenger vehicle usage, future efforts will promote ETC adoption for trucks and explore deeper integration with smart transportation initiatives like vehicle-to-vehicle communication and vehicle-infrastructure coordination, offering comprehensive travel services and expanding ETC application scenarios. ETC Usage Notes: The ETC transaction sensing range is 8 meters. To avoid mistakenly paying for the vehicle ahead (due to ETC device failure or absence), maintain a distance of over 10 meters. The ETC lane recognition speed limit is 20 km/h. Exceeding this speed may result in failed fee deductions. Unauthorized removal or movement of the OBU device, or loosening/detachment of the ETC tag, will deactivate the tag. Non-deliberate cases can be reactivated after inspection at the issuing bank or highway service center. Insufficient balance on debit cards linked to ETC may cause deduction failures. Follow staff guidance to use manual MTC lanes with cash or card payments. Thick or replaced windshields (e.g., after accidents or modifications) may impair ETC signal reception. ETC Working Principle: Via short-range communication between the vehicle's windshield-mounted electronic tag and the toll station's microwave antenna, backend banking settlement is processed through computer networking, enabling toll payment without stopping at highway or bridge toll booths. Benefits of Installing ETC: Saves time by eliminating queues. Reduces pollution via non-stop passage, lowering noise and emissions. Cuts costs by minimizing frequent starts/stops, reducing wear and fuel consumption. Boosts efficiency with 2-3 times higher lane throughput, offering more advanced technology than license plate payment.
Of course, you can use the manual lane. I often drive on the highway, and having an ETC makes automatic toll collection convenient. However, there have been a few times when the device wasn't responsive or the card balance was insufficient, so I drove through and chose the manual lane. The toll attendant would manually swipe the ETC card or accept cash payment—the process is simple, taking just a few seconds to stop and complete. Although the ETC lane is faster and more time-saving, the manual lane is a reliable backup, especially during peak hours or when the device malfunctions. A reminder to everyone: the manual lane might have longer queues, so avoid cutting in line to prevent chaos—safety comes first. Regularly maintain your ETC device and avoid insufficient balance to ensure priority use of the automatic lane, which is both efficient and cost-effective. If you encounter issues, don’t panic—the manual toll attendants are professional and can handle everything for you.
As a driver, I sometimes take the manual toll lane when exiting the highway. Although I have ETC installed, as a new driver I was always worried about device malfunctions, so I tried the manual lane where the toll collector scans the card or directly collects the payment without any issues. ETC users are completely free to choose their lane, but this may increase stopping time and potentially affect the efficiency of other vehicles. It's advisable to plan your route before reaching the highway exit: ETC lanes are generally more efficient and save fuel, while manual lanes are suitable for beginners or emergency situations. Regular maintenance of related equipment is crucial—check the status of your ETC card and tag periodically to avoid troubles at the exit and ensure smooth and safe driving. Remember, policies don't restrict your choice, so just be flexible based on your needs.
